How-to POST Test a Motherboard – POWER ON SELF TEST Guide

Motherboard POST Information – Troubleshooting and Diagnostic

To perform a POST TEST (Power On Self Test) on a motherboard you need four pieces of hardware.

• The Motherboard
• A CPU (Processor)
• Memory (RAM)
• A Power Supply

Depending on whether your motherboard has onboard video or not you may also need a Video Card for the POST Test.

01. A Good Motherboard Testing Area

Place your Motherboard on a non-conductive surface. A foam pad works great. Otherwise use the antistatic bag, or box the motherboard came in for a testing surface. (Make sure no metal is touching the motherboard or it may short out.)

02. Install the System Memory (RAM)

Install your memory onto your motherboard. Check the notch in the bottom of your memory to make sure it is oriented the correct way when you install it into your motherboard.
When you insert the RAM into the memory slots on the motherboard you should feel two tabs on each end of the memory socket snap into place. Check to make sure your RAM is seated level in the memory socket.

If it is not seated properly you will need to remove the memory and reinstall it. In the picture above you can see the tab has not locked the memory in place and the memory is not seated correctly. The tab should remain flush with the others once the memory has been installed properly.

03. Mounting Your CPU (Processor)

Next you will need to install your processor. All CPU sockets have a lever that needs to be opened to install the CPU. Make sure this lever is open so you can get the processor into the CPU Socket.
Picture #1 shows an Intel CPU Socket with the lever closed.
Picture #2 shows an AMD CPU Socket with the lever closed.


Before placing your processor in the CPU Socket check for an alignment indicator on the CPU.
Picture #1 – On Intel Processors there are two (2) notches on the bottom of the CPU that will line up with 2 notches on the CPU Socket.
Picture #2 – On AMD Processors this will be a small arrow marked on one corner of the CPU that aligns with a mark on the CPU Socket.
Make sure to note these indicators and double check that your CPU is aligned the correct way when you place it into the CPU Socket. This will help you avoid bent pins that may damage the CPU.

Once the Processor is installed securely in the CPU Socket you will need to close the socket and secure the lever on the CPU Socket. This will lock the CPU in place.
Once you have closed the lever on the CPU Socket you will need to install your CPU Heat Sync.
Picture #1 – Shows an Intel Processor mounted in the CPU Socket. The lever is closed locking the CPU in place.
Picture #2 – Shows an AMD Processor mounted in the CPU Socket. The lever is closed locking the CPU in place.

04. Installing the CPU Heat Sync (Cooler)

All retail box CPUs come with a CPU Heat Sync. You should have received one in the box when you purchased your CPU.
(Make sure to remove the plastic cooler on the bottom of the heat sync if it has one. DO NOT remove the grey square or circle on the bottom of the heat sync. This is known as the “heat patch” and is needed for the cooler to function properly.

05. Hookup the Power Supply to the Motherboard

Most Power Supply (PSU) units require two connections to the motherboard to provide power for a POST Test.

The first connection is the 20/24 pin ATX power connection. This will go into the 20/24 pin white connection on your motherboard. This is usually located near your memory sockets.
This connection is “keyed” meaning it will only fit one way. Align the notch on the 20/24 power cable with the tab on the 20/24 pin power socket. When you insert the connection you should feel a small click as the tab latches in place.

Now you need to plug in the 4 pin ATX power connection. This is usually located between your CPU and your IO ports.
This connection is also “keyed” so it will only fit into the socket one way. Once again align the notch on the cable with the tab on the socket and you should have trouble getting it to snap into place.

06. Installing a Video Card (Or not)

If you have an all in one motherboard you are ready to perform the motherboard POST test. Simply hookup your VGA (Monitor) connection and your PS2 Keyboard and Mouse connections.

If you do not have a spot to connect your monitor (VGA) cable then you probably need to install a video card.
Installation of the video card is very straight forward. You simply need to insert your video card into your PCI express socket (or AGP depending on how old the motherboard us.) You should feel the card snap into place.
Some cards do not feel like they lock in when they are inserted into the motherboard. If this is the case check the socket where the video card plugs into the motherboard and make sure it looks level.

Some video card slots have a tab, or notch on the side closet to your memory that is designed to lock the card into place. Check this tab and make sure it is latching properly if you are having trouble getting your video card installed.

07. Hooking Up Your Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor

Once you have everything in place you need to attach the cables for your mouse, keyboard and monitor. If you are using a video card make sure you attach your monitor cable to the correct VGA port.


Make sure to also connect the AC Cable to your power supply. Once the AC cable is connected check for a black switch on your power supply unit (PSU). This switch has a setting of one (1) or zero (0). One is “On” and Zero is “Off” so make sure this black switch is set to One “On”.

08. POST Testing Your Motherboard

To POST Test the motherboard we now need to turn the hardware on. To do this we will use a flat head screw driver to connect the power switch pins on the motherboard.
Refer to your motherboard manual for help in identifying these pins. These are commonly labeled red, black, or green but can vary depending on the motherboard. It is always best to refer to the manual to locate these pins.

Once you have located the two (2) pins for the power switch take your flathead screw driver and connect the two pins to power on the board.

When you tap them with the screw driver you should see your CPU fan start to spin. In a couple seconds you should hear a beep from your motherboard. One beep means the board has successfully POSTed.
(NOTE: Some motherboards do not have a speaker and may not beep.)
The main thing to look for is POST information on your monitor. Once you have POST Tested the motherboard you should see information displayed on your screen. If you see this information it is a sign that the computer has successfully completed the POST.

09. Completed POST Test

If you saw the information displayed on your screen you have successfully completed POST testing your board. You now know that all your basic hardware is functioning correctly and can proceed building your computer.

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