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Author Topic: Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?  (Read 6157 times)

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Offline craZivn

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 08:56:01 »
So, gonna be moving my computer around a bit and need to know the safest way to do it. It's a full tower (Antec 1200) which measures about 23x21x9 inches. Heavy too.

I plan to transport the machine on it's right side so the motherboard is at the lowest point and the CPU cooler sits upright. I will be hauling it in my own vehicle so it will never leave my supervision, and of course it will receive the gentlest handling possible when I load and unload it. But there are still road vibrations and inevitable bumps and stuff that the thing will have to survive.

So I want the best protection I can get, in case of a mishap (accidental slip, emergency stop, 16-car pileup on interstate) while still keeping the price as reasonable as possible as I'm trying to save up for a new monitor and stuff.

I'm currently looking at one of these:
http://www.parkercasedepot.com/proddetail.php?prod=SC2626-16LF

What do y'all think? Is there a better (read: cheaper) way to haul this thing while still keeping it safe? I checked into purpose-built computer shipping cases but they are all too small and the price wasn't really any better.

Thanks!

CZI
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Offline itlnstln

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:00:26 »
Wrap it in a comforter.

It's just a computer not a Ming vase; even then, I would probably wrap it in a comforter.
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Offline Lanx

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:16:02 »
if you're really that worried take out the hard drives (non ssd) and put em in your backpack or something when you get there.
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Offline itlnstln

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:22:45 »
Quote from: ripster;433524
It's a Antec not a Lian Li.  

I'd just  stick it back in the box the case came in with the Styrofoam as padding.  I save that stuff in my attic.

Another excellent and inexpensive idea.  I do the same for all my audio equipment.
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Offline Ekaros

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:30:28 »
I usualy just but it between the front and back seat. for extra protection plain blanket will work.
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Offline itlnstln

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:33:13 »
Quote from: ripster;433530
You know we really should get married.  I'd tell my wife but she'd kill me.

I'd have to move, because they don't allow "that kinda thing" in my state.  That and the whole job situation.
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Offline whiskerBox

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:42:31 »
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Offline Ekaros

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 09:45:17 »
If you have original packaking for parts, dissasemble it and rebuild. Still, I have transported mine without any casing without issue, apart from a few scratches, when I have been careless.
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Offline Maarten

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 10:17:32 »
You call that giant? It looks an awful lot like any old regular PC to me..... And you wanna ship that in a $374 dollar crate? For that kind of money you could just buy an extra PC to permanently install in the location you wanna go to ;)

If you must have a dedicated crate thing id just recommend you build something nice and strong out of wood with some stryofoam insulation in whatever shape/size  you want..... will only set you back a couple bucks.
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Offline Ekaros

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 10:44:52 »
Quote from: Maarten;433561
You call that giant? It looks an awful lot like any old regular PC to me..... And you wanna ship that in a $374 dollar crate? For that kind of money you could just buy an extra PC to permanently install in the location you wanna go to ;)

If you must have a dedicated crate thing id just recommend you build something nice and strong out of wood with some stryofoam insulation in whatever shape/size  you want..... will only set you back a couple bucks.

Yep, I thought he was moving mainframe or a few server racks.
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Offline alaricljs

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 10:59:57 »
Having just come back from a datacenter move... yeah, that's a cute lil PC you've got there... and if you're the one driving it in your car just wrap it in a heavy blanket or some towels for scratch protection.  If you're that worried about a multi car pile up then get an external HDD and make a backup to transport separately.
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Offline speakeasy

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 12:57:42 »
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Offline Maarten

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 13:52:42 »
Quote from: Ekaros;433585
Yep, I thought he was moving mainframe or a few server racks.

Yeah, i clicked that box-link first and since i have absolutely no feeling whatsoever for those things the americans call inches i thought something along these lines also....

Quote from: alaricljs;433594
Having just come back from a datacenter move... yeah, that's a cute lil PC you've got there... and if you're the one driving it in your car just wrap it in a heavy blanket or some towels for scratch protection.  If you're that worried about a multi car pile up then get an external HDD and make a backup to transport separately.

Thats what i usually do, just toss it somewhere in the car wrapped in whatever fabric i have laying around (ie jacket or old sweater) and just make sure it cant fall over..... even dropped a computer more than once and apart from a cracked plastic front and near as makes no difference a broken toe nothing really seriously ever happened to any of em.
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Offline Urglifast

  • Posts: 84
Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:17:57 »
Quote from: ripster;433716
This one is easy.

First you get a Giant.....


Inconceivable!
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Offline Urglifast

  • Posts: 84
Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:23:59 »
Quote from: ripster;433716
This one is easy.

First you get a Giant.....

do you need any Spaniards?
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Offline craZivn

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:38:06 »
Sorry, I considered it "giant" because it's about 40% bigger than the computers at Best Buy. And it weighs proportionately more so it's a clumsy thing to handle. I didn't mean to be misleading.

I'm not worried about the hard drives really, I think they're pretty robust as long as they aren't spinning. I'm concerned mostly with the CPU cooler, which is one of the oversized type that sticks way up and looks like it would crack it's motherboard mountings with a good jolt. And also the graphics card, which is pretty much the same problem. I'm going to have the machine situated on it's side during transport for sure so they're sticking up rather than out sideways to help lessen the side-loading.

The wooden-crate idea is good, if I can make one light enough to handle. Most of the stuff I make of wood turns out grossly-overbuilt for some reason. If that fails I'll probably end up just dropping the $400 on the case.
Don't have the original box any more, and I just wouldn't be comfortable with only a blanket protecting my precious baby. It also has to share the back of a Civic hatchback with a folding table, monitors and several peripherals, so a hard case would also allow me to stack stuff on top of it.

Thanks all for the input! Now to the drawing-board.

CZI
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Offline craZivn

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:42:40 »
Wow, since I started typing, there has been a sound suggestion of partial dismantlement, and a string of Princess Bride references! I gotta learn to type faster.

Oh, and no more rhymes now. I mean it!
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Offline alaricljs

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:46:08 »
Neither the case nor some custom built crate is going to have any effect on the items you are concerned about.  If you are worried that your GPUs will get mangled by G forces, or that your CPU cooler will, you have some choices:

Remove them, pack them separately.

Custom cut foam blocks or build cardboard boxes to insert into your system to completely prevent the items in question from moving.

Just situate the PC so the motherboard is at the bottom and the IO plane is either toward the front or back of the car.  Don't take any turns like Andretti.


So that's it in order of most protection to least.  And they will all work just fine, unless you really do get into a multi-car pileup in which case I don't think the PC is going to be what's on your mind.
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Offline Urglifast

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #18 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:54:31 »
Quote from: ripster;433740
Only if you use lanyards.

I think he means he doesn't want any harm.
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Offline Urglifast

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #19 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 14:55:01 »
Quote from: craZivn;433748
Wow, since I started typing, there has been a sound suggestion of partial dismantlement, and a string of Princess Bride references! I gotta learn to type faster.

Oh, and no more rhymes now. I mean it!


you don't happen to have six fingers on your right hand?
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Offline Hydroid

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #20 on: Tue, 18 October 2011, 19:44:21 »
I've taken my computer a couple hours south to a friends house many times and never had any issues. It's around 35-40kg (empty case is 20kg) and I just pop it into the back of the car with a towel or blanket around it. Just make sure it's not going to slide around.I do always put monitors in their boxes though.
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Offline craZivn

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #21 on: Thu, 20 October 2011, 08:04:18 »
Found the perfect solution for only $200!

http://www.roadcasesusa.com/categories/Amp-Combo-Cases-By-Brand-and-Model/

And it'll act as a little table for my tower when it's not in transportation. More desk room!
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Offline D-EJ915

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #22 on: Thu, 20 October 2011, 23:02:13 »
I just toss mine in the car, case gets scratched up if you don't wrap it in something but it's not going to break from going over a bump.
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Offline vils

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 21 October 2011, 07:23:26 »
I wrapped my comp (The Facit) in a blanket and a 5cm thick mattress put it in a  hockey trunk. All empty parts in the bag was then filled with clothes and a pillow. Then I crossed my fingers and handed it over to the baggage handlers at the airport. I got it back completly unharmed.
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Offline SmallFry

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Best Way to Transport a Giant Computer?
« Reply #24 on: Fri, 21 October 2011, 08:29:57 »
If you're taking it super long distances I'd recommend taking out the hard drive, one for privacy and two for the fact that hard drives are sensitive. I'd like mine close to me so I could keep a good eye on my data.
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