I'm planning to move down to Melbourne for a uni course and would like to take my computer down with me, however I don't know what would be the best way to do that.
I was thinking I should put it into my checked luggage, using the form blocks that came in the box my case came in, however I have concerns of my baggage being mistreated, and being thrown about.
I was also thinking about mailing it down to myself, however I haven't had a lot of experience in that area, and so I don't know who'd you would go through for that. I also don't like to wait too long for my computer arrive.
I was wondering what other people's experiences are with moving computers interstate, and what they believe is the best and safest way to go.
I'm generally not very confident in pulling apart my computer and reassemble on my own, however I'd generally do ok with installing video cards and hdds. I also plan to just buy a new monitor once I'm in Melbourne.
i moved my computer on the plane from sydney to here, i just put it in a suitcase, in the foam box the box came in, tell the checkout chick, that the suitcase is very fragile, and she will tell you to goto another baggage claim, its usually for like paintings and other really fragile shit like that. but my computer was fine when it got here, started first time and everything. but i was also flying quantas, i dont know if the other airlines offer that. so fly quantas :P
One thing I will say is pack it good and I mean good.. I busted the front to my Lian Li cos the box got fcking thrown around, I managed to fix it but it wasn't very nice, so yeah lots of foam. That was by road. I'd also definately go Toll now, they are a great team to work with.
As for plane, same thing really, Dad did this and managed to do it with no problems.
If you have a large heavy heatsink i'd remove that also, and try put some clothes inside the case so that if anything does go it hopefully wont damage anything.
Generally I would take out your heatsink/HDD and perhaps video card (the most expensive parts) pad them and take them on board with you. Foam the rest of the case and send that normally.
Quote from iscariot: Use cope as said above. Reasonable price + specialists in sensitive freight. No brainer really. hmmm... do Cope have a website I can have a look at?
As coco said, I will be removing my HDD, Ram and video card then foam wrapping the case and then fragile stickers everywhere, then when I get off the plane I will make OD set it all up again :)
Quote from shifty: i moved my computer on the plane from sydney to here, i just put it in a suitcase, in the foam box the box came in, tell the checkout chick, that the suitcase is very fragile, and she will tell you to goto another baggage claim, its usually for like paintings and other really fragile shit like that. but my computer was fine when it got here, started first time and everything. but i was also flying quantas, i dont know if the other airlines offer that. so fly quantas :P
HAHA
WOuld love to see what the U stands for in your international/domestic airline
Removed HDD's and took them as hand luggage, put the rest into the case box and sent as normal luggage. Monitors I sent through the airline's freight system
Alternatively Pack & Send is extremely cheap to ship stuff through.
seriously, just send it via toll. i've boxed and sent quite literally hundreds, if not thousands of computer systems with them, and all that time had exactly one delivery that was damaged, and even then it was by the freight offloaders in bum**** nowhere. just pack it securely (original case packaging is best), some parts may shift a little, so you may need to reseat your cards, but otherwise just make sure it's insured on the off chance something does happen.
I swear to god I've posted about this subject quite a few times already.
I travel between Melbourne/Darwin at least once a year so that's about 4 plane trips with PC a year.
Take any loose cables out that may move around inside the case, if you can't strap them to the sides with tape/wire/etc whatever have you. Take out any heavy or bulky video cards, heatsinks, hard drives that you may be concerned about and hand carry those. Check all screws in the case are firmly secured, particularly motherboard, hard drives and PSU screws.
Pack it in box and packaging that the PC came in. (You do still have it right? :S )
Send it off as fragile luggage. 15 plane trips myself, never had an issue.
That said I take no responsibility for any cockups on your or the airlines' behalf.
See DVD, I told you those cable ties were your friend... Just take out your HDDs and your 7800GT... Rubber band the loose molex connectors to the huge cable tied bundle and you should be fine. In late 2004 I brought a PC back for a family friend that he'd ordered and it was completely built and I had no traumas putting it through Fragile cargo...
Your only using the stock heatsink and thats clamped on real tight and not very heavy at all so I'd suggest you leave that there for convenience...
Quote from leonami: See DVD, I told you those cable ties were your friend... Just take out your HDDs and your 7800GT... Rubber band the loose molex connectors to the huge cable tied bundle and you should be fine. In late 2004 I brought a PC back for a family friend that he'd ordered and it was completely built and I had no traumas putting it through Fragile cargo...
Your only using the stock heatsink and thats clamped on real tight and not very heavy at all so I'd suggest you leave that there for convenience... bah, you crazy kids, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK: 5TH DEMENTIA can't remember who won but seriously that Dis or Dat was piss easy.
im about to move a pc inster state im gonna take the hdd's out hs/fan off and pack it up into box slap on fragile stick chuck it on qantas i do it all the time :S never had anything wrong with my pc