[mythtv-users] OT: Hardware failure

[Brian Wood]

Eric Smith wrote:

> Overheating is really what started this whole fiasco... but now in
> testing I'm running with the case open and brand new thermal grease. 

Depending on your system design running with the case open might
actually make things worse.

A well-designed case/fan setup will make sure that air flows past the
major heatsinks, flowing in one uniform direction bringing in cool air
and exhausting the warm.

Opening the case can actually disturb the carefully created airflow, and
in fact make things hotter. Fans might just pull air around their cases,
never actually moving air past a heatsink.

Of course most cases are not that well designed, at least in the
consumer PC world.

BEWW