Running a PC without a case

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
Anyone got any tips on how to do this effectively? The big problem I have is the power, how do you cut it on with no power switch?

Tips, suggestions, nifty ideas, etc are all appreciated.

Thanks!
 

skullshivers

Member
Dec 11, 2002
167
0
0
well you should be able to remove a power switch from an old case and connect it to your moboard. i think the main problem you're gonna face is cooling. where are you gonna put the fans? not to mention dust problems.
 

CHiM721

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2004
11
0
0
I've done this a few years back with an old AMD system. I mounted it on the wall with screws and all. I ripped out an old power switch from the case. I had the harddrive mounted on the wall using some random crap I found in the garage. I had the CD-ROM on my desk. It doubled as a paperweight. All you need to do for cooling is get a $10 deskfan and aim it at it and there won't be any dust on it at all for it will blow it all off. Get a nice flat panel monitor for a truely flat PC. When you're all done pat yourself on the back.
 

episodic

Lifer
Feb 7, 2004
11,088
2
81
Forgive my igorance here,

On the motherboard holes, do you just use a regular metal screws to screw it into a wood board?

I was going to use velcro for the harddrive (I think it is strong enough).

I can screw in the Power supply to the wood.

I've got to source some switches since I don't have any old cases. . .

The cd rom, I think I could use velcro as well.

Good plan?

This is going to be for 4 or 5 motherboards to make a little mini crunchin farm. I've got 5 cpu's so far ranging from an athlon 800 to 1.2 ghz athlons. I'm working a deal now on 5 TCC motherboards. After that all I'll need is 5 128 meg SDRAM chips. I'm only going to have the cd attached long nuff to load the os, and I was going to find 5 1.2 gig or so harddrives.
 

IBdaMac

Senior member
Jan 12, 2003
259
0
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by the way, if you don't feel like ripping the power switch out of an old case, just take something metal and connect the two power pins on the motherboard.

I have a 450mhz k6 just lying on my carpet with the psu hooked up and a hard drive. I just have linux running on it and it's worked like a charm. No fans but the cpu fan, no dust problems. I've kicked it around accidentally a couple times, and I still have no problems.

Cases are overated :)