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PREFACE:
There are many different CASE
STYLES
ranging from wild colors to wind-swept styling. The primary difference in
case styles is the size and horizontal or vertical orientation. Some even have
front closing covers that hide the controls and drive bays. Aside
from ascetics, the case provides several important functions. The
case provides power with a power supply to the motherboard
including all adapter cards inserted into the motherboard, hard
drive(s), CD-ROM(s), and Floppy Drives. All of these power
consuming devices also generate heat so the case also provides cooling through
adequate HEAT FLOW.
POWER SUPPLY:
The power supply in a PC case can range from 180 Watts to over 300
Watts. A 230 Watt or 250 Watt power supply is common. These power supplies have
a fan built into them that draws air from inside the case, through the power
supply and out the back of the case. In many instances, this is the only fan you
get in a computer case and that is terribly inadequate. It is highly
recommended to add at least one additional fan.
LED DISPLAYS:
In addition to the power on or off switch and reset
button, Light Emitting Diode (LED) displays on the front provide
status indicators about your computer including power on or off
and hard disk drive activity. Many cases also provide an LED
display for the CPU frequency, a turbo switch, a turbo on or off
LED, and a key-lock.
PC SPEAKER:
And lastly, we cannot forget the thing that
goes beep, the PC speaker, not a multimedia device. The PC
speaker gives an audio status indicator as the computer goes
through it's power on routine called "boot" or "booting".
SHARP EDGES:
Many of the cheaper cases have very sharp edges inside, so be extra
careful. These sharp edges can cut very quickly and very deep. The
better cases don't have these sharp edges. If you do get a cheap case that
has sharp edges, take out all the electronics and sand or file all the edges,
you'll be happy you did.
DETAILED PICTURES:
Be sure to check out the
SERVER TOWER
EXAMPLE. On this page you will find tips and detailed information.
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