Turning on your system

This is the step that many people seem to have a problem with. Usually its from a simple mistake like forgetting to turn on the monitor, or forgetting to turn on the power surge. But, once you have everything started I want to guide you through the rest of the process. When the computer first starts, most of what you see will be completely foreign to you. You may see the system bios date and version and a memory check. These are simple processes that your computer completes to make sure everything is in working order. After everything is checked, you should boot to Windows(or the operating system of your choice). This is where most people ask the question: "Ok, where do I go from here?"

First, you need to learn the basics. What are all of those icons on your Windows desktop for?