Pre-Owned PC BSOD so I reset and now it’s missing things

Understanding and Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Issues: A Guide for Beginners

Experiencing technical problems with a computer can be both confusing and frustrating, especially if you’re not well-versed in how PCs operate. Recently, a user shared their experience with a pre-owned PC that encountered several issues after attempting to reset and troubleshoot it. This article aims to provide a clear, professional overview of similar scenarios, offering guidance for those facing comparable challenges.

Case Overview

The user received a second-hand PC that had already been reset to its factory settings. Upon powering it on, the system appeared to be in a near-new state, prompting the user to proceed with their own setup. However, shortly after, the PC experienced a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) with a “BAD SYSTEM CONFIG ERROR.” Attempting to resolve the problem, the user performed another reset using a USB drive, deleting all partitions and reinstalling Windows.

Initial Observations

After the reset, the system was slow, which can be expected with fresh Windows installations or older hardware. The user then initiated Windows updates to improve performance and security. However, during the update process, some settings disappeared, and issues began to manifest: the Update section in Settings became inaccessible, and certain device drives, like the 1TB HDD, no longer appeared in File Explorer. Additionally, downloading applications such as Chrome resulted in unusual behavior, like a white screen, and administrative restrictions appeared when attempting to manage disk partitions.

Key Challenges and Considerations

Missing Drives and Partitions:
The absence of certain drives in File Explorer may indicate partition corruption or improper drive recognition.
Using Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) with administrator privileges can help diagnose drive status and partition layout.
If a drive is offline or unallocated, it may need to be initialized or formatted, but caution is advised to prevent data loss if data retention is desired.
Administrative Restrictions:
The message that an admin is denying access suggests permission issues or user account control (UAC) settings.
Running tools like “Run as administrator” or adjusting UAC settings might resolve access problems.
System Stability and Performance:
Persistent slow performance could be due to hardware issues, driver conflicts, or incomplete updates.
Ensuring all device drivers are correctly installed, especially for storage controllers, is crucial.
Running system diagnostics or checking Windows Update logs can provide insights.
Reinstalling Windows:
Performing