Chapter 15 PC Troubleshooting 639
Without a POST card, a technician would have to substitute the CPU, RAM,
and motherboard with a known good component. Part substitution can be very
time-consuming and expensive. The technician runs the risk of damaging a part
during the substitution process.
For more information on problems that can occur during the POST stage, see
the following chapter sections: Typical Startup Problems, Hard Drive Failures,
Additional Mechanical Problems, and Boot Sequences.
Second Stage
If the problem occurs during stage two—operating system loading and
initialization—the problem is most likely related to a corrupt operating system
file or a driver. You can identify when stage two starts by observing the screen
display. Many computer systems display the results of the POST as it occurs.
You will see the RAM check verified on the screen as well as the hard disk drive
identified and other devices present. Soon after the POST turns over loading the
Figure 15-1.
The PC-Doctor
Service Center 6 is
a complete kit for
diagnosing computer
hardware.
(PC-Doctor, Inc.)
Figure 15-2.
PC-Doctor PCI POST
card. (PC-Doctor, Inc.)