Solved Complete System halt

[Maguscreed]

Okay I have a machine here I've already torn it down and put it completely back together. The specs are almost identical to my personal machine as listed only it's using the ASUS formula board instead of the Striker.

Anyhow any movement at all, even the slightest bump of the desk it is on locks it completely. The screen just freezes where it is a hard restart is the only way to turn it back off.
It won't post afterwards either. You have to unplug it for about 10 minutes, then when you plug it back in it fires right up.

I'm just wondering if anyone can point to a single component that would be causing something like this.

Oh yeah, and it'll stay completely frozen like that for up to 5 hours that I know of.

 

[1Bowtie]

Loose wire on motherboard and or pin in one of the plugs, just a guess

 

[Layback Bear]

Is their any thing in device manager that show up as a problem? If not I would try a known good power supply. I'm sure you have already checked all mounting screws and connections, any thing hitting or rubbing on a connector,(video card,cpu cooler) but it wouldn't hurt to double check. Their are so many things it could be, these are just a few thoughts of mine.

 

[Maguscreed]

Yeah, as you seem to have guessed my reason for essentially rebuilding the machine was to check all the connectors and contact points on the motherboard a fan was actually not plugged in at all which I fixed but other than that I noticed nothing off about the way it was set up. Whoever originally set it up even went as far as to use the little paper like washer things to ensure nothing was contacting metal.

 

[Fumz]

... Whoever originally set it up even went as far as to use the little paper like washer things to ensure nothing was contacting metal.

Maybe that's the problem? Perhaps he screwed up the grounding? I'd try without the user added additions.

 

[TVeblen]

I agree with Fumz. It sounds a lot like a short circuit that is affecting, or is in, the power supply. Most modern supplies have over current protection that works like a circuit breaker. The fact that you have to wait, or completely disconnect the power to reset and restart strongly points in that direction.

It could even be something loose inside the power supply.

 

[Maguscreed]

yeah when reassembling I actually replaced all the original screws and lifters with ones of my own.
There is no visible damage to any of the components.

Though I think I have finally tracked down the culprit. One of the ram sticks is not seating solidly no matter what I do with it. It's locked and in place but wiggles like crazy, I think the slot is bad.

Am removing it and restarting right now to see if that solves it.

edit: it did.