Step 10 - First Boot of Your Computer

This article will cover the first boot tutorial. Before installing the remaining hardware take a moment at this stage to make sure everything you've installed so far is working with a first boot of the computer.

It's always a good idea to test while things are at the simplest stage and that would be while you have the fewest components installed.

First make sure that the power on connector from the on/off switch at the front of the case is plugged into the correct header pins on the motherboard.

Next make sure the CPU fan is plugged into the three-pin motherboard header labeled CPU. Don't ever make the mistake of powering up a motherboard and not have the CPU fan on. It will burn out the processor quicker than you can say hot damn!

Now plug in the large ATX motherboard power plug. You can't miss it. It's the big white one coming out of the power supply.

Also plug in the four pin ATX 12v connector while you're at it. They are both keyed so you can't plug them in backwards.

Once the power connectors are in place, connect the mouse, keyboard and monitor to the appropriate connectors on the back of the computer.

A CRT monitor will connect to the DB15 or VGA port coming out of the video card.

If you are using an LCD monitor you will connect a cable from it to either a DVI or VGA connector on the video card.

The mouse and keyboard will plug into their respective PS/2 ports if they aren't USB.

The keyboard is usually the outside (closest to the side of the computer)PS/2 port while the mouse is located on the inside.

Make sure the red slide switch on the back of the power supply unit is set to 120VAC. Plug in the computer 120VAC and hit the computer on switch. You should see the POST(power on self test) screen appear on your monitor.

If you don't go back through steps 1-9 and also check to make sure the monitor is turned on.