The majority of all PC cases are opened on the left side. However, I've seen very few that open on the right side. Why is this?
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1 Answer
Actually many don't. I'm looking at a HP now that opens on the right when facing its front.
The reason is the AT/ATXform factor specification, which specifies the size, orrientation, and holes in the motherboard so it can match the mounting screw holes in the case.
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In this video, Mahalo expert Sean Hewitt explains how to open most PC computer cases.
Instructions for Opening Any Computer Case
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Sometimes accessing the hardware inside your computer case can be tricky because some manufacturers change the details regarding how their computer cases open. But, most cases can be fairly similar in nature and will require similar processes to open.
Most cases are connected via small screws that line the outer edge along the back of the case. The entire shell of the case can then either completely come off, or perhaps each panel side slides off separately. Some cases are designed with a lever on the side that enable that side to swing open like a door.
If you ever encounter difficulty removing a case, navigate to the computer manufacturer's website and search for the correct model. You can find the manual for your computer for instructions.
Read more by visiting our page at:
In this video, Mahalo expert Sean Hewitt explains how to open most PC computer cases.
Instructions for Opening Any Computer Case
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes accessing the hardware inside your computer case can be tricky because some manufacturers change the details regarding how their computer cases open. But, most cases can be fairly similar in nature and will require similar processes to open.
Most cases are connected via small screws that line the outer edge along the back of the case. The entire shell of the case can then either completely come off, or perhaps each panel side slides off separately. Some cases are designed with a lever on the side that enable that side to swing open like a door.
If you ever encounter difficulty removing a case, navigate to the computer manufacturer's website and search for the correct model. You can find the manual for your computer for instructions.
Read more by visiting our page at:
Your computer contains a lot of parts, almost all of which create heat when your computer is on. Some parts, like the CPU and graphics card, can get so hot you could cook on them.
In a properly configured desktop or laptop computer, much of this heat is moved out of the computer's case by several fans. If your computer isn't removing the hot air fast enough, the temperature can get so hot that you risk serious damage to your PC. Needless to say, keeping your computer cool should be a top priority.
Below are eleven computer cooling solutions that anyone can do. Many are free or very inexpensive, so there's really no excuse to let your computer overheat and cause damage.
You can test your computer's CPU temperature if you suspect that it's overheating and that a PC cooler or other solution is something you should look into.
Allow for Air Flow
The easiest thing you can do to help keep your computer cool is to give it a little breathing room by removing any obstacles to air flow.
Make sure there's nothing sitting right against any side of the computer, especially the back. Most of the hot air flows out of the back end of the computer case. There should be at least 2–3 inches open on either side and the back should be completely open and unobstructed.
If your computer is hidden away inside a desk, make sure the door isn't closed all the time. Cool air enters from the front and sometimes from the sides of the case. If the door is closed all day, hot air tends to recycle inside the desk, getting hotter and hotter the longer the computer is running.
Run Your PC With the Case Closed
An urban legend about desktop computer cooling is that running your computer with the case open will keep it cooler. It does seem logical — if the case is open, there would be more air flow which would help keep the computer cooler.
The missing puzzle piece here is dirt. When the case is left open, dust and debris clog the cooling fans faster than when the case is closed. This causes the fans to slow down and fail much quicker than usual. A clogged up fan does a terrible job at cooling your expensive computer components.
It's true that running your computer with the case open might provide a small benefit at first, but the increase in fan exposure to debris has a much greater impact on temperature over the long run.
Clean Your Computer
The fans inside your computer are there to keep it cool. Do you know what slows a fan down and then eventually makes it stop? Dirt — in the form of dust, pet hair, etc. It all finds a way into your computer and much of it gets stuck in the several fans.
One of the most effective ways to cool your PC is to clean the internal fans. There's a fan on top the CPU, one inside the power supply, and usually one or more on the front and/or back of the case.
Just shut your computer off, open up the case, and use canned air to remove the dirt from each fan. If your computer is really dirty, take it outside to clean or all that dirt will just settle elsewhere in the room, eventually ending up back inside your PC!
Move Your Computer
Is the area you're running your computer in just too hot or too dirty? Sometimes your only option is to move the computer. A cooler and cleaner area of the same room might be fine, but you may have to consider moving the computer somewhere else entirely.
If moving your computer just isn't an option, keep reading for more tips.
Moving your computer can cause damage to the sensitive parts inside if you're not careful. Be sure to unplug everything, don't carry too much at once, and sit things down very carefully. Your main concern will be your computer's case which holds all the important parts like your hard drive, motherboard, CPU, etc.
Upgrade the CPU Fan
Your CPU is probably the most sensitive and expensive part inside your computer. It also has the most potential to overheat.
Unless you've replaced your CPU fan already, the one that's in your computer now is probably a bottom-of-the-line fan that cools your processor just enough to keep it working properly, and that's assuming it's running at full speed.
Many companies sell large CPU fans that help keep CPU temperature lower than a factory installed fan ever could.
Install a Case Fan (or Two)
A case fan is just a small fan that attaches to either the front or the back of a desktop computer case, from the inside.
Case fans help move air through a computer which, if you recall from the first several tips above, is the best way to ensure that those expensive parts don't get too hot.
Installing two case fans, one to move cool air into the PC and another to move warm air out of the PC, is a great way to keep a computer cool.
Case fans are even easier to install than CPU fans, so don't be afraid to get inside your computer to tackle this project.
Adding a case fan isn't an option with a laptop or tablet but a cooling pad is a great idea to help out.
Stop Overclocking
Borderlands general protection fault history. If you're not sure what overclocking is, you're probably not doing it and so you don't have to worry about it.
To the rest of you: you're well aware that overclocking pushes your computer's capabilities to its limits. What you may not realize is that these changes have a direct impact on the temperature that your CPU and any other overclocked components operate at.
If you're overclocking your PC's hardware but haven't taken other precautions to keep that hardware cool, we definitely recommend reconfiguring your hardware to factory default settings.
Replace the Power Supply
The power supply in your computer has a large fan built into it. The air flow you feel when you hold your hand behind your computer is coming from this fan.
If you don't have a case fan, the power supply fan is the only way that the hot air created inside your computer can be removed. Your computer can heat up quickly if this fan isn't working.
Unfortunately, you can't just replace the power supply fan. If this fan is no longer working, you'll need to replace the entire power supply.
Install Component Specific Fans
It's true that the CPU is probably the biggest heat producer in your computer, but nearly every other component creates heat as well. Super fast memory and high-end graphics cards can often give the CPU a run for its money.
If you find that your memory, graphics card, or some other component is creating a lot of heat, you can cool them down with a component specific fan. In other words, if your memory is running hot, buy and install a memory fan. If your graphics card is overheating during gameplay, upgrade to a larger graphics card fan.
With ever faster hardware comes ever hotter parts. Fan manufacturers know this and have created specialized fan solutions for nearly everything inside your computer.
Install a Water Cooling Kit
In very high-end computers, heat buildup can become such a problem that even the fastest and most efficient fans can't cool the PC. In these cases, installing a water cooling kit can help. Water transfers heat well and can drastically reduce the temperature of a CPU.
'Water inside a computer? That doesn't sound safe!' Don't worry, the water, or other liquid, is completely enclosed inside the transfer system. A pump cycles cool liquid down to the CPU where it can absorb the heat and then it pumps the hot liquid out of your computer where the heat can dissipate.
Interested? Water cooling kits are easy to install, even if you've never upgraded a computer before.
Install a Phase Change Unit
Phase change units are the most drastic of cooling technologies.
A phase change unit can be thought of as a refrigerator for your CPU. It utilizes many of the same technologies to cool or even freeze a CPU.
Phase change units like the one pictured here range in price from $1,000 to $2,000 USD.
Similar enterprise-level PC cooling products can be $10,000 USD or more!
Anyone with a desktop PC wants to ensure the components locked away inside are running at their best. A war continues to surge on between owners and dust, which can make its way into the intake vents and cause havoc when it comes to keeping everything cool. We take a look at why this is bad, why you should be concerned and what steps one can take to mitigate potential problems.
Dust is bad due to how it likes to coat objects and prevent air from flowing freely when being pushed through by fans. If you haven't cleaned your PC in a while, and do not have any filters installed on vents, opening up the case may reveal quite the sight. Thick clouds of dust, hair and other debris that have seemingly made their way into the case and clumped together. This is bad news.
Not only will this severely restrict airflow, which is usually a primary source of cooling for a PC, but (depending on the scale of the issue) you could also be facing some serious heat issues. On case and component fans alone, dust build-up can negatively affect the performance of the cooler, trapping particles within the bearings and slowing blade rotation. But that's not all, dust can even be conductive, which is never a good thing when located on circuity.
Luckily, dust itself is fairly easy to remove and if you remain on top of a bi-weekly clean out schedule, your PC will not only be greatly appreciative of displayed efforts, but components will continue powering as designed and everything should last longer. Before we get into how one can prevent dust from entering the PC in the first place, we'll need to clean out the case.
Leave Computer On Or Off
Grab the duster
First, we're going to need a few tools to help us clean out the PC. It's worth noting now that you shouldn't use a vacuum cleaner — they're clumsy tools meant for imprecise work (not to mention static charge generators). Here's what our tool belt will be holding for the job:
- Screwdriver (only required if your PC case doesn't have external thumb caps)
- Some cleaning wipes
- Small brush
Right, now we have our arsenal of cleaning equipment at hand, there are a few steps to carry out before we can clear dirt and dust from within the case.
- Shut down the PC.
- Unplug cables from all ports.
- Move the PC tower to a cleared workspace.If possible, find a location outside since we'll be blowing dust around, perhaps a sturdy table in the yard. Depending on the design and construction of your PC, the below steps may alter slightly, but this guide should be okay for majority of chassis types.
- Remove the screws on the rear of the side panel.
- Take off the side panel.
- Spray around the inside with compressed air. Remember to also spray fans.It's important to hold the can of compressed air upright and to spray at a distance on components. While it's technically safe to use on PC internals, it's possible to draw liquid from the can so pay extra attention.
- Use the brush to wipe down components and other areas.
- Close up the PC and return it to your desk.
Preventative measures
Now that you're cleaned out, how do you stop this from happening again? While we can't stop all dust form getting in — you need airflow to keep everything cool, after all — there are a few tricks to the trade when it comes to reducing dust infiltration.
Computer Bag
Use dust filters
Seriously, this is the easiest way you can keep almost all dust out of any PC case. Filters are affordable accessories that utilize a mesh (usually made up of polyester, but can be metal) to help capture dust particles as they attempt to pass into open vents. These are particularly handy for fan intakes, not only protecting the powered blades, but also everything else located within the case.
We even recommend you add filters to case fan vents you aren't using. It's easy to find a filter that's magnetic to save time fitting and detaching when you wish to clean out the accompanied fan. For example, Silverstone has a 120mm filter for the PC, priced at just $7.90.
Get off the floor
Have your PC located on your floor, be it carpet or a hard surface? It's strongly recommended you relocate the desktop to another position, one that's raised off the floor. With a PC located on ground level, it's more susceptible to being exposed to dust and hair and other airborne particles that may be kicked up by movement. Either have the case on a desk, table or in a bracket attached to the underside.
Do your chores
Follow through our little guide in cleaning the insides of a PC case above and carry out the steps on a bi-weekly basis or once a month, depending on how frequently you use the PC and how dusty the environment is. You'll need to clean out filters regularly anyway, so it makes it worth the time investment to open up the case and give it a quick blow.
A clean workspace
This may be yet another obvious listing, but if the surroundings aren't exactly dust-free then the PC is more likely to pick up dust and other dirt by in-taking whatever may be passing by. A clean office or bedroom will surely help keep your PC in a much better shape.
Pc Case Open Or Closed Reddit
Check your flow
Achieving positive airflow inside the case will also aid in keeping pesky dust out the case. What do I mean by positive airflow? The term essentially means you have more fans pulling air into the case than you have extracting hot air from within, resulting in increased pressure. Negative airflow would be when you have more fans extracting air out from the case itself. Having multiple intake fans on your PC with filters attached, alongside a fan or two on the rear to remove hot air from inside the case will help prevent dust from entering any open ports. More air movement helps components dissipate heat as well, so it's a win for everyone.
There's a neat way you can check how air is being moved around your PC case — smoke. Light an incense stick and this will show you how air is moving through any open ports on your case, which should provide helpful hints as to how you need to balance out airflow to ensure as much air is running through filters as possible.
No food allowed
I know that burger from McDonald's is crying out for you to dig straight in, but do attempt to either use a tray or eat food elsewhere. Crumbs and the like get everywhere — in your case, ground into the chair, under your keyboard keys — and they do more than just get in the way. Bits of food are miniature petri dishes in waiting, so either eat clean or eat elsewhere.
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