Paperclip PSU Test
Check BIOS Boot Order
  1. Turn off your PC.
  2. Unplug your PSU (Power Supply Unit) from mains power.
  3. Turn off your PSU switch at the rear of the case.
  4. Lay your PC down on its back.
  5. Unscrew the thumb screws at the rear of the case.
  6. Remove the side panel from your case.
  7. Locate the 24 pin motherboard power cable.
  8. Remove the 24 pin power cable from the motherboard by pressing down its clip and pulling it away.
  9. Locate pin 16 and pin 17 on the 24 pin cable. To locate these pins, count from the left with the clip facing up and the pins facing toward you. Pin 16 and 17 will be the 4th and 5th pins when counting from left to right.
  10. Bend a paperclip so that the ends can be inserted into pin 16 and pin 17.
  11. Insert the paperclip into pin 16 and 17. If you're using a PSU jumper, insert the jumper ends into pin 16 and pin 17.
  12. Ensure the paperclip and pins are not touching anything else in the case.
  13. Ensure that you are no longer touching the paperclip or pins before the next steps.
  14. Plug the PSU back into mains power.
  15. Turn your PSU switch back on.
  16. Observe the PSU fan: if it spins, and makes no unusual noises or sparks, it has passed the test. If it doesn't spin, or if it makes unusual noises or sparks, it has failed the test.
  17. Turn off the PSU switch.
  18. Unplug your PC from mains power.
  19. Remove the paperclip from pin 16 and 17 in the 24 pin cable.
  20. Reattach the 24 pin cable to the motherboard.
  21. Place the side panel back onto your PC, and reattach the thumb screws.
  22. Plug the power supply cable back in. Make sure you take care to plug the cable back in securely.
  1. Shut down the computer completely.
  2. Press the power button to turn on the computer.
  3. As soon as the computer starts, press the key that appears on the screen to enter the UEFI BIOS settings. This key may vary depending on the manufacturer of your motherboard, but it's usually one of the Function keys or the Del key. The most common ones are F1, F2, F10, F12, Del, or Esc.
  4. Once you're in the UEFI BIOS settings, navigate to the Boot tab.
  5. Check that the boot order is correct and that the M.2 SSD, or the drive with the Windows operating system installed, is listed first in the boot order.
  6. Save the changes and exit the UEFI BIOS settings.