quiet pc build -- advice on transporting

[Alder]

Hello,

I'm considering building a pc system based on the bitfenix prodigy build guide featured on this website. However, I'm planning to move abroad in a year's time or so, and am concerned about transportation issues. Is it safe to transport the computer using a transportation company after possibly removing the hard drives (and taking those on the plane with me)?

Any advice on this will be very much appreciated.

[Arbutus]

1. save the original packing material from the case
2. use the factory included cooler rather than a tall heavy cooler which would torque the motherboard.

[CA_Steve]

1. save the original packing material from the case
2. use the factory included cooler rather than a tall heavy cooler which would torque the motherboard.

1) +1
2) remove stuff that can torque around. So, use the aftermarket cooler...but remove it/pack it separately before shipping. Remove the CPU and put it back in the little plastic tray it came it. If you have a heavy gfx card, remove that and put it back in it's original box.
3) chances are, the moving process will dislodge the case fans...so, might want to remove or tie those down.

[Tzeb]

Why remove the cpu? Isn't it safe in the socket?

[CA_Steve]

probably

[eqc.liu]

I've moved 4 times in the past 2 years for work and used a moving company three times to move my computer (put it in my car the other time). My computer has a Silverstone HE02 (it's gigantic) heatsink and a passive graphics card with a big heatsink in a vertical motherboard case. As you can tell, it's got quite a few things hanging around putting torque on the motherboard.

The time I drove (~24 hours), I just made sure the computer was laying on it's side, so that the motherboard was sitting flat. The 3 times the moving company took it and packed it in foam. Other than that I have no idea what orientation they transported it and how they handled the box.

So far I've had absolutely no issues with the computer. I would say don't go too crazy with the CPU heatsink and you should be fine.

[Alder]

Hi all, thanks very much for your replies. It makes a lot of sense to either use the factory-supplied cooler or remove the aftermarket cooler before trasporting. Just a question: how easy is it to remove the cooler given that it will be attached to the cpu with arctic silver or other cooling material?

eqc.liu: it's very reassuring that you've had no issues moving your computer. I agree, maybe a smaller coller would be more appropriate in my case than one of those massive ones (that literally look *cool*...)

Another option I'm considering is to get myself an off-the shelf-system, for example the Lenovo H30 (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/desktop-p ... html#cat-0. It lacks ports and is certainly not as cutomisable as my own build would be, but it will work out considerably cheaper than the build I have in mind. I can't be sure about noise levels because I've only seen the machine in-store (where the ambient noise is relatively high) but I've put my ear right next to the fans and the noise emitted seems to be acceptable. Does anyone know whether the parts are soldered on the motherboard on such off-the-shelf systems (therefore being less prone to damage during transport)?

[Tzeb]

how easy is it to remove the cooler given that it will be attached to the cpu with arctic silver or other cooling material?

There is no "cooling material", it's called thermal compund. Modern stuff doesn't glue the cpu to the radiator after years of no reapplying. Removing the cooler is an easy thing to do, minimum to no force needed.

[Alder]

Oh yes, thermal compound, that's the right term. But it won't be *years*, just one year of no reapplying as per my original post.

[quest_for_silence]

how easy is it to remove the cooler given that it will be attached to the cpu with arctic silver or other cooling material?

It's rather easy: by the way, with reference to the Arctic Silver, it's one of the thermal compound which may be more tenacious.
In those cases some gentle, limited rotating movements of the cooler, both clockwise and counter-clockwise, after releasing the retention mechanism and before pulling up the heatsink, will help to separate in the safest way the very same heatsink from the CPU heatspreader.

[Irrelevant]

My experience (which is quite extensive) is that a properly packed computer will ship just fine, and an improperly packed one will arrive at its destination utterly destroyed. My recommendations:

• Ship it in the case's original packaging. A professionally fitted box and polystyrene padding offers far better protection than anything you can do yourself.
• Pack such that force/weight is borne by corners and edges, not panel centers, otherwise you'll get warping.
• Pack the interior, particularly around the mobo. Bubble-wrap's best, but paper or popcorn should be okay, too. It helps keep stuff attached and offers protection if it doesn't.
• Never leave a CPU cooler attached, not even if its stock. They all yearn for freedom, and turn into wrecking balls when they gain it.
• Remove your GPU. Only low-end cards are light enough to hang comfortably off a single screw and the slot connector.
• Case fans <=140mm in size are okay to leave in place if the interior's padded and they're properly mounted (double-check before you ship).
• This is a bit OCD, perhaps, but I remove my optical drive. Being bounced around probably won't break it, per se, but it can disturb laser alignment, making read errors/skipping more frequent.

As for thermal compounds, the vast majority that are used on CPUs remain fluid for years (in fact, they're ineffective if they dry out) and can be removed with rubbing alcohol. Read the instructions (most manufacturers post it on their websites) and they'll give you the details.

[Alder]

quest_for_silence and Irrelevant, thank you both for your replies. Irrelevant: this is very detailed and helpful, thank you for taking the time to answer my question so fully.

I was wondering whether anyone had any thoughts about off-the-shelf systems such as the Lenovo H30 I've linked to above? Are components soldered to the mobo on such systems?

[CA_Steve]

Are components soldered to the mobo on such systems?

Nope.