The beeps you hear when you turn your computer on might sound random, but there's a method to the digital madness. They are generated by a program called basic input-output sequence (BIOS) on the computer's motherboard.

BIOS is the first program that runs in the power-on self-test (POST). POST verifies everything is working properly. If an error is detected, the machine beeps in a sequence that makes it possible for computer repair technicians to identify what the problem is.

Beep code sequences are the Morse Code of computers, and each manufacturer has its own. A single beep usually means everything started properly.

Some sequences are based on familiar melodies. For example, several years ago a client reported his machine was playing a tune that sounded to him like Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."

Tobin Solutions' owner, Jeremy Cherny, mentioned it to his wife, Sara. She asked him to hum the tune and quickly identified it as Beethoven's "Für Elise," meaning "For Elise" (Elise is a shortened form of Elizabeth). Jeremy researched the issue and discovered the "Für Elise" beep sequence was associated with a thermal warning that led to failing CPU fans.

If your computer begins beeping in an unusual way, call us - the IT and classical music experts.

Take a guess at what these texting abbreviations mean.  

B4N    CX    TY    TLA   WU?    ZZZ               

Answers at bottom of the page.

WORD TIP:  File Path in Footer    

Where, oh where, have my Downloads gone?

Have you ever downloaded a program or file from a web page or e-mail link and then not been able to find it?

Solving this common problem begins with reading the screens during the download process to get as much information about the file as possible.  It's particularly important to note the downloaded file's name.

The download's location is usually controlled by the browser. Internet Explorer asks where to put files, but Firefox and Chrome send downloads to the Downloads folder in My Documents, a default location that can be changed.

To change the location in Firefox, on the main menu, click Tools, then Options.

Click the Browse button in the Downloads section, and select a new default location.

Chrome users should click the Wrench icon in the upper right, select Options, and then the Under the Hood tab to find the location that controls download behavior.