Greetings!

Actually, that is pretty tame. You can test the player with the sled completely removed. Just boot without the drive tray in place, taking a log file. You will be able to test the display and the electronics.

Once that is verified, drop a formatted drive in place (cabled up but not screwed onto either the shock mount or sled) and try a boot. Just run the empeg open with the drive on the tray / tray balanced on the case. Granted, you will not be able to run it in the car or sealed until you have drive screws (although I have for short periods of time under AC power), but you can at least set up the empeg to your liking and load music in.

As to how it happen, it fits the pattern. Your seller probably wanted whatever drives were in there, removed the tray, got the drives out, put whatever HD (if any) was lying around into the empeg but did not bother to seal it or lost the screws.