Which direction should my comp fans point? Where to get rid of an old computer case?

Yep, I’ve got two whole questions to ask.

First Question
Which direction should I point my computer fans? Or, more specifically, the one over my processor?

I’ve already got two fans pointing out (a standard chass. fan and a blowhole on top), and now I’ve got this other huge fan to go over my processor. Perhaps I should describe it:

You know where you screw in PCI/AGP things into your case? Well, it takes up three of those screwholes. There’s a large piece of curved metal that swings the fan up and over the processor, so it sits hovering above it (the processor). This is the only fan over the heatsink (heatsink sits all by its lonesome).

When the fan came attatched, it was placed so that air blew away from the processor, and onto the outer wall. But I’ve just recently switched it around to blow directly onto the processor.

I was wondering: Should I have it draw heat away by pointing it away from the processor, or should I blow air inwards, and point it straight at the processor? Keep in mind I don’t have to worry about dust, because it’s not touching any air holes in my case.

If anybody is confused (you shouldn’t be), I suppose I could take a picture and post it on the internet.

Question Two
I’ve got a spare computer case lying around, and I want to get rid of it. I don’t know what charity could possibly want with it, so I was thinking of recycling it.

Can I just toss it in my recycling bin and let the people take it away? Or do I have to take it straight to the plant (I’m NOT willing do take this route). Should I take it to a scrap yard and sell it for the metal?

If none of these options are feasible, what should I do with the old case?

West. No North. Damn computer Feng Shui.

The fan should draw air away from the CPU and out of the case. The only reason not to do it this way is if it interferes with the airflow from the other fans such that you would have two fans blowing air directly at each other. If you have a well designed case, air should enter from the front, blow relatively unfettered across the components and exit from the back.
On the second question, charities tend not to take old computer equipment (as you stated) and the amount of metal isn’t worth the time spent driving to a recycling center. If your recycling bin accepts metal and the case is just steel, dump it in. If the case has mercury switches or power supplies attached, I’d ask someone at the local dump what to do with it.

Regarding your first question:

Mass-market PCs have been designed both ways - with the fan blowing into or sucking air out of the CPU heatsink. It may not matter much which way it goes. If I’m reading you right, this fan doesn’t vent to outside the case, meaning whatever air it moves will be pre-warmed by the other components in your case anyway.

If your CPU is one that has temperature-sensing hardware, maybe you could do a little science experiment and try measuring the CPU temp in each fan configuration.

Regarding your second question:

I generally stuff my old computer equipment into the attic of my parent’s house, where it’s carefully preserved for the enlightenment of archeolgists of some future era. So far, this system has served me very well, except that my parents complain a bit.

Radio: That’s what I suspected. I’ve got a pretty damn good case (LianLi 8065B, I think) and it’s got (2) vent fans (chassis & upper blowhole), (1) pair of bracket fans at the bottom, and the (1) Processor fan.

I figure if it sucks air off of the processor, it’ll blow the hot air into the side of the case forcing the air to go in a circular path towards the vents.

Time to switch fan direction.