crazy mod....not really

[nihil]

In the average household environment that thing will fill up with crud in no time.

Apart from the occasional box I have built for "young people" I have never gone in for see-through panels and flashing LEDs

There are two simple and cost effective modifications that I do recommend, though.

1. Install an "exhaust fan". This fits into an empty PCI slot or, better still, into an empty mounting below the motherboard. It fits horizontally and will pull 40~50 cubic feet a minute out of the box.

2. Get a cooling fan equipped HDD mounting. This sucks in air at the front and passes it over the HDD.

Also, if you haven't already got one, I would recommend investing in a surge protected power strip.

There are two things that really kill HDDs in my experience:

1. Hot, stale air building up around them. My two suggestions help to prevent this.

2. Vibration....................so make sure that your sub-woofer is well away from the box

EDIT:

http://www.bizrate.co.uk/systemcooli...452981842.html
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...-3410W&cat=FAN

Just to show what they look like.