Help modding OEM case

[WorkInProgress]

After reading several posts and projects, I have decided to hack away and mod my plain jane case. the only problem is, my imagination has not yet left the box and do not know where to start. It is a stock, stock HP a475c. HELP.

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6995/10er9.jpg
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4518/20ya6.jpg
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9579/30cn7.jpg
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/198/40zh3.jpg
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5783/50oy9.jpg

[sirkillalot617]

you could add an extra fan or vent to the roof to inprove cooling just think of something you like and mod your case around that

[silverdemon]

here is what I did with my first simple mod:

1. cut a window in the side and put some plexi behind it, just with some bolts...
2. painted the case
3. added a dual CCFL light thingie (those are tube-like lights)
4. put a nice sticker / decal on my window
5. bought some nice rounded IDE cables and tried to sort the wiring out
6. made a custom drivebay and put an 80mm fan in front of my 3 HDDs
7. painted the inside of the case (also PSU and drivebay)
8. put a led-fan in my PSU

and most important:
9. POST YOUR PICTURES ON THIS FORUM :p :D

if you do those thing I said I think this would look a LOT better ;)

happy modding!
oh yeah, and welcome to the board

[a.Bird]

Hello Kitty stickers are very fashionable. Slap one of those bad boys on there.

But seriously, get rid of the intel and windows stickers. Too clashy in my opinion, and not really that important seeing as how you are looking to void any warranty you could possibly have. Are you currently using that card reader? You could take that out and do something nifty in there. Or put some fluoros behind the grill on your side panel.

[WorkInProgress]

Thanks SILVERDEMON for the tips you provided. And a.Bird, I do use the card reader often but might relocate and remove 3.5 floppy drive. I will make a trip to the hardware store and buy some supplies. I will keep you all posted with pics. But in the meantime, keep the ideas coming. Thanks

[WorkInProgress]

Since the case is very tight, i decided to do an external case mod for cooling. The case has a stock 92mm exhaust and no intake. I want to build a 2 x 8 x 16 metal base case for my comp. There will be three 80mm fans blowing air into the case from the bottom and 2 80mm blowholes on top. One of the bottom fans will be ducted to the CPU directly. Will there be any problems with temps if i attemp to do this? I searched on google and this forum but no luck finding a similar mod. Here are a few photoshop pics.
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2826/modtopao4.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3769/modsidein4.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6845/modfrontgf4.jpg

[silverdemon]

I think the idea is ok, heat rises, so intake at the bottom should be ok.

BUT, do you have room for two fans at the top? remember that your PSU and your optical drives are also at the top and between them are a lot of wires, which isn't very good for the airflow...

anyways, if you can place the fans, I see no problem (I think:p)

[Cevinzol]

I agree with silverdemon about the wires.
clean that up, get some round drive cables and sleeve the power lines that should help with airflow.

you have a HDD mounted vertically on the bottom front of your case, if you could mount that horizontaly just under your card reader you'd be able to make a good sized intake on the front of the case.

[fragged]

why 3x80mm fans, the more fans the more noise

Heat probbly isnt an issue with a stock HP case, unless you've overclocked your CPU...

Currently I have a 3800+ x2, 6800GT, and 3xHard drives... I have a dual fan PSU (one is always on, the other turns on when it gets warm), a CPU, GPU and northbridge, and two intake fans, which is quite noisy (I cant sleep with it on)... Speedfan reports everything as <40 degrees, and although i have no thermostats on ambient, whether forcast currently says its 12 degrees outside, in my little 2.5mx3m room, with a computer and heater on, it'd be about 15-18 degrees.... so you should be fine as far as airflow goes, unless your planning to relocate to the sun or something,...

If you want my opinion, cable ties or sheathing, and rounded IDE cables wouldnt go too far, and if your really enthusiastic try painting your case different colours, or dremel out a window, or light it up...

[dgrmkrp]

your idea for external cooling is very good... although you probably should stay away from 80mm fans if possible.. they'r good if u can't fit anything bigger.. but you can change the 3x80 with one 120mm fan and the same in the top.. also, the weird duct coming from the bottom can be changed with a shorter one coming from the side.. you can make it a feature :)

if possible, change the rear fan/hole to a 120mm.. think of 120mm as your friends! they move large amounts of air but can be turned down for noise reduction! if u do that with a 80mm fan u lose massive amounts of air.. a typical medium-to-high fan can move ~90CFM, that is 3 times more than a 80mm fan.. so if u wanna go all out on cooling, bigger fans are best from all viewpoints.

also.. u could move the psu in the outer box, if wire lenghts allow.. and use 1 or 2 120 mm exhaust in the top.. if roomy enough of course.. your first design is pretty good because it looks balanced airflow-wise. remember: CFM IN<=CFM OUT :)

[Razors Edge]

i like 80 MM fans alot too, belive me, but if you want the best cooling 120 is the only way. Get rid of the 3 80's and get 2 120's at the bottom. And then stick a 120 at the top an dur all set.

[dgrmkrp]

i like 80mms too.. but just for looks :) i am using/will be using them because 120mm with leds are way too expensive for me..( the premium i have to pay for one (2~300%) isnt' worth it, but in the case of a 80mm it's less than 50% over a regular black one..) if u can't use anything else or really like 'em, use them.. if not.. big is beautiful..errm.. cool! ;)

[WorkInProgress]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to strip the case and take some measurements to see what I can fit. Will keep you all posted

[progbuddy]

Here's a few things:

1. HDD fan/cooling device
2. Masscool fans (they're so quiet, they're cheap, they look good with ccfl :) )
3. Have a side grille for the intake fan box.
4. Fan at the top.
5. Cut out side window.
6. Paint.
7. Have fun :D