I'm moving house soon and plan to transport my desktop computer in the car. What should I remove or secure to prevent damage? I've heard that padding the inside of the case with clothes can help, but I'd like to know the safest way to pack and position the computer during the trip.
3 Answers
Take any mechanical hard drives out of the case and wrap them separately with suitable padding. If you still have the original box and foam inserts, use them; otherwise, place the case securely on its side and cushion it so it can’t bounce around during the drive.
Remove the graphics card before transporting it, since its weight can put stress on the motherboard slot. If you have a large tower-style air cooler, remove that too. Place the computer on its side with the motherboard facing upward so the heavier parts aren’t pulling against their mounts. Use soft, lint-free clothing or proper packing material to stop things from shifting, but don’t pack it so tightly that components are under pressure.
For extra safety, remove the RAM and the CPU cooler as well. The motherboard, processor, and power supply can usually stay installed if they’re secure. Put the removed parts in anti-static bags or their original packaging, and keep the case from sliding around in the car.

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