Lugging my system to a LAN party: heatsink worries.

[magellan]

AT most of the LAN parties I attended in the past I only had maybe 500g hanging off my motherboard, but now, I'll have more than 1kg hanging off not even my motherboard (the fan weights 350g all on its own, the Archon SB-E 750g), but the LGA2011 socket. What I'm worried about is it bouncing around in the back of my Ford Exploder and breaking the socket off of the motherboard. As far as computers go, the only kind of luck I have is usually bad too. All I can think is I should probably lay the case down so the motherboard and heatsink are facing up, but what else can I do?

I'm thinking about using a portable luggage carrier to haul the case in.

 

[cullam3n]

Hmm... I've transported my rig to LANs and what-not with all copper SLK-600s, huge Scythe Ninjas, and most recently my Coolermaster V8. Usually I'll put it behind the passenger seat, and then move it back so it doesn't have much room to move between the rear of the passenger seat and the front of the rear seat. On a SUV that may not work as well since it's bigger. I would take caution laying it down on its side unless you can secure it some way; you don't want to slide to and fro while accelerating, braking, or turning.

Just a thought, you could probably lay it down in the trunk, and then use a bungee cord around it to hold it on one side. As long as you didn't make it your mission to hit every single pothole in SoCal you should be alright.

That said, truthfully I've never heard of any heatsink coming off the motherboard or tearing it while transporting.

 

[freakdiablo]

If you do what both you and cullam3n said, lay it down on it side with the heatsink pointed up and drive carefully, it'll be fine. I have a heavy Venemous X with some bulkier Scythes on it, and have been lugging my desktop on a 500 mile round trip between home and college every month and a half or so for years, and no problems. Just make sure the motherboard is mounted right (no missing screws or standoffs), because even though I've never heard of a fully broken motherboard or socket, I have heard reports of cracked traces from the board flexing, which is in my opinion worse because it's not obvious when you check inside the case.

 

[NiHaoMike]

If it tells you anything about how tough the mounts really are, I once received a used HP server at work (transferring from another site) with one corner (pretty thick 1mm or so steel!) dented from bad shipping. It still worked like a charm, but it was a bother straightening the dented corner so it would go all the way into the rack.

 

[LennyRhys]

I have a copper TRUE (2kg) and for several months I ran it unsupported in my PC Tower case.

New CPU sockets (and indeed motherboard PCBs) are a lot stronger than you think - that's why they have that huge metal brace at the back.

 

[wagex]

if you are worried, which i wouldnt be, open the side of the case up and get some foam to pack around it just dont forget to pull it out when you get there

 

[RnRollie]

or.. i.s.o. foam, use this

 

[magellan]

I packed the box like cullam3n and freakdiablo suggested, even hit some potholes. Everything worked. The pouring rain made unloading and loading more interesting. I wish I had a lighter case.