PC on a train

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So, a bit of a logistics problem. PC in Newcastle, me in Stratford, LAN party in the Forest of Dean.
Since I need to go to Newcastle anyway to shift the contents of my bedroom downstairs to a bigger, better room. So I figured this would be a great chance to kill two birds with one stone (Though I'd also need to repeat this trick to get it back to newcastle when term starts again).

I still have the box that the case came in, with the padding. And I'm fairly sure it'll fit on a luggage rack of a Crosscountry train. Or I'll sit on it in one of the vestibules. But the main worry I have is with its safety. Moving it to the train station, keeping it on the train, then getting it off. Th only thing I can really think of would be to have it motherboard down if I leave it on its side, so PCI cards, heatsinks etc are kept on with gracity, rather than leaving them hanging.

Drivings out of the question as with petrol alone its cheaper to get a return train ticket, plus I'd have to pay for insurance for the weekend.

But how to get the monitor back? I don't have the box that came from, so what would be the best way to keep it safe?
 
Pack the inside of the case with bubble wrap, this should help support the heatsink and and cards. If you're worried about the look of it, you could get a large suitcase from a charity shop or somewhere to disguise it a bit.

As for the monitor, are we talking about an LCD or CRT here? If its an LCD then take it apart and then three or four of layers of bubble wrap should be ok.

PK!
 
Yeah, its LCD. I'd draw the line at lugging a CRT all that way!

Guess I'll go on the hunt for some bubble wrap, then. Are there any good places that you can get a decent ammount for £cheap?
 
doubt the bubble wrap would be a great idea with the static electric, your pc will be fine thrown mine about loads, never fails to boot.

just hope i haven't tempted fait
 
Well, since I've got to go to Newcastle anyway, this seems the easiest way. Plus I'd be able to keep an eye on it, make sure noboddy bumps it.
 
If it's not too much hassle, I'd remove the heatsink for transit. Unplug the PSU cable while you're at it so there's no danger of powering up the system witout the HSF in place.
 
I am sure that if you put your rig in the box it came with and some extra padding around it, and put it in a sutecase im sure it will be fine, think about how they ship pre-bulit computers
 
Aaah you'll be fine mate, i've taken my PC7+ home on the train many times. I used to have a full ATX tower with wheels and I've even ridden that down park street in bristol once when in a rush to get the bus - wasn't a comfy ride, but the computer was OK (bar the wheels being worn rather a lot) --- This was a cheap old computer - I'm not recommending you do this with yours!
 
Unfortunately, I've got an Antec 900, not the lightest or smallest cases on the market. Thankfully the box has carrying handles. As far as I can see, the hardest bits are going to be getting it from the station entrance to the train, and vice versa. A small backpack + lots of bubble wrap should sort monitor transportation as well.

Guess I'll have to let you all know how this turns out!
 
Guardsmon said:
Aaah you'll be fine mate, i've taken my PC7+ home on the train many times. I used to have a full ATX tower with wheels and I've even ridden that down park street in bristol once when in a rush to get the bus - wasn't a comfy ride, but the computer was OK (bar the wheels being worn rather a lot) --- This was a cheap old computer - I'm not recommending you do this with yours!
Click to expand...

haha LOL
 
WOW, i need wheels for mine too!!!

Anyway thought of getting a bus with it?

My cousins husband had to move his pc (pentium 2 depressingly as hes a cheapskate) from london to kent before moving to Durham. He ended up putting it on a seat next to him (with the big crt on top) and started to tell everyone it was hes new laptop......
 
Well, looks like I'll be going up on Saturday with the box, coming back monday. Can't do sunday, they don't have any direct trains running.
Don't suppose there's anyone in Newcastle who'd be willing/able to give an OcUKer a lift to/from the station? :p
 
Maybe worth taking the HDD out and packing it fairly well? Remove the heatsink, unplug the PSU and everything else should be fine...

Let me know how it goes by the way. I'm going to be moving from my parent's house near Birmingham down to London in the near future and don't drive, so may be doing something pretty similar!
 
manic111 said:
Maybe worth taking the HDD out and packing it fairly well?
Click to expand...
Powered off HDD can actually tolerate most kind movement/bumbs rather well so as long as those are firmly attached to case those fare pretty much as well as case.

If CPU heatsink is heavy that's one of the things which could wreak havoc.
Also it's mostly longest and heaviest two slot expansion/graphic cards which are in risk.



misterPK said:
The risk of static damage is stupidly overrated...
Click to expand...
Do you have wooden or plastic mat/tiles floor? What about varnished wooden table?
In that case put sheet of normal copier paper on that table, your hand on top of paper and start moving/rubbing paper to table's surface.
After few minutes of that touch something metal.
(do that during dry weather for best effect, humid weather mostly prevents "availability" of static electricity)
 
EsaT said:
Do you have wooden or plastic mat/tiles floor? What about varnished wooden table?
In that case put sheet of normal copier paper on that table, your hand on top of paper and start moving/rubbing paper to table's surface.
After few minutes of that touch something metal.
(do that during dry weather for best effect, humid weather mostly prevents "availability" of static electricity)
Click to expand...

Generally I avoid rubbing myself on tables. :p

I've visited chip recycling plants where they chuck boards around in skips, tip them out on the floor, heat the whole boards up to a couple of hundred degrees and have no static protection what so ever. They have a less than 3% failure rate. I'll still tap the radiator before i work on my pc, but to me static is like I said, an overrated issue.

PK!
 
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