When a user turns on a workstation, the screen displays an “Invalid Boot Disk” error. The user calls the help desk. Which device should the technician check first?

When a user encounters an “Invalid Boot Disk” error upon turning on a workstation, the first device a technician should check is the hard drive. This error typically indicates that the system is unable to find a bootable operating system, which is usually stored on the hard drive. The problem could be due to various issues with the hard drive, such as a failure, disconnection, corruption of system files, or incorrect boot order in the BIOS settings.

The power supply is less likely to be the cause of this specific error. While a failing power supply can cause a range of issues, it wouldn’t typically result in an “Invalid Boot Disk” message.

Similarly, the CPU fan and the CPU are not the primary suspects for this error. Issues with the CPU or its cooling fan might prevent the computer from booting, but they wouldn’t usually cause an “Invalid Boot Disk” message to appear.

Therefore, the technician should start by checking the hard drive to ensure it is properly connected, functioning, and configured as the primary boot device in the system’s BIOS or UEFI settings.