Step 13:
Boot-Up Preparations

You have assembled your computer and it is ready for the next step, pre-boot inspection and boot-up preparations. Some consider this to be very important because it always seems to be better to preempt a problem rather than having to find and correct the same problem later. After all, when you boot-up, it would be nice if the computer actually turned on, wouldn't it?

First, ground yourself. Now, there are a few things to connect and inspect.

Connect the following:

The monitor
The keyboard
The mouse
The power cords to the monitor and the case.

Take a flashlight and check all of your work. Pay special attention to the following:

Is the 110/220 volt switch set for your area?
Are the drives connected to power correctly?
Is the processor connected to power correctly?
Is the processor set correctly for bus speed, voltage and multipliers? (If you have a Jumperless motherboard - skip this)
Are the ribbon cables connected correctly at each connection, with the red edge on pin 1?
Are all other connections tight? Check to be sure connections are not off by one set of pins.
Are the fans clear of wires and cables, and are they set to blow in, not out?
(AT motherboard only) are the P8 and P9 connected correctly with their black wires in the middle?
Are all the cards fully in their slots?
Are slot guards installed?

Have the following handy:

An Operating System - You need the O/S Installation CD you intend to install.
The System Boot Disk - If you install Windows XP or Server 2003, the "System Boot" will (usually) be on the O/S CD Installation Disk. However, if you install an older O/S, check the O/S CD Installation Disk and see if it's there. If it is, count yourself lucky. On older O/Ss, it usually isn't there. If it's not, you will have to create your own System Boot Disk, using a blank floppy disk. Click on the following link to learn how: How to Create a System Boot Disk, the ole' fashioned way.

With everything done, you're ready to go on to the next step.

Computers4Sure TigerDirect Computers

• Tutorial Table of Contents • Next: Step 14: Initial Boot-Up •

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