Let's chat about my thread missing.

[P. B. Walker]

It was here a second ago. Ahhh well.


Does anyone know how to best pack up a computer for an overseas move?

Is it best to remove the HD's, video cards, etc and wrap them with bubble wrap individually? Then fill the inside with some bubble wrap, then wrap the outside with bubble wrap?

Maybe get a plastic bag to wrap around the entire thing so dust and stuff doesn't get inside?

 

[ReadyOne]

If I were really paranoid about very rought handling, I would remove all the cards and HD and pack them in bubble wrap, then box them and pack that in bubblewap, the burry it in peanuts, and put it all in a steel case (maybe with lock).

For normal shipping, cushioning the system unit inside a box as the OEM shipped it should be sufficient. You could then burry that box in peanuts inside a packing crate that can withstand inpact.

Finally, I'd get a couple of "g-meter" and "temp-meter" stickons. The will record the maximum shock, max, and min tempature. Should teh machine arrive damage, and the shock sticker has gone red, then you have an excellent claim against the carrier for incorrect handling. 30G is the max I'd subject a (nnon-operating) HD to under any circumstances, which is like falling 6" to land flat on a hard surface.

 

[crazybbwgirl]

I would take it to UPS and let them show you what brown can do for you!

 

[P. B. Walker]

If I were really paranoid about very rought handling, I would remove all the cards and HD and pack them in bubble wrap, then box them and pack that in bubblewap, the burry it in peanuts, and put it all in a steel case (maybe with lock).

For normal shipping, cushioning the system unit inside a box as the OEM shipped it should be sufficient. You could then burry that box in peanuts inside a packing crate that can withstand inpact.

Finally, I'd get a couple of "g-meter" and "temp-meter" stickons. The will record the maximum shock, max, and min tempature. Should teh machine arrive damage, and the shock sticker has gone red, then you have an excellent claim against the carrier for incorrect handling. 30G is the max I'd subject a (nnon-operating) HD to under any circumstances, which is like falling 6" to land flat on a hard surface.

Good call on the peanuts. I know a place I can get those too.

Never heard of those g-meters but that is definitely a good idea. I'll ask if the place that sells the peanuts has them or knows where to get them and how much they cost.

Thanks

 

[P. B. Walker]

I would take it to UPS and let them show you what brown can do for you!

They already ripped me pretty good on the package of cat stuff I had to send to my sister after I gave her my cat.

I think I'll try to go my own route this time.

 

[warrior queen]

this thread has got to be the best reason EVER to get a laptop!!!

 

[P. B. Walker]

this thread has got to be the best reason EVER to get a laptop!!!

LOL True. Or at least a powerful laptop with a dock and a big flatscreen.

 

[rosco rathbone]

As a former arthandler and custom crater; I can tell you that the cost of crating and shipping your computer in such a way that it will definitely not be damaged compares unfavorably to the cost of a new unit.

 

[mystic_maiden32]

moving every 3 years or so-that is why we have a notebook.

 

[pandoravampire]

My ex was a computer boff, his system was also a recording studio, and the whole system was probably THE most valuable item we had. So when emigrating, he insisted that every thing were wrapped in bubble wrap, and put into our hand luggage. He was concerned for damage from handling, but also scanning/xrays. So instead of books and tapes for my 25hr flight, i got motherboard and various other bits and pieces, all in bubble wrap.
The carcus of the computer he bought anew when we arrived, but all parts and components of value to him, plus 3 childrens flight cases went into our hand luggage.
And im sure that he got some permission that certain items were not xray'd. But opened and searched manually. They didnt like this, but obliged.

 

[ReadyOne]

Avoiding x-rays is god. Very Good.

Many years back I saw a calculation by an Intel engineer that 8 trips through the passenger handbag scanner at the airport gave a 50% chance that some part of a microprocessor or memory chip would be damaged, for example a bit in the memory array permanently stuck.

The checked luggage goes through much harder radiation; so much that camera film will be fogged. I would not check ANY electronic device that uses a microprocessor, from alarm clock to Game Boy to Laptop or Digital Camera, nor would I check any magnetic media.

I haven't flown for two + years, but I used to have good luck telling the screener that the memory chips for my camera were "film" and should be hand inspected. They didn't like it; but they did it.

Security has been stepped up significantly since then, as the post 9/11 "improvements" were finally deployed. If I few today, I'd ship anything I absolutely had to have by private carrier with a contract not to radiate.

And if you use US Mail, there is also a significant chance that your letter/package will receive a healthy does of radiation, particularly if it moves through a center of government. It's strong enough to kill anthrax spores (they hope) and that's strong enough to blacken film and destroy transistors.

 

[P. B. Walker]

moving every 3 years or so-that is why we have a notebook.

I grew up as a military brat. But after high school, I've mostly been in the same place, except for the little moves back and forth between college each year.

But I've been in this same condo for 10 years now. Just never figured i'd need to move my desktop. I actually built this desktop myself from the ground up because I wanted to customize it. That would have been hard to do with a laptop. Not to mention, this was much much cheaper than going with a top end laptop.

But, I might actually look into a laptop for my next computer.

 

[P. B. Walker]

Avoiding x-rays is god. Very Good.

Many years back I saw a calculation by an Intel engineer that 8 trips through the passenger handbag scanner at the airport gave a 50% chance that some part of a microprocessor or memory chip would be damaged, for example a bit in the memory array permanently stuck.

The checked luggage goes through much harder radiation; so much that camera film will be fogged. I would not check ANY electronic device that uses a microprocessor, from alarm clock to Game Boy to Laptop or Digital Camera, nor would I check any magnetic media.

I haven't flown for two + years, but I used to have good luck telling the screener that the memory chips for my camera were "film" and should be hand inspected. They didn't like it; but they did it.

Security has been stepped up significantly since then, as the post 9/11 "improvements" were finally deployed. If I few today, I'd ship anything I absolutely had to have by private carrier with a contract not to radiate.

And if you use US Mail, there is also a significant chance that your letter/package will receive a healthy does of radiation, particularly if it moves through a center of government. It's strong enough to kill anthrax spores (they hope) and that's strong enough to blacken film and destroy transistors.

I wonder... how do they ship computers when you buy them over the internet?

I also purchased all my computer parts on the internet since I built it all from hand (bought the shell and install the mother board and everything else). It works fine and it must have gone thru a scanner at some point unless shipping it by fedex keeps it from behing radiated.

 

[MissTaken]

It was here a second ago. Ahhh well.


Does anyone know how to best pack up a computer for an overseas move?

Is it best to remove the HD's, video cards, etc and wrap them with bubble wrap individually? Then fill the inside with some bubble wrap, then wrap the outside with bubble wrap?

Maybe get a plastic bag to wrap around the entire thing so dust and stuff doesn't get inside?

I would rather discuss HOW TO convince PB he needs a strap on treatment?

Ohhhhh packing computers?

Lots of bubbly wrap. Then, when you are done unpacking, you place the wrap on the floor, get laid and listen to the sound of the bubbles popping beneath you!

 

[JRaven]

Careful with the bubblewrap

Plastic bubblewrap can create static electricity. It will do more damage than any x-ray! They do manufacture a pink colored bubblewrap that has been treated to disapate static electricity. Or, you can put everything in a silver, mylar bag and then use regular bubble wrap.

Any hard drive made after 1995 will automagically park it's heads on powerdown. Any contact between the head and the platters will be in an unused portion of the drive. It will actually withstand 60G's of force.

I've had PCs shipped to me at work in the standard styrofoam packing. A piece at the top, a piece at the bottom. I've had the sides of the boxes caved in and the case dented on the side. Everything would work fine, so long as it wasn't the side the motherboard was on. (Then the case would short out the motherboard.)

It's always a good idea to open the case after shipping and reseat the cards and cables. It can keep Windows from noticing that you no longer have a modem and removing it from your configuration. Now where were those drivers?!? (experience )

Hope this helps. Good luck with your move.
Jenny

 

[JRaven]

Re: Re: Let's chat about my thread missing.

Then, when you are done unpacking, you place the wrap on the floor, get laid and listen to the sound of the bubbles popping beneath you!

I was typing when you posted. But your idea sounds great! Would you reccommend the little 1/4" bubbles or the big 1" bubbles?

 

[MissTaken]

Re: Re: Re: Let's chat about my thread missing.

I was typing when you posted. But your idea sounds great! Would you reccommend the little 1/4" bubbles or the big 1" bubbles?

The little ones, would be my best recommendation.

That larger bubbles just don't have the same snappiness to them!



And thanks, Jenny.
I wouldn't want to steer someone wrong for the sake of being able to make a joke.