Question Stored XP computers not working

[tomwalz]

I've 2 XP computers that worked well before being stored for over 7 years. They now both do not boot, nothing comes up on the screen, and I have to give them the "hard" shut down since there's nothing to see.

I want both up and working.

I took them to a guy who fixed my gal's computers, did a great job, was super- reaponsible, claimed that he has fixed everything he's ever taken on.

He just handed me these computers, no comment, like he was glad to get them out of his shop. I suspect he is just not familiar with such dinosaurs.

I do think there is moisture embedded in the circuit boards. They were stored in a garage.

Where do I go from here? I was considering disassembly, and putting all boards in a 110°F oven for a while. How about the hard drives?

Any and all suggestions welcomed. I want to put these computers back to work as workstations. Each has programs I used a lot when they ran, and I want to get back to my work. HELP!

 

[sizzling]

Have you replaced the CMOS battery?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

7 years in storage?
What conditions?

This is very likely a "Toss 'em" situation. That old isn't going to be very (if at all) useful today, especially if you expect to keep XP on them.

 

[USAFRet]

Any and all suggestions welcomed. I want to put these computers back to work as workstations. Each has programs I used a lot when they ran, and I want to get back to my work. HELP!

Don't focus on this obsolete hardware.

Instead, what applications are these?

 

[Endre]

I've 2 XP computers that worked well before being stored for over 7 years. They now both do not boot, nothing comes up on the screen, and I have to give them the "hard" shut down since there's nothing to see.

I want both up and working.

I took them to a guy who fixed my gal's computers, did a great job, was super- reaponsible, claimed that he has fixed everything he's ever taken on.

He just handed me these computers, no comment, like he was glad to get them out of his shop. I suspect he is just not familiar with such dinosaurs.

I do think there is moisture embedded in the circuit boards. They were stored in a garage.

Where do I go from here? I was considering disassembly, and putting all boards in a 110°F oven for a while. How about the hard drives?

Any and all suggestions welcomed. I want to put these computers back to work as workstations. Each has programs I used a lot when they ran, and I want to get back to my work. HELP!

Hello!

If the person that repairs PCs did not find any use for those computers, so that he gave them to you, I assume that there's not much that you can do with them 🤗

 

[Math Geek]

though it can be fun to tinker and get old hardware running, if you actually need them running reliably, you are in for a lot of headaches.

you're best bet is to set up an XP VM and install the software to that. will allow the use of the software with the reliability you need to get any work done.

so focus not on getting those old bricks working, but rather identify and locate (this may not even be possible depending on the software in question) the software and get that VM up and running