Transporting a Desktop computor
Jan 16, 2009 | 9:05 am
#1
Original Poster
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
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Transporting a Desktop computor
I want to haul up my prior desktop to my mother in law. she needs a web sercher and a bit of word. her machine has been badly crossthreaded.
are the TSA problems so severe that i should use fed ex? probably cost about the same.
are the TSA problems so severe that i should use fed ex? probably cost about the same.
Jan 16, 2009 | 9:56 am
#2
Moderator, Hertz; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KRK
Programs: Many
Posts: 12,723
Back when I bought parts in the USA and brought it all out to Poland I never had a issue. But I had each of the parts sepertaly packed.I actually shipped out and took as checked baggage probably 5 boxes or so.
Same goes for Mexico. My father just brought a small desktop down. He Just packed it well with a lot of bubble wrap and clothes.
Same goes for Mexico. My father just brought a small desktop down. He Just packed it well with a lot of bubble wrap and clothes.
Jan 16, 2009 | 10:31 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 858
Shipped with proper padding would be best, I checked in my mATX casing with a comforter as protection, ended up getting disfigured (there was the fragile sticker on the luggage) and damaging one of my DVD drives, comp works fine otherwise.
Jan 16, 2009 | 5:41 pm
#7
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Location: south of WAS DC
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loaded 32 tons of free crap and garbage. unit will not boot to clean window. keeps going round and round answering to free stuff. if you have not seen a machine like this it is hard to describe. will work again with total wipe and complete reload.
this is not a defrag problem. i have never seen a badly fragged computer that would not function.
this is not a defrag problem. i have never seen a badly fragged computer that would not function.
Jan 17, 2009 | 12:00 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Hoboken, NJ; Pembroke Pines, FL
Programs: CO Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,940
I've done all three of the following:
1. Checked a desktop in my full-size suitcase. No problems, but I followed my recommended procedure below.
2. Carried on the guts of my computer in my carryon - hard drive, motherboard with CPU and CPU heat sink attached, optical drive, plus various assorted cables. It got hand-inspected by the TSA but it might have helped that I profile well, have good "TSA demeanor/vibe", and also look sufficiently geeky.
3. Checked a case in it's original box.
If you have the original box the case came in, I'd suggest pulling the hard drive and optical drive (and hand-carrying those), pack the insides of the case with filler, and checking the computer in the original box. I think this is the recommended procedure for the LAN party crowd and is why I have all the original boxes and packaging from my computer cases despite my wife's complaints.
1. Checked a desktop in my full-size suitcase. No problems, but I followed my recommended procedure below.
2. Carried on the guts of my computer in my carryon - hard drive, motherboard with CPU and CPU heat sink attached, optical drive, plus various assorted cables. It got hand-inspected by the TSA but it might have helped that I profile well, have good "TSA demeanor/vibe", and also look sufficiently geeky.
3. Checked a case in it's original box.
If you have the original box the case came in, I'd suggest pulling the hard drive and optical drive (and hand-carrying those), pack the insides of the case with filler, and checking the computer in the original box. I think this is the recommended procedure for the LAN party crowd and is why I have all the original boxes and packaging from my computer cases despite my wife's complaints.