Build a PC and read the POST
Building a PC is an ordered job: seat the CPU first while the board is clear, then the memory and M.2 drive, then the graphics card, connect the 24-pin ATX and the 8-pin EPS CPU power leads, and finally power on and confirm POST. If it powers on but will not POST, the 8-pin EPS lead is the first thing to check. This lab uses the simulated bench; a physical build follows the same order.
Steps
- 1
Seat the CPU first, while the board is bare: lift the socket arm, match the corner triangle to the socket, let the chip drop in under its own weight, and close the arm. Never force it.
- 2
Seat the DDR5 memory: open the clips, line the notch up with the ridge in the slot, and press both ends until the clips snap. The DDR4 stick is keyed differently and will not fit.
- 3
Seat the M.2 SSD in the M-key slot at a shallow angle, then press it flat and secure it.
- 4
Seat the graphics card last, in the top PCIe x16 slot, so it is not in the way while you build. Press until the retention tab clicks.
- 5
Connect the 24-pin ATX cable to the board's main power header.
- 6
Connect the 8-pin EPS CPU power cable at the top of the board. Leaving it off is a cause of a build that powers on but will not POST, because the processor gets no power.
- 7
Power on and run POST. With everything seated and both leads connected, the board completes POST and reaches UEFI.
What you should see
After the final step the bench reports a successful POST. If a part is missing or a power lead is unplugged, POST fails and the bench names what it could not find, so you know exactly what to recheck.