Positioning PC Tower

[Peter]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place for my question but here goes.

My pc tower is under my work station in the dark so I have difficulty find the where to plug into the USB slots and the card readers too, my solution is to tilt the pc back slightly and to install a small battery operated light to make life a little easier.

I'd like to tilt the tower back even more but I'm not sure if this is good or bad for the computer, although I have seen an angled wrack produced just for this purpose.

I was recently cautioned that angling the tower may not be a good idea, anyone care to shed more light on this for me please?

Peter

[oldfogy]

Apart from the angle of the CD/DVD. you will need to make sure the disc does not slide, as it's being inserted.
Some CD's used to come with small pull-out tabs that you could trap the disc into, if the CD ROM was being used vertically.

PC's are sold as being able to be used either Horizontal or vertical, so I don't see that tilting it "by any degree" is going to make any difference.

Apart from the CD/DVD mentioned above, there are no other parts that are effected.

[HPsauce]

Oh yes there are......
Hard disks for desktop PC's are generally designed to operate horizontally or vertically. A tilt puts extra loads on the bearings that they are not "expecting".

I have my "tower" on top of the desk, on an upper shelf behind my screen. But then I've deliberately got a largish desk with big upper shelf, designed for CAD work or similar. (Scanner fis there too.)

[Peter]

Many thanks for your replies HP &oldfogy, my tower is now horizontal again.

The reference to being either horizontal of vertical was a point my son made but he wasn't too sure,which is why I posted the question.

I'd love to have mine on the desk too but don't have the space, guess I'll just have to fir brighter lights!

Peter

[orainsear]

You could get a USB extension lead, or USB hub if you want more ports, and sit it on your desk.

[tickmike]

My home made dedicated firewall (made from an old small form factor compaq computer ) it should be flat or horizontal for a desk top, has been working in a vertical position in a cupboard for about five years with No problems