Power on with beeping 8 times and amber light blinking 8 times on front panel and power switch

[Bruch2168]

Dear professional HP consultants,

Last Saturday afternoon when I attempt to turn on my HP desktop PC, the screen is blank and system beeping for 8 times along with the front panel amber light blinking for 8 times as well (The PC is still working in the morning).

I been through the HP online support found that the meaning of 8 times beeping is cause by the corrupt BIOS.  When I call HP support hotline, the gentleman told me it is RAM issue, ask me to detach the RAM modules from the mobo and reattach them again to identify if problem resolve.

I did try to detached and reattached both RAM modules on mobo it but it still having the same problem.

I did try to remove and replace the CMOS battery on mobo it still having the same problem.

I did try to clear CMOS with the Jumper on mobo it still having the same problem.

IPlease advise how to conduct BIOS recovery without booting into WINDOW and/or go to POST ?  I did saw a jumper in the mobo indicate is for BIOS recovery, may I ask how to use this jumper ?

Thanks.

[Chimney_83]

Greetings @Bruch2168, 

Thanks for the post. 

I understand that you are unable to boot your computer to the desktop and the computer is beeping 8 times. 

Not to worry, I will be glad to assist you. 

Kudos to you for trying to troubleshoot the issue on your own.

Have you made any hardware changes on your computer?

To understand that beep codes refer to this HP Article. 

To do BIOS recovery, you would need a USB keyboard. 

While holding down Win + B keys on your keyboard turn the computer ON. Click here. 

Let me know how it goes. 

[savvy2]

HP Pavilion Slimline s5-1498hk Desktop PC (as old as 2011, it seems)

full names help, helpers (windows 8??)

has some attempted to flash the BIOS before, from new to now?

the current BIOS is 8.20 Rev.A  at HP.

as seen here,

run the exe  and flash the ROM bios, this is the UEFI upated btw.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-slimline-s5-1400-desktop-pc-series/5295...

on mine, when you run above, I pick make  usb stick (bullet )  (ran from windows) sp12345.exe  (example)

on mine this puts FREEDOS on this stick and an HP DOS program there runs and flashes the BIOS,(most safe why this is)

Freedos runs in REAL mode. and zero risk of multitasking , cause errors like windows loves to do !

see that here, on mine the freedos failed and i cure that. but not on yours as it runs in win8.1 as it says.

on mine , w7 support uses old freedos.. (bad) (and HP warned my it is not supported for w10)

also on my PC using HP special APP,  i can use my BIOS to flash the BIOS (risky, imo , both ways risky)

called the 3 in 1 key way.... seen

here too

http://www.pcdied.com/XP-sux-sg.html#flashing_and_Bricking

IMO, Freedos build  2041 is the best build. on mine 2036 freedos was DOA. would not run on my modern laptop 8540w

[Bruch2168]

Hello Chimney,

Appreciate your reply indeed.

To answer your question first, I have not change any hardware components on the motherboard.

Base on the article, I am not sure the BIOS currently using is AMI or Phoenix, but the motherboard is Joshua H61 uATX from Foxconn, not sure which BIOS is embedded, the PC were bought on January-2013.  

I will try to use Win+B button again with the USB keyboard, I did try on wireless keyboard but not work, what my question is, I haven't been conduct any BIOS update before, probably the HP_TOOL partition is not in the harddisk.

Is there any way to recover the BIOS without previous version save on harddisk, I understand HP notebook PC BIOS can be recover through USB.

I shall try USB KEYBOARD and get back to you shorty.

Best Wish

Bruch

[Bruch2168]

Hello Savvy,

You professional opinions is appreciate, but it take sometimes to go through step by step.

To answer your questions:

1. There is a Nvida 6xx display on PCI-E slot,

2. All the BIOS hot key try before, none of them work, I shall attempt again if I have a USB Keyboard.

3. I don't think the PSU have problems, all cooling Fans are function in.

4.CMOS BATTERY replaced already,  but still 8 times beeping.

Thank you for all the advise.

Best Wish,

Bruch

[savvy2]

HP Pavilion Slimline s5-1498hk Desktop PC (as old as 2011, it seems)

1. There is a Nvida 6xx display on PCI-E slot,    (VGA? or DMI?)

2. All the BIOS hot key try before, none of them work, I shall attempt again if I have a USB Keyboard.

3. I don't think the PSU have problems, all cooling Fans are function in.

4.CMOS BATTERY replaced already,  but still 8 times beeping.

1. run on 1 RAM stick ?
2. is there another VGA port on the MOBO,  is there 2 VGA ports? try both.  (if mobo GPU there  remove PCI card and test that. mobo port now.
3. Did you unplug all heavy cables, SATA and all power cables from PSU to other things there>? I cant seen inside so....
4. is the CPU heat sink loose?
5. did you try another VGA card,  any PCI VGA will work there as  test, even and old $3 used card,,  we keep them handly here.
6. no beeps, no flashing keys on the keyboard.
7. BIOS is dead, and that can only be bad RAM, BAD CPU, BAD VGA card, bad MOBO.   (2 are easy here ,see?)
8. If you replaced the MOBO and it failed too, then what?  that  is what we ask ourselves.... then do more testing.
9. does the USB port have 5vdc on its pins
10. does the DVD drive (or cd) eject at its button.
11. do any mobo LED glow.
12. ive listed many tests, here all just basics,  but can do more, but ill stop here.

[Bruch2168]

Hi Savvy,

To answer you questions.

1. run on 1 RAM stick ? 
   1. No, 2 RAM sticks, try to removed all of them, MOBO beeping in 5 times,, stop aound 5 seconds and keep 5 times beeping. Try to put back one (and another RAM stick borrow from friend), back to beeping 8 times.
2. is there another VGA port on the MOBO,  is there 2 VGA ports? try both.  (if mobo GPU there  remove PCI card and test that. mobo port now.
   1. Yes, try to remove the PCI display card and connect to on-board display card, still beeping for 8 times, no signal to the LCD
3. Did you unplug all heavy cables, SATA and all power cables from PSU to other things there>? I cant seen inside so....
   1. Not all the power cable, but try to unplung all SATA cable (Blueray drive and SATA HD), after power-on no beeping, but still no signal to display.
4. is the CPU heat sink loose?
   1. No, they are tightly station on the MOBO.
5. did you try another VGA card,  any PCI VGA will work there as  test, even and old $3 used card,,  we keep them handly here.
   1. Sorry, can't found one available, and the PSU is only 300w output, may be difficult to found one because the PSU does not have enough power for other display card
6. no beeps, no flashing keys on the keyboard.
   1. Try a USB keyboard, all [Num Lock], {Capital Lock] and {Scroll Lock] light are normal.
7. BIOS is dead, and that can only be bad RAM, BAD CPU, BAD VGA card, bad MOBO.   (2 are easy here ,see?)
   1. Seems it is 
8. If you replaced the MOBO and it failed too, then what?  that  is what we ask ourselves.... then do more testing.
   1. I am thinking of replace the MOBO
9. does the USB port have 5vdc on its pins
   1. Not sure
10. does the DVD drive (or cd) eject at its button.
    1. Yes.
11. do any mobo LED glow.
    1. No, no LED found on the MOBO
12. ive listed many tests, here all just basics,  but can do more, but ill stop here.

Thanks for all the advise.

[Bruch2168]

Hello Chimney,

Sadly to say that, I have found a USB keyboard, and try on Win+B key but the PC still unable to go to BIOS recovery screen.

Is there other approach to restore the BIOS in this motherboard ?

Thanks and Best Wish

Bruch

[savvy2]

silly javascript double posted this so this file is MARKED for delete.

[savvy2]

the winkey+B (at power on) method is very CAVE MAN crude.

(btw, my winkey+B way , has no browse mode. to find a BIN file so is near useless as a tool, it's a blind tool)

keep in mind too, its BIOS flashing BIOS,  so if BIOS is bad, it can fail easy. see why?

(most PC sold the Lower bank of the BIOS is the loader and is usually ok  unless someone does some funny flashing trick wrong.)

the above looks for xxxxx.bin file on the HDD, hp-tools folder

so if HDD is remove this fails.

Q1: was w7 new,  now MS 8 its on it

was windows 8 new and put on fresh MS disk loaded, 8.1 or w10

 READ MY FIRST POST I ADDED the fix, using newest HP  firmware SP12345.exe stick maker

so it beeps with all easy things pulled. ok,, 

my guess is power is ok to the EEPROM BIOS CHIP.  and that flashing it should work.

there are many failure modes on a DT pC that can cause it not to flash right.  ( power tops list sure. as are shorted things connected to the MOBO (and more, if Van Neuman is dead it will never flash, if you get my drift)

make a stick ,(USB MEM stick) with FREEDOS, HP use this and best, (best of best) seen in link below.

have up upgraded windows ever, did it come with w7, 8 or 8.1 now...???  those were the choices, then.

here is your offical bios off your support page, you can look there as see it asking what you own. Im not sure

not sure its history,  Id not use the internal  VGA card if present, just onboard to be safe.

are other slots in the PCI bus with any other cards (i can see inside your machine for odd things there)

make a stick using this tool and then boot it. (F9 key pick this stick on the fly F9 at power on)

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-slimline-s5-1400-desktop-pc-series/5295...

last points.

if the battery is ok,  (many are not) use it , if not, ok , keep it out of the system .

batteries can and do short. and can overload the regulators. 

(in shop we use  USP and keep the battery laying naked on the bench. (we hate batteries, justified)

in the old days ,the boot block is not touched (from day 1 new)

and will load the new BIOS 10 times if want, using that boot block. (bios burns bios menu seen in BIOS service page)

then came UEFI and BAM , rug pulled under me.. I can only flash to  the newest UEFI BIOS and no trips backwards.

the DIY regression path is DEAD , for mine..... 

UNLESS HP intervenes and sends me a" UUID matched RESET.BIN"

all these facts are something to ponder.

if the sp12345.exe using HP freedos fails?

you will have to get the UUID matched BIN by calling HP. and reset it . then run the above new bios flash stick

if that fails, the mobo (or ITS MODULES) are bad.