How to bring computer stuff on airplane

[Guest]

I am flying to another country in the next 2 days and need to bring my computer with me. 

How can I bring my desktop with me? Are there any rules, or regulations? 

I feel like I can't bring my power supply due to dangerous voltages stored within. I will be staying in Asia, and currently have a USA power supply in my computer. 

Any advice? Any input? 
I want to carry on my AMD R9 390, motherboard, cpu, ram, and hard drives. 
I can't just go with a laptop as it is necessary I have these high performance components. 

[dizmo]

So.....you're not bringing your case? I'd just pack them into a motherboard box. See if a local shop has any kicking around.

RAM, CPU can stay installed. Drives can be slipped where they usually put the cables and manuals. Video card would need another box.

 

You could just go with a laptop, you just don't want to spend the money. There's nothing exceptionally powerful about those components

[Shreyas1]

1. Take out graphics card (Edit: I forgot to include this, but if you have a heavy cooler/radiator that has to go too.)

2. If you are carrying the PC with you, you need to pull it out at security

3. Be careful

4. If you do decide to bring your PSU, and if your PSU has a switch on the back, then switch it to the appropriate voltage

[CrippledROBOT]

3 minutes ago, fpo said:

I am flying to another country in the next 2 days and need to bring my computer with me. 

How can I bring my desktop with me? Are there any rules, or regulations? 

I feel like I can't bring my power supply due to dangerous voltages stored within. I will be staying in Asia, and currently have a USA power supply in my computer. 

Any advice? Any input? 
I want to carry on my AMD R9 390, motherboard, cpu, ram, and hard drives. 
I can't just go with a laptop as it is necessary I have these high performance components. 

Firstly, I would call your airline's customer service. I know friends who have transported their computers without problem, but it would be better to confirm ahead of time! Make sure to have your ticket info ready too!

 

Also, if the case is small, then you could possibly put it in carry-on so it doesn't get damaged when it is thrown into the luggage compartment. 

That leads to my second point, transporting a PC via air is risky. All too often luggage gets bumped, thrown, etc. 

[Shreyas1]

1 minute ago, CrippledROBOT said:

Firstly, I would call your airline's customer service. I know friends who have transported their computers without problem, but it would be better to confirm ahead of time! Make sure to have your ticket info ready too!

 

Also, if the case is small, then you could possibly put it in carry-on so it doesn't get damaged when it is thrown into the luggage compartment. 

That leads to my second point, transporting a PC via air is risky. All too often luggage gets bumped, thrown, etc. 

With regards to danger, it should be noted that there are plenty of videos online of people who work at airlines just tossing baggage around 

[Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl]

Just call it your Emotional Support Computer and you'll be fine!

 

In my experience you'll be fine so long as your rig meets luggage size restrictions. Your bigger problem is protecting the computer from getting roughed up during loading and unloading.

[SquintyG33Rs]

you can bring it all onboard there is no such regulations. i've done it before. they'll just x ray the boxes individually. I left the case back home cause it's just too big and had stuff in their individual boxes cause that was the safest way of carrying them

[CrippledROBOT]

Just now, Shreyas1 said:

With regards to danger, it should be noted that there are plenty of videos online of people who work at airlines just tossing baggage around 

Exactly my point. I've seen it myself. Nothing against those teams who do it though; its a tough job with pretty tight time constraints.

[bimmerman]

How long are you going for?

 

If it's just a trip, don't bother. If it's a few months, then maybe reconsider. I moved to Germany for a year during school and left my computer back home; I took a basic laptop and that was it.

[Guest]

Everyone, 

will the scanners erase my hard drive data? Do I have to worry? Should I get a new hard drive to be safe and just install windows and whatever after I get there? I can’t lose my files. 

 

@dizmo

Spoiler

I think I’ll buy a case as it’s be way cheaper than burning luggage space. 

My laptop is underpowered for what I need to do. 2014 Mobile don’t compare to last generation top of line consumer graphics. 

@Shreyas1

Spoiler

I am thinking of fully disassembling. 

Thanks for voltage reminder!!! I’ll have to check what voltage is in the country I’m going to. 

@CrippledROBOT

Spoiler

I want to carry on so I can be in charge of it. My graphics card could get “lost” or just taken if I put it under

 

I’ll also be positive I can take it with me and check the airline regulations. Thank you. 

@Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl

Spoiler

I was curious if people had any tips to protect my components if I disassembled them and brought them with me. 

@SquintyG33Rs

Spoiler

I want to disassemble it. Do you have any tips of how to package the Graphics cards, motherboards and whatnot to put in carry on luggage? 

 

Also, do the X-ray wipe hard drives? I don’t want to lose my data. If it’s better I can just buy a new hard drive and do it that way if it’s safer. 

@bimmerman

Spoiler

I’m going for several months and need the powerful components. My laptop is simply not good enough to work efficiently enough. I can’t be waiting around and having my laptop overheating. 

 

[Rishum]

20 minutes ago, fpo said:

Everyone, 

will the scanners erase my hard drive data? Do I have to worry? Should I get a new hard drive to be safe and just install windows and whatever after I get there? I can’t lose my files. 

 

@dizmo

  Reveal hidden contents

I think I’ll buy a case as it’s be way cheaper than burning luggage space. 

My laptop is underpowered for what I need to do. 2014 Mobile don’t compare to last generation top of line consumer graphics. 

@Shreyas1

  Reveal hidden contents

I am thinking of fully disassembling. 

Thanks for voltage reminder!!! I’ll have to check what voltage is in the country I’m going to. 

@CrippledROBOT

  Reveal hidden contents

I want to carry on so I can be in charge of it. My graphics card could get “lost” or just taken if I put it under

 

I’ll also be positive I can take it with me and check the airline regulations. Thank you. 

@Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl

  Reveal hidden contents

I was curious if people had any tips to protect my components if I disassembled them and brought them with me. 

@SquintyG33Rs

  Reveal hidden contents

I want to disassemble it. Do you have any tips of how to package the Graphics cards, motherboards and whatnot to put in carry on luggage? 

 

Also, do the X-ray wipe hard drives? I don’t want to lose my data. If it’s better I can just buy a new hard drive and do it that way if it’s safer. 

@bimmerman

  Reveal hidden contents

I’m going for several months and need the powerful components. My laptop is simply not good enough to work efficiently enough. I can’t be waiting around and having my laptop overheating. 

 

No airport scanners (Which is an x-ray) will not harm your HDD. It will be fine

Also if the data is very important i would advice you back it up prior to traveling, just to be safe!

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Rishum said:

No airport scanners (Which is an x-ray) will not harm your HDD. It will be fine

Also if the data is very important i would advice you back it up prior to traveling, just to be safe!

That’s a good idea. I forgot that backups are a thing. 

 

I think I’ll clone my hdd to a 2 tb hard drive or something from a 1tb just so I have ample space and don’t have to risk the originals. 

[Mail me to the Moon]

8 hours ago, Shreyas1 said:

1. Take out graphics card (Edit: I forgot to include this, but if you have a heavy cooler/radiator that has to go too.)

2. If you are carrying the PC with you, you need to pull it out at security

3. Be careful

4. If you do decide to bring your PSU, and if your PSU has a switch on the back, then switch it to the appropriate voltage

 

This, I can't stress this enough. a case has to be designed for travel if it has heavy components in it or they will break off potentially destroying everything else in the case (Thank you ups)

 

I'd go for a case that's small enough to be a carry on. The smaller the better, just make sure you grab a durable case. Solid states are also a pretty good go to if you travel frequently.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Mail me to the Moon said:

This, I can't stress this enough. a case has to be designed for travel if it has heavy components in it or they will break off potentially destroying everything else in the case (Thank you ups)

 

I'd go for a case that's small enough to be a carry on. The smaller the better, just make sure you grab a durable case. Solid states are also a pretty good go to if you travel frequently.

I want to disassemble the computer and bring it with me. 

[Guest The Viking]

I have transported PC parts plenty of times with the plane. Usually I just put the graphics card in its original box and the hdd's and such well protected/packed into boxes too. Carefull with the mobo. Be prepared to be asked to show to the scanner people what you are carrying.

[Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl]

9 hours ago, fpo said:

Everyone, 

will the scanners erase my hard drive data? Do I have to worry? Should I get a new hard drive to be safe and just install windows and whatever after I get there? I can’t lose my files. 

 

 

 

@Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl

  Reveal hidden contents

I was curious if people had any tips to protect my components if I disassembled them and brought them with me. 

 

 

 

OH! I missed that! Usually I just wrap my expensive stuff in my clothes and try to center them in the middle of the suitcase so the rest of the clothes act like a buffer.

[SquintyG33Rs]

10 hours ago, fpo said:

*snip*

I used the original boxes for most things apart from hdd. With the anti static bags. I left ram and cpu in the motherboard (bax still closed fine, if yours is taller might not fit) but honestly anti static is the most important for a flight, most of the components aren't fragile enough that physical harm will damage them. 

[Gikero]

18 hours ago, Ms Mercedes - Trijet Girl said:

Just call it your Emotional Support Computer and you'll be fine!

 

In my experience you'll be fine so long as your rig meets luggage size restrictions. Your bigger problem is protecting the computer from getting roughed up during loading and unloading.

What if they make him flush it down the toilet? =P

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, SquintyG33Rs said:

I used the original boxes for most things apart from hdd. With the anti static bags. I left ram and cpu in the motherboard (bax still closed fine, if yours is taller might not fit) but honestly anti static is the most important for a flight, most of the components aren't fragile enough that physical harm will damage them. 

Thanks! That seems like the best idea to bring it. 

 

 

Thank you to everyone. You all helped out a lot!!!

[SquintyG33Rs]

2 hours ago, fpo said:

Thanks! That seems like the best idea to bring it. 

 

 

Thank you to everyone. You all helped out a lot!!!

And not sure if i was clear this was all carry on. I wouldn't trust putting it in checked in luggage unless in some fancy custom packaging like the system builders use for shipping.