Windows 10: Unsure if hardware or software problem, with dead system

About the time of the MS Sept 2020 update, not sure of date so don't know if it's just a coincidence, I started having problems with my desktop. The monitor would show a lot of pixelation, then would just freeze. Required powering off to end it. This happened several more times, then it would only show the pixelated HP logo when it was booting and I couldn't log in at all. I
attached a different monitor to my CPU and it behaved the same way. Today I tried using both the Recovery and Bootable USBs that I created when I upgraded to Win10. It didn't do a thing with the Recovery drive, just sat there. When I tried the Bootable disk it briefly showed something like "going to repair screen" or something similar, but just froze there on a black screen. I tried the Recovery flash drive again, and got a new problem. The power wouldn't stay on. I would turn on the CPU power and a few seconds later with nothing appearing on the monitor it would power off. This happened a number of times. I searched the 'net for any info. One recommendation was to open it up to see if there might be a potential electrical short. Husband confirmed there was not. The only iffy thing had to do with four little silver plugs, lined up next to the place where extra cards could be added. I tried to find some info on what they were, but couldn't find a darn thing. The reason they looked iffy was because the tops of a couple of them seemed discolored, kind of rusty looking, but it's not rust.

I believe my WINVER is Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.508). I couldn't confirm due to dead machine, but this is what is on his system and we try to keep them in sync.

know this is a lot of convoluted info, but can someone identify what might be going on and what my next steps should be?

Thanks you so much.

:)

 

Unsure if it is software or hardware problem...

Thank you very much for your response to my issue. Your third suggestion seems to have fixed the problem. Thank you again.

 

Unsure if it is software or hardware problem...

When starting my laptop the screen goes black before it finishes loading, unless I unplug the power source, then it comes back on. Plug it in and it goes out, unplug and it comes back on. Is this a software problem or a hardware problem? It is an older
Lenovo laptop, probably 3 or 4 years but it was only used less than a year before going into storage.

 

Windows 10 1709 System Restore problems...

That seems to be an attempt at Option 2 in the tutorial, which requires you to
a. Boot to a command prompt (Did you?)
b. You then seem to be mixing steps 3,4 and 5, thus your command is incorrect.

I suggest Option 1 is easier.

If you still have problems, please repost listing each specific step and saying which option from the tutorial you are using. Thanks.