I dont think it makes a lot of difference. If the link is in a sensible place then it wont matter if the weapon fires the moment you put that link in, and if you are turning it on in a proper activation pen then there wont be any danger if the drive runs the moment you put that link in.

When testing at home, ALWAYS do a first-time power-up with the robot on its cradle, on a solid surface (not a workbench). The cradle must be capable of keeping the wheels, tracks or legs off the ground, and must itself have no wheels so it wont accidentally go anywhere while there is a robot on it! That way, if the drive goes crazy the moment you power it up then you wont be in danger. Similarly, if the weapon fires when you power it up, then there is no danger of the machine falling off a bench.

Once it is powered up, check your failsafes. To do this, run the drive and turn off the tx. If the drive runs for more than a couple of seconds, then the failsafes are not working.