The hard drive, central processing unit, random access memory, power supply, video card, and all other internal and external hardware connect to the motherboard. If the MSI K9VGM-V motherboard fails to perform a power-on self-test -- POST -- at startup, if the screen remains blank after turning on the PC, or if frequent errors occur while using the computer, the hardware may not be properly connected to the K9VGM-V, or the basic input/output system -- BIOS, the program that controls the hardware, may be improperly configured. To determine the cause of the problem, troubleshoot the connections on the MSI K9VGM-V and reset the BIOS.
Instructions
1. Turn on the computer and press the "Del," or "Delete," key to go to the BIOS Setup on the MSI K9VGM-V.
2. Use the arrow pad to go to "Load Optimized Defaults." Press "Enter." Press "Y" to revert the BIOS to factory settings.
3. Turn off the computer. Remove the power cable. Unscrew the cover panel and slide it off the case. Set the computer on its side.
4. Push the power button to drain the MSI K9VGM-V of electrical charge. Touch the chassis to ground yourself.
5. Check the connections leading from the motherboard to the hardware components. Confirm the 24-pin power cable leading from the power supply is connected securely to the motherboard.
6. Confirm the 4-pin power cable is plugged into the connector found next to the CPU.
7. Confirm the hard drive and disc drive are connected to the IDE or SATA ports on the motherboard. If a floppy disk drive is installed to the computer, make sure it is plugged securely into the "FDD1" port.
8. Shine a flashlight onto the motherboard. Check the edges of the RAM and expansion cards. If the copper contacts are visible, the hardware isn't properly seated and should be reinstalled.
9. Release any tabs securing the card to the motherboard, lift the card out by its edges, then line up the notches on the card with the notches in the slot. Push down on the card until the copper contacts are no longer visible.
10. Reconnect the power cable to the computer. Confirm the monitor is plugged in, and that the VGA, DVI or HDMI cable is secured to the back of the screen and to the video port on the motherboard.
11. Turn on the monitor. Press the power button on the computer. If the fans turn on, listen for a series of beeps, which indicate a problem with the hardware. Check the beep codes on the MSI site to diagnose the problem. If the fan doesn't turn on, the power supply or MSI K9VGM-V could be defective.
Tags: power cable, power supply, copper contacts, hard drive, hardware properly, leading from