How to boot w/o graphics

[Zooman580]

This might just be the dumbest question ever but how do you boot and start the setup without integrated graphics on the mobo? I only have a motherboard and a case no ram cpu gpu or anything. Today I wanted to check out a SSD that arrived in the mail. I tried breadboarding with an old Dell PSU and I went to connect a monitor to it and there was nothing to connect it to.....no VGA slot or anything. Do you have to install the graphics card first? But then how do you do that w/o seeing what to do? This will be my first build but I don't have most of my parts yet. Thanks!

 

[Wolfshadw]

If the motherboard does not have on-board graphics then a graphics card must be installed prior to setup. Basic VGA drivers will be loaded onto your system and used until setup completes and then you can install drivers for your graphics card.

-Wolf sends

 

[boiler1990]

You won't be able to boot without a CPU or RAM, so you won't get anything when you try to turn on the PSU.

Wolf's info about the graphics is spot on.

 

[Twoboxer]

I'm curious - how did you plan to "check out" an SSD without a cpu and memory?

I mean, its not like you can hear it spin.

 

[Zooman580]

I'm curious - how did you plan to "check out" an SSD without a cpu and memory?

I mean, its not like you can hear it spin.

I didn't know you couldn't boot w/o a CPU and memory
oops

I thought you could still see the setup screen . wanted to make sure it wasn't DOA
Guess I need to go buy those parts

 

[Twoboxer]

I thought you could still see the setup screen . wanted to make sure it wasn't DOA
Guess I need to go buy those parts

Actually, that's not an unreasonable guess lol.

But it should prove that, once you start assembling, try not to guess. Most folks who do wind up here . . . a lot. The manuals and assembly guides available should help a lot, and save time if not more.

 

[Zooman580]

Actually, that's not an unreasonable guess lol.

But it should prove that, once you start assembling, try not to guess. Most folks who do wind up here . . . a lot. The manuals and assembly guides available should help a lot, and save time if not more.

I usually do read the manual, though it didn't say anything about booting w/o all the parts lol.

Guess I learned my lesson. Taking out my dell psu wasn't easy......almost knocked out a memory module
I just can't stand DOAs. I helped one of my friends build a system and it tooks hours to figure out that the mobo was doa. Literally wasted a saturday afternoon.
People on this forum probably have had their share of computer problems.
Thanks for the help

 

[boiler1990]

If you have another computer you can test it on (already running with an OS on another drive), you can just plug in the SATA data and power and just check that the OS recognizes the disk. There aren't any moving parts though, so it's unlikely that your SSD is dead, though it is still possible.

 

[Zooman580]

Best answer selected by Zooman580.