h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I start up my laptop, it always gives an almighty beep that always earns me the annoyed glances from everyone else in the library - where I happen to turn on the computer every now and then.

Once I am logged on/signed in/once my profile has been opened, there are no noises anymore as I sensibly turned off the speakers. This, apparently, only works after the signing in process.

So, how can I tell my computer to stop beeping when booting up? Any suggestions are welcome.

Y.

Short of disconnecting the internal speaker there is not a lot you can do about it. This beep is generated by the BIOS and is a signal to tell you that everything it fine. If it wasn't you would get multiple beebs. They can go a long way in helping you determine what is wrog if a fault should develope. They operate independent of any sound card or sound drivers.

try going settings,=> control panel,=> sounds and mulimedia, in there, there should be a 'start windows' sound thingy you can turn off

I hope I have explained this properly

this is with ME should be something similar with the others

This wont effect the POST (Power On Self Test) beep at all as it occurs long before Windows has even begun to load. You will even get the beep if the hard disk is disconnected.

Here is the solution I just came up with: if I just plug in speakers and those speakers are turned off, then no beep will be heard. Of course, it would be kind of tiresome to carry my external speakers with me to the library, but I can just use a head set. Then the beep will still sound, but too quietly for anyone to notice.

Well, thanks for your input.

So those beeps actually have a function?

I am always getting two of them, first a quiet one and then, about 3 seconds later a loud one, and then Windows starts.

Y.

Rather than carrying a set of speakers why not just carry a cheap pair of earphones?

Because I just could not remember what those darn things are called. Of course, it is exactly a pair of earphones that I am using

Y.

I'll try the earphone-version the moment I've found out where to plug them in ( I haven't looked yet, have to find the earphonmes first)

It is the same place you usually plug in the speakers.

Y.

I've found it. Never looked for it before, cause I always have the speakers off, if I think I want tohave sound, I use the integrated speakers, but it very rarely happens

I've done the same thing with Macs and PCs for years. You don't even need the earphones, just the jack plug. I have cut the jack plug off a pair of old and knackered earphones from a portable CD player and leave it plugged into the desktop computer all the time. No annoying beep (Bong in the case of the Mac) to wake a small child in the next room!

Same thing with the PC laptop. Someone gave me some free airline headphones which were no good so I used the foam for my trusty headphones and cut the jack plug off to use on the PC to shut it up!

No more in the library or on the train!

turvy

What a great idea , thanks

Well, that idea crossed my mind, but I have no plugs to share...

Y.

You can have mine - it doesn't work with my note-book

Well, as far as I understant computers (read that as "I don't understand computers nearly as well as I understand people - and I don't understand people, including myself) so, as far as far as I understand computers, plugging in even a non-functional plug should do the trick. Did you (oh, don't even comment) stick it in the right place?

Y.

Hey, just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't read a pictogram - I even listened to some music with the earphones plugged in.But the start beep is as loud as always

Okay, must be ONE OF THOSE THINGS...
Doesn't seem to make sense to me, but then again, does anything ever make sense?
And don't feel offended (as if you did...), I wasted an entire afternoon installing new software for my printer until I figured on that the key to making it work was to actually press the POWER button...

Y.

Some of the few things I actually check when something doesn't work - power, modem, router - that's it, if there's someting else, I have to wait for help. and you are right - I wasn't offended

If you can get into the BIOS menu (normally press Del on setup as soon as your computer starts or something, most PCs' tell you how to enter the BIOS) you might be able to take a look at the options in there to turn off the warning beep - not entirely sure about this as it's been a long time since I've messed around with them.

If you can get into the BIOS menu (normally press Del on setup* as soon as your computer starts or something, most PCs' tell you how to enter the BIOS) you might be able to take a look at the options in there to turn off the warning beep - not entirely sure about this as it's been a long time since I've messed around with them.

* Of course, most people called Del may not be too happy about this, i mean it must be really depressing if people just don't stop poking you all the time