Weird motherboard problem

I dont know where else to post this but id like to see if i can fix this so i dont have to rma my motherboard & spend ages without my pc.

I like to keep my pc clean so every couple of months i like to clean out the filters on my fans. Obviously i have to remove some fans to get at them. Occasionally tho, my pc will not boot afterwards. I thought it might have something to do with removing the fans too often.

Dunno what might be ausing this but i used to be able to fix it by resetting the bios by removing the battery, but last time i fixed it by booting with not ram installed. (i know its no the ram causing this as i recently changed it).

I'm no electrical expert but i might have this figured out; to get the side panel off completely, i have to unplug a fan from a 3pin to 4 pin adapter which leaves a 10cm wire with the 3 pin prongs exposed which may touch the the bare metal on the case. Could this cause some kind of short out that would affect the bios or something?

In 25 years, I never removed fans. I don't like filters. I use a couple of cans of compressed air to blow everything out. My workstation is a file server worth of hardware. I would put everything back and check each connection.

It depends. What is the error? Blank screen with fans running? Message saying mem failure? No boot media? Going into your PC can cause a number of problems. A cable loose here or there could cause all kinds of problems. SATA cables are notorious for being loose. As far as your bare wire causing a short, it won't as long as your power supply is off (with the main switch on the back, NOT the power switch on the front) AND unplugged from the wall.

Hi fieseler,

Physically remove all expansion cards from their slots and follow Michael's advice about using a can of compressed air to clean out the slots. Carefully reinsert all cards into their relevant slots, ensuring that they are securely fitted and that the screw that locks the bracket to the chassis is done up tightly. In the caser of your graphics card, make sure that the securing lever on the socket itself is in the correct position and that the card is sitting squarely in its slot. Many newer graphics cards are heavy, so this needs to be checked thoroughly to make sure that it is physically secure. Check the motherboard manual for details about installing various components if you are not sure. Ensure that all connections have been made, particularly supplementary power connections. Reassemble your case and then test. Note that you should NEVER run a motherboard without RAM installed - perhaps you were lucky, but you can end up destroying some boards if you do this.
Dwarf