When assembling a PC does the fact that taping Num-Lock works means that the PC is OK?

I've assembled a PC for myself, but just when I wanted to plug-it to my display I discovered that my display has only DVI and VGA port and the motherboard has only HDMI and DisplayPort. Long story shot, I cannot connect the display. The motherboard doesn't have a speaker, I plugged in a PS/2 keyboard and tried Num-Lock and it works the Num-Lock LED goes on and off.

Does the fact that taping Num-Lock works means that the PC is OK? Is that enough to say that the PC is correctly assembled!

Eduard Florinescu

Posted 2017-03-11T14:37:38.230

Reputation: 2 116

1Buy an HDMI to DVI converter to make sure, or maybe connect the TV. – shinzou – 2017-03-11T14:45:45.717

Most modern PCs have a LCD screen or LEDs for self tests - as long as they light up and go off in the correct order, or a sensible one is lit (like boot failure) you should be dfine. – Journeyman Geek – 2017-03-11T14:51:54.537

Answers

Two keyboards should do the trick. Pressing the caps-lock or num-lock key on one of the keyboards should change the lights on both keyboards as the state of the caps-lock and num-lock keys are stored in software. However, you may not get all of the required information you are searching for. Those lights on the keyboard can only tell you that the motherboard, CPU and RAM can communicate with each other. Using this information, you can probably conclude that all those components as well as the PSU are all connected together correctly. What it won't tell you is whether or not your fans or your HDDs are connected properly. It also definitely won't tell you if you put the right amount of thermal grease on your CPU or even if you applied any. If you have any doubts about whether or not the PC is assembled correctly, it is probably best to check it over with your eyes.

Jerry Hundric

Posted 2017-03-11T14:37:38.230

Reputation: 106

Sadly for you, I think that the num-lock key is internal to the keyboard and has something to do of the signal that the keyboard sends (Maj or not) so it sadly won't be enough :(

Maybe try a friend's screen ?

juleslasne

Posted 2017-03-11T14:37:38.230

Reputation: 111

I disagree on this, even on my old MS-DOS box years ago I know the LED was controlled by soft because of the fact that you could disable it or turn it on without the key being hit.

Also you could check if the system was responsive by hitting Num-Lock on and off. When the PC halts you can no longer turn on and of Num-Lock, still happens to any system I work on. – Eduard Florinescu – 2017-03-11T14:59:15.077

Well maybe it's related to the keyboard you have, mine is a cheap fake meca keyboard and it's the microcontroller that's inside that controls the num-lock – juleslasne – 2017-03-11T15:03:29.373

When I press the power on Button, even before windows starts booting, the USB ports are powered and I can turn on and off the num-lock, even on the bootloader – juleslasne – 2017-03-11T15:04:15.477