Need some help

grunt · Post by **grunt** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 4:53 pm

Well I want to have a desktop while I am in Iraq and am worried that either 1 the heat will kill it or 2, the sand/dust might too. So I figured I would look into a completely cooled system, wouldnt that eliminate the need for airflow into the components? Anyhow, whatcha guys think?

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:33 pm

geez, must be nice to take a desktop on deployment!!! LOL
You could try a W/C system, but that would be heavy and quite a pain. I think A/C is out of the question because of the sand issue...... Not sure what to recommend right now, i can tell you the sand there gets into everything....and i mean everything

eric m. · Post by **eric m.** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 6:52 pm

i think personally i would either go with a waterproof laptop which is way too expensive, or a shuttle type PC which is small and probably easier to keep away from sand. however, even a water cooled system will have to have some air flowing across the motherboard and other components to keep the heat from building up. it's so hot there that parts just won't last very long.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 6:57 pm

a SFF PC won't matter, in the desert sand gets into everything, which was kind of my point. that being said, regardless of what you do, you won't keep sand out of the system, and even though a W/C setup will still circulate air, it will draw less sand into the system, but therein lies another problem....what if a component breaks? what if you need a part and can't get it? you might be better off just going with air cooling and a couple of cans of compressed air....regardless of what you do, you are still going to have to deal with sand.

eric m. · Post by **eric m.** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:03 pm

maybe a sandproof computer is the key. what you do is set everything up, then spreay the whole computer and all the parts with scotchgard. then when it gets sandy, just hose it off. simple!

(note: i am not responsible if you actually decide to do this)

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:14 pm

LMAO!!!!! Thats pretty creative Eric, but i don't recommend it.
Having spent a fair amount of time in the big sandbox, i can safely say there is nothing you can really do to keep sand out.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 10:05 pm

I can only suggest what we did during the first gulf war, and I was in a Aviation unit like yourself Grunt.................

At the time we had all 386 and 486 systems and beleive it or not, the best way to keep sand out of your system is with a pair of panty hose. They have great air flow and it will filter out all but the finest sand. And by you being in a aviation unit, you will have access to filtered compressed air to keep the system cleaned out. After the first war, we were cleaning the computers about once a week during good weather and more often depending on sand storms.................

So just get yourself a good air cooled system and keep ALL openings covered with some of your wifes old panty hose...................

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 10:10 pm

One other thing................there are lots of good computer shops in Kuwait City, which you should be able to get to every now and then with you being in a aviation unit. I think the intermediate aviation maintenance units are still based outside the city. They used to be anyway. Lots safer in Kuwait.

grunt · Post by **grunt** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:01 am

Well this isnt my 1st deployment, been to Afghanistan. However Iraq has more sand vs afghan having dust. We are supposedly to going to be based somewhere closer to fallujah from what I am hearing. We will be sending contact teams all over supporting the longbows wherever they set up. So lots of convoys

Anyway, I think I'll try your idea with the pany hose Bio, damn good idea.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 12:26 pm

another thing that works but is not quite as good is the thin scuff pads you can get at $1 stors. you can use those as filters. They do restrict more air then pantyhoes but are also much less expensive.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:13 pm

LOL.....he's got a wife, he can get used ones for free.........

Oh, and those scuff pads won't stop the fine desert san either, it'll go right through them. they might slow it down a little though.