Initial Boot-Up

The initial boot-up is, alas, the moment of truth. Only the boot-up will tell if the thing works!

Note: Read these instructions completely through one time before you begin. While reading, be mindful of what to expect, because you may need to act quickly!

Do the following:

If at any time you hear any unusual grinding, scraping, or loud whining sounds, turn the system off immediately!
Connect all the external peripherals, including the monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Plug in the main power cords for the monitor and the case.
Place your O/S CD Installation Disk that contains a System Boot into the CD drive (or the floppy System Boot Disk into A: drive). If the System Boot isn't on the O/S CD Installation Disk and you don't have a floppy System Boot Disk, then you will have to make one. How to Create a System Boot Disk.
Turn the monitor on and let it heat up for a few seconds before proceeding.
Press the power switch to turn the computer on. If it powers up, watch the system closely. The power LED should turn on. Then the fans should start spinning. The hard drive should power up.
You may get a "CMOS checksum error" or another error saying the CMOS or time isn't set. Ignore them. You will need to know what key(s) to hit to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. This will be clearly shown on the screen. You will need to press the correct key's quickly. There is nothing wrong with just hitting the reset button and rebooting until you do catch what it is. More detail on how to enter BIOS can be found in the next step, Step 14: BIOS Configuration.

When you are in the CMOS (BIOS) area, just let it sit there while you take out a flash light (or torch) and inspect the system.
- Make sure all the fans are running smoothly and not making any strange noises. If any of the fans are not spinning, turn the PC OFF and plug the fan in. You do not want to run any computer for long without its fans running, especially the processor heatsink fan.
- Make sure the case power LED is on.
- Make sure the floppy drive light is not stuck on. If it is, the ribbon cable is likely not properly aligned with Pin 1.

Basic troubleshooting

Let's face it, you could turn the computer on and it could just sit there and do nothing. Or you might hear the fans running, but only the fans and nothing else. Or, it could power up, but you get no video. Or you could get beep codes. Sadly, the list goes on.

But do not despair, when things don't work to plan, it's time to troubleshoot the system.

Troubleshooting is really like solving a mystery. Think of it as an interesting puzzle and you should be okay. Basically, you need to visualize one by one what the most likely reason for the trouble could be. Then eliminate it and go on to the next until you find the trouble.

Here is a list of some of the more common problems. But first, ground yourself.

The power won't turn on. Assuming you DO have the computer plugged into the electrical wall socket (don't laugh, most first-time boot-ups fail because the computer wasn't plugged in, OR it was plugged into an UPS or power surge strip that was NOT turned on), otherwise the lack of power is often a problem with the ATX machine. Usually the power switch isn't connected to the mobo or isn't connected properly to the mobo. Check the following:
- Find the power switch cable and make sure it is connected to the mobo. It's a possibility that simply reversing the lead will do the trick.
- Make sure the board isn't touching the case (this is what the spacers are for).
- Make sure none of the screws that hold the board in place is touching any metal or any of the electrical pathways on the mobo. If you have any doubt on this, you can remove each screw one at a time and place a washers on them. You do not need to remove the motherboard to do this.
The PC boots, but I hear beeping. Beeping can indicate a serious problem, often a critical function failure. The codes are intended to inform you about what is going on when no visual signal is available. They originate from the BIOS of the computer.

When the monitor is working, the BIOS will normally display error messages on the screen. However, there are times when the video card isn't activated or working or during a serious problem that the BIOS will send out a beep code to grab your attention.

Unfortunately, beep codes are not standardized. Different BIOS manufacturers use different beeps for the same thing. You need to find out what the beeps mean. To do this, you need to locate the name of the BIOS manufacturer, then get the information.

The two most popular BIOS manufacturers are Phoenix and American Megatrends. So, their codes are the most common. If you don't know who made your BIOS, consult the mobo manual. You can also look at the BIOS chip on the mobo.

With that information, it's easy to go to their website and get the meaning of individual beep codes. There are many of them.
The fans come on, but there is no video or beeps. Sometimes, this is because a key component may not be plugged in properly or may not be operational. Check the memory modules and the processor to be sure they are firmly installed. You might want to make sure the processor is actually working. To do this, unplug the processor fan and place your fingers on the processor. It should heat up quickly. If it does, good. But don't let it run this way for very long. On the other hand, should the processor remain at room temperature, then you may have a defective processor and it may need replacing. Sometimes, you may need to track down a problem component through a process of elimination. You may need to replace parts one by one and figure out the problem. Be sure you have the processor jumper settings set properly, You do not want them set too high or too low.
The keyboard doesn't work. This one doesn't happen very often. However, if it does, the two trouble sources will be the keyboard itself or the keyboard controller on the motherboard. Hope it isn't the second one.