Dead Digital Voice Recorder

[60Hurts]

I had a Sony digital voice recorder that I wasn't using but was working fine.  I pulled the batteries so they wouldn't corrode and threw it in my electronic junk box a couple of years ago.  Today I was digging around and found it so I put some batteries in it and it was completely DOA, nothing on the LCD and no LEDs etc. even though it worked fine when I put it away.  I took it apart to see if there was any corrosion or a broken wire, etc but nothing obvious that would explain its demise. So my question is what could have caused this?  I know nobody can really say without digging in and seeing what failed but I was a little surprised that an electronic device could die just sitting in a box.  Are there certain components that will die like this? Do you think it could have been avoided if I had kept live batteries in it?  Thanks.

[m k]

Many things can happen but power switch is first in line.
Leaving batteries in is never a good thing but still some multimeters have same battery for quite some time.

Can you put up any pictures?

[60Hurts]

Many things can happen but power switch is first in line. Leaving batteries in is never a good thing but still some multimeters have same battery for quite some time. Can you put up any pictures?

Attached are some pics. I was just curious about what type of component could fail just sitting in a junk box without batteries.  Usually battery corrosion will kill such devices.  There was no power switch just a hold switch and operating switches (vol, rec, erase, A/B folder, etc). I recall that with batteries installed just pushing any button would bring up the LCD screen with info on stored voice memos and etc.  I think the screen had auto off.  It did have a DC power port to run it off an AC adapter (red connector) and I thought maybe the cutover switch was jammed thus blocking the battery power. I was able to measure 3V (2x1.5v) at that jack and on various traces and solder points on the board. I didn't have an AC adapter but I plugged in a headphone jack in the power port to see if it would unjam the cutover switch.  No luck. 

[m k]

Pictures are always good, people can imaginate.
Still quite a bit of supporting components.

"Press any key" style is like a screen saver.
Maybe it's now in deep sleep.

Google says that hold button has some kind of a power function.
2 seconds were also mentioned.

[60Hurts]

Google says that hold button has some kind of a power function.
2 seconds were also mentioned.

The hold button is on the side of the case and is a two position switch not a push button.  When I had it out of the case I flicked it (and other switches) back and forth to see if maybe it was bad but still got nothing.  Could be a bad switch and trapped in sleep mode.  I'll see if I can jump it to get anything going.  Thanks!