Question2 Discusses System Issues
Question2 Discusses System Issues
Hello All, I gathered two distinct desktop towers from a storage unit—a Optiplex GX150 and an eMachines T2895. Both function, but running Windows XP on them is problematic. The Optiplex starts up in XP, yet displays numerous green dots across the screen and eventually freezes after about a minute. Initially suspected an onboard GPU problem, but it occurred even with a different GPU. My best guess is that something on the motherboard is faulty, though it doesn’t appear visibly damaged. The eMachines boots normally, but the startup process stalls, followed by a loud click from one of the HDDs and a STOP message indicating a registry file failure. The registry file in question is corrupt, missing, or unreadable. I’m unsure what to do beyond reinstalling Windows, but I’m hesitant to do so right now. Would using an installation CD to install replacement files be an option, or is there another solution?
Uncertain about the order of events:
Did the two towers already have Windows XP set up, or did you install it?
If you installed Windows XP, what was the necessity behind that decision?
How long did the towers remain in storage?
Curious about the CMOS batteries.
Both systems already had XP installed. It turned out the green display specs came from my own testing monitor. I also resolved the eMachines boot problem using chkdsk and replaced both CMOS batteries. These devices had likely been stored for at least ten years.
I received the specifications:
eMachines:
Intel Celeron 2.7GHz, 1GB RAM, Windows XP MCE, Intel Integrated Graphics, MB = MS-6714 VER:1
After booting this unit, the secondary drive didn’t appear. I checked if the drive letter was removed in Disk Management but found no option there. No clear solution. It seems the system files become corrupted after each reboot, possibly due to the old HDD.
Optiplex:
Intel Celeron 1.1GHz, 128MB RAM, Windows XP Home, Graphics Unknown, MB = 01' Dell Branded Proprietary
An odd issue occurred: after the system freezes and shuts down hard, the keyboard isn’t detected in BIOS for several attempts. No explanation available.
XP & Disks.
Access the Command Prompt with administrative privileges and run the following command:
wmic logicaldisk get deviceid, volumename, description
You should be able to copy and paste the highlighted text above. The output should resemble:
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.3737]
© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\REDACTED>wmic logicaldisk get deviceid, volumename, description
Description DeviceID VolumeName
Local Fixed Disk C: OS
Local Fixed Disk D: Dell Data
CD-ROM Disc E:
Local Fixed Disk T: Terabyte_SSD
Network Connection U: Network_Public
Network Connection V: Current_Files
Network Connection W: From_Public
Network Connection X: Old_Documents
Network Connection Y: Public
Network Connection Z: Family_Photos
Command source:
https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitio...rives.html
= = = =
Powershell offers several commands for disk management, such as "Get-Disk" and "Get-PhysicalDisk," which help retrieve information about disks. If Powershell isn’t installed, you may need to install it through Microsoft.
Sample guide:
https://woshub.com/disks-partitions-mana...owershell/
Just use "Get" to explore drive details. If a drive isn’t listed, it could be disconnected or failed.
Concerning "hard shutdowns": If the system initially fails to boot and later starts after several attempts, it might indicate a loose connection or hardware issue. It often requires a warm-up period before connectivity returns.
Late thought:
You could attempt running "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to check for and repair any corrupted files.
https://www.howtogeek.com/222532/ho...-s...-commands/