Is it okay to leave case open?

[moebius]

Am i the only one that leaves the case covers open? I've noticed that the dust gets in whether i leave it open or closed. In fact, it seems like it gets less dusty inside if i leave the covers off.
The biggest advantage i've seen is that the system temperature drops 5-10degrees when the covers are off.
Are there any drawbacks? Anyone else do this?

[boboy]

I leave my case open too, but my room is air conditioned and there's almost no dust coming in. I onced read that it's good for your mahcine, well, you got the temp way down right. My temp is around 28 to 34 C. Dust is the main concern for others.

[voogru]

I leave mine Closed. I had it open for Quite a while and the door was gonna be thrown out! my mom stuck it in the dumpster becuase she thought it was just a piece of metal that no one used... Lucky as hell that i found it.

I do notice the temps are a bit higher with case cover on. but my machine is more quiet http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif... well a little more quiet.

got 4 fans in the sucker. ones a delta 7k http://www.sysopt.com/forum/redface.gif

EDIT: cant spell for **** http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

-voogru

[This message has been edited by voogru (edited 05-26-2001).]

[smokin1]

What's a case cover?
LOL
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
I don't use them..well I do actually..I turn them upside down and install a garbage bag in them..

[RayH]

A well designed case will apparently give better cooling with the case on than with the case off by creating a directed air flow. But most cases probably don't do this.

I have a friend who is a professional network guy. He leaves his personal computer case off and has cats running around. He just dusts it off every so often.

I leave the case on and knocked out all the unused slot covers in the back. Every so often I open it up and dust it out.

[Barney]

Right now I have the left panel off. An 1GHz tbird overclocked at 1.2 produces a lot of heat. I have the 80mm intake and outtake turned off. I can get the same temperature with the case closed and the 2 fans on, but the noise will be even worse!

I plan to mod my case soon. I will open up the intake and outtake, perhaps I'll even make an extra intake in the left panel and an outtake in the top of the case. So what I'm going to do is put 4 quiet fans in to replace the 2 noisy ones. I'll have more airflow and less noise. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
I also want a window with neon light behind it, but I'll have to see about that. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif


[This message has been edited by Barney (edited 05-27-2001).]

[chapsieml]

Some componets on the mother board could over heat with a case cover off. I fixed a problem with heating on my system by installing my own (additional) fan setup that moves air into the side of the case also modified air flow by increasing locations for heat to escape at top. Use to have unusal system lock ups before the modifications, everything is fine now. I dust all of our computers (6 months and annual) using an air compressor with a dryer inline-approximately 60psi of dry air and blow all the dust out. Of course I unplug the cpu and carry it out side to dust. Also use a small dust bush to hold blades of cpu and other fans to keep from damaging them when using compressed air to blow dust off them.

[club_med]

I have mine open, but for some reason it gets quite dusty in there.

cm.

[korgul]

I used to leave the case off but ended up destroying a MB and CD Rom. I had a Cyrix (ewwwww) that ran really hot. I recently got a pentium and a full tower ( 25 inches ) added some extra fans and open it to clean about once a month.

Korgul

[Bovon]

I have an older system, K6-2 500 on a FIC VA 503+ board, and I tinker a lot inside. The case has never been on it LOL...in going on 4 years!

One reason is, I have a backup bootable hard drive...and just have to swap the ribbon cable from one to the other, and backup my current master drive. If ever I crash, or am unlucky enough to get a virus, I can just swap to the backup drive and be back in business in a matter of minutes...

[moebius]

Unfortunately, when i bought my present case, i got it cuz it looked 'cool'. i should've got one with better air flow instead. i've tried simple mods to improve the airflow with the covers on, but they don't help much. probably have to get a case with better airflow soon as i can cough up some dough.
As for the dust...my rationale is this: with the covers off, dust gets in, some stay, others leave ;-) With the covers on, dust get in and they all stay, cuz they can't get out!
Just like Barney, with the covers off, i've removed two of the fans and it's even cooler.

[MiKe85]

I have 3 computers with the case covers on, my Linux box doesn't have the cover on..
It's in the basement, lots of moisture and dust floating around so i am CONSTANTLY cleaning it.

[Savant]

I don't use them..well I do actually..I turn them upside down and install a garbage bag in them..
people look at me like I'm crazy when I say that.

if they have the slide side panels the cases are sometimes on, he U shaped ones are never on. in my main sys I been working on how to improve airflow 9hopefully) without to much cutting on the case, but not much luck so far.

[moebius]

wing7788: if the only danger of leaving the covers off would be accidental splashing of liquids or dropping metal objects inside, then a few simple (and painless) precautions should prevent any mishaps: Ex.: Keeping the cpu out of the bathroom ;-), setting up the cpu on a desktop instead of the floor etc.
Mine is on the right side of the monitor, about 2 feet from the wall to the right of that.
If i have the urge to stuff my face with oreos and milk while online, i keep all food and drinks on the left side of the keyboard, far from the cpu.
So far, i haven't had any mishaps (knock on wood).
Yar1182: have you thought about putting on screen covers. i'm not sure what they're called, but it's like a netting; same stuff on screen doors. They're cheap and, i believe, non-conducting. That should keep the little fella out.

[paul233]

I have 2 92mm fans sucking air out the top of the case and a single 80mm pushing air in, with every hole in the back of the case, including unused slots, open. It runs cooler with the case closed but still gets dusty. My next plan is to put 2 92mm on the side, one pointed approx. at the cpu and the other below it, with filters, , close the holes, and hopefully the airflow will be balanced and clean.

[AdamP]

Luckily, I keep my case cover on. It protected my comp when my phycho female roommate started throwing her shoes at me and one of them him my comp.

[NDC]

I leave my case on since I have child in the house... I wouldn't want my kid to get electricuted or pull out a device from computer while the computer is running! And besides, processors are running at a very low temperature so taking the cover off wouldn't be necessary in my case.

[wing7788]

Leaving the case open may probably harm your computer than case closed. You would weigh between having a system which runs cooler or, accidentally splashing in some liquid or dropping a metal conductor inside your computer which will render your machine inoperable. These accidents may never be worth your time to consider, but a thing which you will definitely regret once it happens to your machine.

[LiLRiceBoi]

i run both my comps w/ the case off. it keeps it cooler, but is a bit louder

[Yar1182]

In theory a well designed case should run cooler with the case intact. The air flows though like a wind tunnel. With air being sucked in the front and expelled out the blow holes. The thermal dynamics of most retail cases are **** poor. The cases made by computer enthusiast with blow holes and such cut in work the best. They even make these foam dust filters to cover the intake holes to keep the dust out

Running your rig without the cover on is supposed to be dangerous and bad for your system. Although all us overclockers have at some point ran our systems with the covers off and a small house fan pointed at the rig. Not smart, but it's darn cool.

I got curious Iguana running around my apartment so keeping the covers on is no longer an option. They like sitting on top of my desktop because it's warm. I'm constantly chasing them off.