[PentiumPro]

Am I the only one that does this? I'm always messing with the inside of my desktop so much that I find it impractical to have the side on so I just have it off constantly. Especially since my gpu fan has stoppd running for no apparent reason and anything rendered in 3d for more than 20 seconds causes a vpu recovery du to overheating. Just barely cool enough for basic windows functionality.

Anyway, anyone else lazy with their case?

 

[ElijahTW]

I've done it before, but it can ruin your air flow.

 

[masta.g.86]

I used to do that, but I grew tired of buying can after can of air.

 

[gamefreak94]

I'm doing it right now. I have a mATX case and have 3 HDs installed plus all the wiring in my case is a mess! Putting on the side panel just makes everything over-heat. On top of that it's summer here and my room temp atm is 34C so it's very hot to begin with.

It looks pretty untidy, but there's not much I can do about it except get a bigger case....which ain't worth it cuz it doesn't look quite that bad (I just put it back on and underclock the CPU and GPU so that it doesn't overheat whenever guests come lol)

 

[-StrikE-]

My computer always has the sides opened for years now... the only thing you gotta watch out for is dust, which is why i i vacuum it around 2/3 weeks.

 

[Dadaluma83]

Gamefreak94 I hear you about heat. Currently where I live it is 43 C outside and inside my apartment it is probably more or less 32 or 33. I have to have a fan blowing on me all the time. The second I turn it off I start sweating.

I just recently bought an Xbox 360 a few months ago and I have been playing some Blue Dragon on it a lot. Last night after playing I felt the back of the console and it was pretty warm.

Wonder how long before I get RROD? I am not worried as I got the 1 year replacement warranty from gamestop and if it does happen I will just either get my money back if possible or if not just sell the replacement on ebay and stick with my PS3. My PS3 survived me playing it non stop last summer in the heat. Lets see if the 360 is up to the challenge as well.


But back on topic leaving the side panel off is good for cooling. When I first started using PCSX2 I told one of my computer science professors who specializes in hardware that PCSX2 is very CPU intensive and she suggested to open up the side cover.

Just be sure to close it back up when you are done to keep the dust buildup down.

Of course I have a laptop, not a desktop so to be safe I am not playing PCSX2 for a few months until the temperatures go down.

 

[PentiumPro]

This crappy ass hp only has the original mb. Everything else has been swapped (the machine with the below specs is in another state right now). My 1tb hd is sitting on top of my case upside down. The front panel is off (and its an hp) so its got a metal skeleton with mad devices sitting it it... just chillin right there in plain view, and I keep my snes adapter in one of my drive bays. Its a real jimmy rig.

Anyway, I would love to play halo but my shiz is overheating t the point where it resets. Im trying to put a fan on it (not too close or the emf from the motor will degauss my hds) and we'll see if I can pull it off until my replacement fan comes in.

 

[Hatorijr]

only time i ever had the sides off my case was on a pc i had before my current one, the day i got my current pc built, all the fans on my old pc either died or shattered some how so i had to have the case opened to keep it cool long enough to transfer the data from the old pc to the new one or it would not even last more than a few minutes at a time.

 

[Phil]

You will definitely raise temps by putting the side panel off.....even though it might not seem like it.

Just go water if you live in a warm climate

 

[Bubbafat]

Even cheap water setup is good for warm climates. The one i previously had hooked up during days w/ 109F days kept it runnin normal. My fan now keeps it at least 10F above with that kinda temps. Although this season is handy, only like one warm day this summer so far oO

Leaving the sides off also makes things heat up in my computer more frequently. It makes my whole fan setup pointless and dosnt move as much air. And it just looks better having my computer together gives it a much cleaner look to it. (dont have to worry about cans of air, got a huge compressor almost bigger than me:lol

 

[Phil]

Yep. Water is the way to go as ambient temps rise

 

[-StrikE-]

I was to much of a cheapskate to buy a case with glass on the side and since i wanted a transparency effect i just removed them.

 

[gamefreak94]

You will definitely raise temps by putting the side panel off.....even though it might not seem like it.

Just go water if you live in a warm climate

Hell yeah! Apart from the fact that a good water cooling system costs $500, it is, indeed a very good option

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

who uses water?

just water proof the the case and fill it with a thermal oil that doesn't conduct electricity.

 

[Exodus]

I used to do it, but that was because it was hot in Florida - or I was paranoid. I can't remember.

 

[gamefreak94]

You're still paranoid

 

[Exodus]

Not about heat, at least.

 

[Bubbafat]

who uses water?

just water proof the the case and fill it with a thermal oil that doesn't conduct electricity.

I usually do, but at the moment im not doing heavy duty tasks like pcsx2anymore, so it would be a hassle at the moment.

And how well does that thermal oil idea work anyway? i have seen some pics of it but not really any use.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

what do you think they cool super conductors with

 

[Hatorijr]

as i move my pc around to much, water cooling is out of the question for me sadly so i stuck a ton of fans in my new case and it does the job well and pretty quiet too.