PlayStation 1

First boot

First boot is still done with the console accessible and live, so exposed contacts carry power and static remains a brick risk. Keep metal tools away from the board while it is on, and ground yourself before handling anything inside.

The first boot after an install is where you confirm the whole modification actually works. Approach it as a verification step, not a celebration — you want to prove the system behaves correctly before the case is sealed.

What success looks like

A healthy install boots normally, shows no unexpected errors, and plays the content the mod is meant to enable. Anything that is slow, glitchy, or intermittent is worth investigating now rather than after reassembly.

Cold start

Power on and confirm the console reaches its normal startup screen without stalling or showing faults.
Load content

For a modchip, boot a backup disc; for an ODE, open its menu and launch a title from storage.
Verify stability

Let a game run for a few minutes and try a second title to confirm the result is consistent, not a fluke.
Check region behaviour

On PAL consoles especially, confirm backups behave correctly, which validates the extra BIOS connections.
Finalize

Once everything is reliable, power down, close the console fully, and do a final boot to confirm nothing shifted during reassembly.

verification first-boot If a problem appears only after closing the case, suspect a pinched wire or a joint stressed during reassembly.