# Will I hurt my PC if I lay it sideways? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535 "2013-07-03T13:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/1 "2013-07-03T13:18:16Z")
I want to lay it under my desk so I have more room. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/2 "2013-07-03T13:23:52Z")
no, so long as you’re not blocking any air vents or intakes. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/3 "2013-07-03T13:38:06Z")
Nope, I’ve done it with plenty of computers, I just make sure to have the motherboard on the ‘down’ side and if there’s any vents on that side, I prop it up an inch or so that way air can get through it. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/4 "2013-07-03T13:41:09Z")
If you’re planning on using the DVD drive you need to lay your PC case on its right side so that instead of the disc going onto the top of the loading tray it goes into the right side of the loading tray (not the left!) DVD, CD-ROM etc. drives are designed to function this way (if mounted vertically instead of horizontally). If this blocks your vents you’ll need to prop the case up off the floor somehow. Unless your CD drive is \*already \*mounted vertically, and laying the PC horizontal would then make it horizontal too. In which case it’s the other way round (but this will be obvious, the CD drive can’t work upside down!) ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/5 "2013-07-03T14:00:08Z")
I never noticed a problem with the dvd on the left or right. The important thing is that the pc must be vertical or horizontal so that everything is balanced. Diagonal could cause problems. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/6 "2013-07-03T14:13:33Z")
Also, a lot of hard drives (rotary storage, not SSDs) used to have cautions not to mount upside down with respect to the ground (top of drive pointing downward)… so you had to make sure the computer on its side isn’t putting the hard drives upside down. This would happen only if the hard drive is normally vertically (on edge) mounted in the case while the case is in its normal upright orientation and you lay the system case down in an orientation that orients the drives “flat” (width along the ground) but inverted. May not matter any more; my casual googling indicates there isn’t any concern and consensus seems to be “works just fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/7 "2013-07-03T14:16:41Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Also, a lot of hard drives (rotary storage, not SSDs) used to have cautions not to mount upside down with respect to the ground… > […] > May not matter any more; my casual googling indicates there isn’t any concern and consensus seems to be “works just fine.” I don’t think that’s been true since the 5.25 Seagate days. But you can never go wrong mounting drives PCB-down or on either edge; I’d avoid putting them upside down if possible. That said, I’ve had more than one “temporary” drive sit in the bottom of a computer case, PCB up, for… a long, long temporary. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/8 "2013-07-03T14:28:17Z")
as mentioned have the motherboard on the down side. don’t block any vents. even if there are no vents on what is now the down side have that side elevated or open so that air can get to it; have it on blocks or some open grid that is elevated… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/9 "2013-07-03T16:13:45Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > as mentioned have the motherboard on the down side. don’t block any vents. > > even if there are no vents on what is now the down side have that side elevated or open so that air can get to it; have it on blocks or some open grid that is elevated.. I picked up a couple of rubber stoppers from Lowes and use those. [Works pretty well](http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f44/JoeyJoeyPP/IMG_20130703_110334_008_zps1d8a9b2e.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![thicksantorum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@thicksantorum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thicksantorum)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/10 "2013-07-03T16:22:00Z")
It will result in higher temperatures. Cases are usually designed for bottom-to-top airflow. Probably won’t make enough difference to matter, though. I assume anyone asking such a question isn’t stressing their hardware in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/11 "2013-07-03T16:28:05Z")
Before doing so, you’ll probably want to check what graphics card you have. If it’s an nVidia, you’ll want to remember the control+alt+arrow keys shortcut. If it’s ATI, then look in Catalyst Control Center for similar options. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/12 "2013-07-03T16:41:21Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Before doing so, you’ll probably want to check what graphics card you have. If it’s an nVidia, you’ll want to remember the control+alt+arrow keys shortcut. If it’s ATI, then look in Catalyst Control Center for similar options. The computer, not the monitor. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/13 "2013-07-03T17:11:48Z")
Compared to the [original](http://oldcomputers.net/pics/ibm5150.jpg) [orientation](http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/IBM_AT_System_s1.jpg) of [PCs](http://computers.popcorn.cx/ibm/ps2/50z/50z-01.jpg), almost all of them are already sideways. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-i-hurt-my-pc-if-i-lay-it-sideways/662535/14 "2013-07-03T17:52:37Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Compared to the [original](http://oldcomputers.net/pics/ibm5150.jpg) [orientation](http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/IBM_AT_System_s1.jpg) of [PCs](http://computers.popcorn.cx/ibm/ps2/50z/50z-01.jpg), almost all of them are already sideways. It should be noted that A)those ones usually had bracing in them to support a heavy monitor. I wouldn’t try that with a tower on it’s side and B)Airflow in a given computer is designed based on how it’s ‘supposed’ to be oriented. Some computers can (in theory) over heat if you leave the case off because you lose the ducting effect.