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Hardware

Shipping Hardware Cross-Country? 106

Posted by Cliff from the which-shipment-co-do-you-trust dept.
ae0nflx asks: "I just graduated from High School and the computer that my parents gave me four years ago has finally died. I've decided to spend all that money that I've been hoarding for a few summers on a new G5. The problem lies in the fact that for college I'll be moving to the East Coast (Upstate New York), from the foggy shores of the San Francisco Bay. Does anyone have any insight on how to ship my brand new machine cross country? Cheap would be good. I'll be flying back in late August and I don't think that I'll be able to take her back with me because I'm assuming she'll be a little big for the overhead bin... I'm not sure if I can trust this to the Postal Service alone." It may not be the same as shipping the big iron, but when you trust your hardware to any shipping company, be it Federal Express, or UPS, you do have the expectations that what you ship, will get to where it's going, and hopefully get there in one piece. Which shipping companies would you recommend for this job? For those who have done this, what experiences have you had, and what suggestions can you pass on to ae0nflx?
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Shipping Hardware Cross-Country? More

Shipping Hardware Cross-Country?

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  • Airborne delivered two computer cases (probably same size/nearly same weight as your package) both addressed to the correct address, across the street to the wrong appartment building. When someone stole one of them, they stonewalled me about getting a refund and I ended up losing the case. So to sum it up, don't use Airborne, use UPS or Fedex and have a tracking number and pack it well. You can save on shipping if you pack it yourself and dont take it to a Mailboxes Etc...

    • Re:Yes! NOT AIRBORNE EXPRESS (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I work for one of the big shipping companies, and am posting anonymously for that reason. I offer the following advice:

      1) Make sure it is packaged in at least 2" of SOLID packing material. Peanuts, paper, and similar materials will not protect a computer. If bubble wrap is used, layer it generously. Add what you think is enough, then add at least two more layers. Sharp metal edges and corners destroy bubble wrap.
      2) Pack the PC in the original shipping box if available, or another similar sized box if not.
    • Ok first of all, regardless of who you ship with, get insurance, and make sure that the person receiving the package has to sign for it, preferably while providing ID. Airborne in my experience has been the best here, as the UPS driver just leaves any package in front of the door, rings the doorbell, and runs back to his truck. If you run to the door, you may catch him leaving, but if you aren't home, anyone could pick up your package.
      Either way, you should make sure you are there to pick up the package
    • While I'm sure everyone has a horror story about one carrier or another, I can attest that Airborne is your bargain-basement, half-assed delivery service. I used to work as an office manager and we used Airborne only because the owner was cheap. Stuff was late all the time, and occasionally lost, usually with no reason/explanation. Anytime we shipped something to a client with a tight deadline, I used FedEx. Airborne was entirely unreliable. One reason for this maybe that they contract out a lot of the

  • Easy (Score:1)

    by gazbo ( 517111 )
    Just wrap it in bubble-wrap.

  • Just hold off until school starts and ship it directly there.

  • Do it yourself (Score:3, Insightful)

    by seinman ( 463076 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @02:53PM (#6341715) Homepage Journal
    I'm going to college half way across the country in September (from VA to Chicago), and i'm driving it myself. I'm shipping things like clothes and anything that isn't fragile, but my computer equipment is coming with me in the car. Air conditioned, with me at all times, much less prone to damage.
    • Unfortunately, most college students aren't old enough to rent a car, and many campuses don't allow freshmen to park, if it's even feasible (i.e. city colleges).

      Too bad rental agencies discriminate against young adults on the basis of age - if possible this would be a great way to start college - take a couple weeks to get there too - you'll have fond memories to think about when you're cramming for the chemistry final at 4am.
      • Good points. Luckily for me, I own a car (although a crappy one) and i'm going to a college in the city of Chicago so public parking garages are everywhere. If you down't own/can't park/can't rent a car, perhaps have your parents rent a car and drive out with you? Could be a solution to the problem.
  • If I only had all the dough I blew on stupid crap "when i was younger"...

    hehe

    oh well... enjoy your new box!

  • Use the packaging it came in. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by CaNeS ( 13483 ) <masonschmidt@cMENCKENox.net minus author> on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @02:54PM (#6341720) Homepage
    Admittedly, I know nothing about Apple hardware, but generally speaking the packing materials that it came in should be more than sufficient to make the trip via FedEx or UPS. I shipped literally hundreds of PC's this way and never had one damaged.
    • Actually, many vendors (including Apple) ship their boxes from the factory to retail outlets like Frys and Best Buy in these exact boxes, with no additional shipping materials. If you still have the origional shipping container, just use that -- it probably has fitted styrofoam pieces that will protect the computer about as well as anything.

      Shipping UPS or Fedex *ground* will be much cheaper than by air... however, give yourself 7-10 days for delivery, perhaps more. Hell, you can next-day it to yourself, b
  • 1) Buy the G5 when you get to NY
    2) Get a laptop instead

    If you do decide to ship a desktop machine, you should be OK. I mean Dell, Gateway, and the rest ship them computers all over the place. Just make sure you lay your hands on a proper shipping container, and pad things extra well. Backup your data beforehand, and buy shipping insurance, too, just in case.
  • Let Apple be responsible for the problem and have them ship it you when you get there.

  • For school... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Mark Pitman ( 1610 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @02:56PM (#6341748) Homepage
    you should have bought a laptop! No need to ship it, just carry it along on the plane. Plus, you can take it with you to class. Not very helpful now, I know, but maybe it will make someone else think about getting a laptop for school instead of a desktop system.

  • The safest way (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jcwren ( 166164 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @02:57PM (#6341768) Homepage
    Back up your hard drive, either to another HD, or tape, or DVD. Remove the hard drive, carry it with you. Leave the backup with someone trust worthy. Ship the machine UPS or Fedex, insured for enough to replace it. The hardware is basically worthless, it's your data that has value. As long as the machine is at all replaceable, you have no worries.

    But losing your pr0n collection, *that's* bad.
    • I'm sorry, but $3,000 worth of hardware is hardly "worthless." Taking the HD with you is a good idea, though.
      • He meant it's worthless to you, since you can easily replace it with insurance money.

        No matter how much you insure it for, though, you can never replace the data.

        Doug
    • If you have a lot of data on your hard disk, then pay about $40 and get one of the newest super fast CD-RW burners that can make a CD in about three or four minutes. Then go to Fry's and get a stack of blanks. Copy everything and verify the copy after the CD burn (Nero has a check box for this). If you have favorite music or programs, make two copies and keep one at your family home or with friends.
      If you don't have a scanner, now might be a good time to beg, buy, or borrow (not steal) one for about
  • We ship PCs for work sometimes. We saved a couple of the boxes they came in and use those. This way you get all the foam inserts and stuff. If your packing material is gone maybe you can get some from the local apple store. Make sure everything is screwed back together before you box it up if you have had it open. The boxes vibrate alot and cards can come free if they are not screwed in. Finaly be sure to fill in the insurance section for the value of contents. Not the cheapest solution but it works.

  • insure it (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jrstewart ( 46866 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:00PM (#6341808) Homepage
    Pull the hard drive, then ship it UPS (or Fedex, or UPS) insured. About 50% of the time they'll trash your computer but they'll give you cash equal to what *you paid* for your computer, not what it's worth today. Think of it as regular free upgrades.

    As long as you don't trust them with your data this is a much easier policy than trying to figure out a safe way to ship it.

    As far as packaging, I've had good luck double boxing it (put computer inside tight fitting box packed with foam, put box inside larger looser box packed with styrofoam peanuts). The outside box ends up looking trashed but the inside box is fine. Again this is with pulling the harddrives and carrying those personally.

    • Re:insure it (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Inexile2002 ( 540368 )
      Funny story there. A guy I know (and don't like much, thus the slightly gleeful tone of this anecdote) decided to ship a laptop. Brand new, worth many thousands of dollars and basically his baby. Some friend or family member of his gave him the worthy and sage advice of not bothering with the optional insurance. "It's a rip off."

      So he packaged it up, shipped it to himself at his point of destination and went to pick it up. Destroyed, completely destroyed. So he went to complain, and complain he did.
    • Careful with the double boxing. During the UPS strike several years back, my brother shipped his computer double boxed exactly like you suggest.

      What arrived was a large box full of styrofoam peanuts, beat up to hell and back badly enough that there were holes, and openings at the seams. And that was it; no innner box with computer. He never got it back.

      The message here is not to avoid the double boxing as that is still a good idea, but to:

      1. Tape the fsck out of that outer box so it can't get open no

      • Re:insure it (Score:3, Informative)

        by Mononoke ( 88668 )
        4. Put destination labels on the inner box also, just in case they do part ways during transit.

        • Mononoke wrote:
          4. Put destination labels on the inner box also, just in case they do part ways during transit.
          Oooh... good point. Not sure why that didn't occur to me. Someone mod that up.

  • Always Keep the Original Packaging (Score:5, Interesting)

    by D.A. Zollinger ( 549301 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:00PM (#6341813) Homepage Journal
    It may seem awkward to keep a large cardboard box, styrofoam moldings, and large plastic bags, but unless you plan on driving cross country with it in your trunk, those are the best tools in which to ensure that your baby gets to its destination safely, while in someone else's hands. If you have already disposed of the original packaging, you may be able to drop by the local Apple store, and ask if they kept the original packaging for one of display units that you could have.

    As an alternative, you may be able to partially disassemble your machine based on what might get damaged if part of the internals of your computer came apart during shipping. For example: Pull out the hard drive, and keep that with you (as it has all of your important data), while pulling out all internal cards (PCI, AGP, ISA, etc) and putting them in seperate protective containters.

    When Intel had their cartrige processors (during Pentium 2, and early Pentium 3 days), the massive cartrige and its heat sink had a tendancy to come off during transport, and flop about wildly inside the computer case during transport - damaging just about everything inside of a computer. If you feel that your heat sink/fan is too big you may consider removing those, along with your processor, and placing them in protective containers as well.

    This way, you reduce the chance that one breakage would destroy the entire computer, and help to minimize your costs to repair/replace parts. As well, you also maximize the survivability of your important information.

  • already handled by vendor (Score:4, Informative)

    by PapaZit ( 33585 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:01PM (#6341818)
    First, just hold off on that purchase until you move. That'll eliminate the problem entirely.

    If you're not willing to do that, save the boxes. Most machines (and Macs for certain) come in large styrofoam-lined boxes that can handle a lot of abuse.

    When you ship, the important rules are:
    Rattling is your enemy.
    Rigid and brittle is your enemy.

    Make sure that nothing in the box can bang into anything else in the box. Gently loosen (but don't remove!) any non-critical screws that make the inside more rigid (add-on card screws, for example), but ensure that anything that holds important parts in place (hard drive screws, etc.) is tight.

    When you ship, take it to a mailing place like Mailboxes Etc. They'll charge you $30 for a box and shipping material, but then they'll pack it well and ensure that it's shipped with appropriate labels. For a $3000 computer, that's a bargain.

    Finally, do a thorough inspection of your machine when it arrives. Ensure that every internal cable is attached, every screw is in place and tightened, every bit of packing material is removed, etc.

  • Crap shoot the whole way (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ComputerSlicer23 ( 516509 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:01PM (#6341825)
    Uhh, I make a living knowing a lot about parcel carriers. Essentially, they all lose stuff, they all delivery it late. UPS is cheaper then FedEx, Airborne will probably be more expensive then UPS (Airborne can beat everybody if the weight is less then 5-8lbs as a general rule).

    Airborne is late more often the FedEx who is late more often then UPS. Personally, I'd ship it UPS, and add $3K in insurance. I'd ship it ground, (it'll probably end up on a plane, but if you can deal with not having it for 5-6 days it's a lot cheaper).

    Get it ensured. Keep the insurance slip. Make sure it's a must be signed for shipment, and call UPS to have it be arrange for pickup if you don't get it the first time they attempt to deliver it.

    If it's not there, and you don't have a note, call UPS. Check the website.

    If it's not there within 3 business days of the scheduled delivery date, you are screwed, call UPS, file a tracer. Start the process of getting your insurance money.

    Every Tom, Dick and Harry on here is going to tell you their personal story about how they got screwed by carrier X, and how they will never use carrier X again. They think the carrier has some personal vendetta. It's comical. All of the carriers move millions of items a week. An success rate of 5 9's, still means a lot of screw ups a week. Make sure you have the documentation, make sure you take care of it quickly, make sure you follow up with them. You can successfully get your refund if it gets lost or damaged, sometimes it takes a little while, if you can't deal with that rent a car, drive the damn thing.

    Kirby

    • I work as a loader at UPS and I have a few comments.

      1. Stuff gets misloaded. It ends up on the wrong truck. Right now our region is the top in the nation and we around 1 for 3000 misload rate. My shift handles between 55,000 and 75,000 boxes everynight this time of year. Stuff WILL be late some of the time. It just happens.

      2. Stuff gets damaged. Not really all that much, but it happens at least once or twice a night on my belt. (My belt handles between 5,000 and 7,000 packages/night). We as load

      • Re:Crap shoot the whole way (Score:1, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        I have misloaded a package that was supposed to go by truck to another hub about 3 hours away. Instead it went to North Carolina (I work at Portland, OR). That package took 13 days after I loaded it to get to its destination.

        SO IT WAS YOU HUH!?!?! I HAVE FINALLY TRACKED YOU DOWN, HAHA! Prepare for my friends Bruno and Vinnie to pay you a little visit...
    • I also used to "make a living knowing a lot about parcel carriers."

      Basically, the last thing you want is to ship it ground. Yes, ground is cheaper, but if having your system arrive intact and unharmed is what matters to you, sending it by air is the way to go. Some handlers have issues, and the fewer of them it has to go through, the better.

      My experience, both with my own packages and other people's packages, is that Fedex Ground and UPS are on about the same level when it comes to damaged packages. Fedex

  • Original packing (Score:3, Informative)

    by Zathrus ( 232140 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:03PM (#6341853) Homepage
    I often wonder how the hell things like this actually get posted, but oh well...

    Keep the original packaging. Preferably all of it, but at the very least the box and styrofoam inserts. And if you ever think you'll need to ship it again afterwards then you'd better continue to keep that box.

    If the box is in crap condition, or you're just overly paranoid, then pack it again in a second, slightly larger box cushioned with styrofoam peanuts. If you're looking to get these on the cheap, go to a local recycling center -- mine will provide styrofoam peanuts for free. You may be able to pickup a good box for free as well, but they usually crush them pretty rapidly.

    Prior to shipping, make a backup, or just accept that you may never get the data back -- misdelivery, crashed drive (highly unlikely), etc. It's not a high likelihood, but if you're paranoid...

    When you receive it, unpack it carefully and then open the case. Make sure all the cards and the CPU are seated securely. Make sure fans are plugged in. Only after that should you turn it on... modern heatsink/fans are so large they often cause the CPU to become unsocketed or wiggle the fan connector lose (which leads to a dead CPU in no time).

    Who to ship with? FedEx or UPS. Doesn't matter. I've had problems with both, and I've had excellent experiences with both. Don't use the USPS, and don't use 3rd or 4th tier providers. They're really not all that expensive. Pack it yourself, take it to a local facility (not Mailboxes, etc (which is now owned by UPS) or similar). Yes, there's one near you unless you live in the boonies -- where do you think they deliver from in the first place? If you go online and have your package weight, dimensions, and declared value you can get a good idea how much it'll cost too -- although the last time I did this it cost me less than what the estimate said.

    During delivery keep a sharp eye on the tracking number -- you can use a phone if you don't have a computer. If something looks wrong (like they say it's delivered, but it's not) then start complaining -- preferably at the local delivery center in person.

    Make sure you require a signature. Make sure you're there to get the delivery. Or simply request it be held at the delivery center and go pick it up yourself (which is what I prefer to do).

    Oh, and if you don't have the original packaging -- well, don't expect much. I wouldn't trust it to a delivery company at that point, and even if you put insurance on it you won't be able to collect since they'll very easily be able to claim improper packaging. Start seriously considering a cross country road trip.
    • If you're going to insure the package (which I would) then either a) ship it in it's original packaging or b) go to a Mailboxes etc and have them pack it for you. Tell them it's a fragile computer, and get a receipt. Either way it's the *only* way you'll have a valid claim if it gets damaged in transit.

      If you DIY pack a machine, don't expect the shipper to honor your insurance claim. "bad packing" is an easy out for them.

  • FedEx 3 Day Air Insured (Score:3, Insightful)

    by HotNeedleOfInquiry ( 598897 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:06PM (#6341884)
    That's all that needs to be said. It will cost quite a bit more than UPS ground, but you have a 99 percent chance of it arriving undamaged and a 100 percent chance of having any damaged covered by the insurance. That's way more than you can say for UPS.
    • I'll second that.
      Don't use UPS .. They've damaged my computers on their way home from college before (among many other items as well) and have squirmed out of all insurance claims. From the stories my friends who have worked there tell, its a wonder anything makes it through their system.

      For the best chance of a safe arrival, use Fed Ex 3-day. For the cheapest, use USPS but be sure and pack it well .. and then pack that box up a second time!
  • One word: air.

    Ship it air. Under no circumstances ship it ground. Ground is slow (especially that far) and it's murder on equipment. Also, ground tracking is terrible.

    As others have mentioned, use the original packaging. If you're really paranoid, pack that box (insulated by peanuts or bubble wrap) inside another box.

    Also, as others have mentioned, insure it.

    That said, most of the carriers are probably fine as long as it's one of their air services. I'd probably go with FedEx 3-day air.

  • 123 (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Strange Ranger ( 454494 ) on Tuesday July 01, 2003 @03:12PM (#6341969)
    1) Forget cheap. You get what you pay for. Sorry.

    2) Insure it. Pay the extra money to insure it up to 3 grand (your time invested is worth $$ too). And pack it insanely well. Assume they're going to punt it out of the truck into a puddle.

    3) Ship it Fed Ex "Signature Required", then if you aren't home when it arrives they'll keep it at a Fed Ex pick up location. Very safe, although you'll have to go a mile or 3 to get it.

    Fed Ex is the only carrier I have NEVER had a problem with. UPS is choice number 2. There is no chioce number 3.


    Man how bored do you have to be to post shipping instructions to Ask Slashdot? How slow does the world have to be moving for Cliff to post this?

    Oohhh neat, there's a puffy cloud outside that sort of looks like the internet.
    • Assume they're going to punt it out of the truck into a puddle.

      I've seen UPS punt it into the truck. And it was a flute made of crystal.
  • Considering the G5 wont be shipping until August, you should have no problems having it shipped by Apple directly to you at college. And even if it does ship early (I don't think that's ever happened with Apple), most schools have mail rooms that are open year round and they will keep it there until you arrive.
  • First off, the estimated ship date for the new machines is August. My experience with Apple is that these dates are often wishful thinking, so there is a good chance you will get to school before it is ever shipped. So since you'll likely arrive at school before your system, have it delivered there, or better yet just pick it up from a local dealer.

    Second, you may wish to wait and check with your school. Many universities have arrangements with Apple as well as some other vendors. You may be able to
  • Ive shipped or helped ship computers between Pakistan and Canada, and for most people I recommend packing the harddisk in his suitcase between layers of clothing, while sending the case throught the cheapest shipping method. I personally pack the harddisk, video card and memory chips in the suitcase in case the case gets lost along the way, and the rest is just shipped via normal postal services.

    Theres little point in paying for the expensive shipment of the whole systems weight while the only part to real
  • Make sure it's double boxed if you dont have the original packaging, and cough up the dough for insurance. My cousin worked for FedEx for a few years as a sorter and a courier. Oh the horror stories he told. Even when it is marked fragile or electronics, the ppl handling your packages still throw the stuff around. They don't care what is in the box. All they care about is that they have 16 truckloads of freight to put on an airplane at three in the morning. The cost of the insurance payout doesn't come out
  • Save and use the original packaging! They wouldn't use the stuff if it didn't do the job well. And no matter what service you use, send it insured.

    I avoid FedEx like the plague. They have damaged every single package that was shipped to me weighing over about 10 pounds. I kid you not.

    As for Airborne Express, they have a stellar record when it comes to business destinations, but when it comes to residential, they are the definition of bungling, Jethro-Clampett-stupid, incompetent jackasses. I can't st

  • Being that you live in San Francisco, contact your local drug dealer. Have him/her add your computer hardware to the weekly cross-country drug run. Drug runners can get things there in a hurry, and they usually avoid police entanglements, in case your computer is hot. (And I'm not talking Athlon hot.)

  • Sell your computer to yourself on E-bay, buyer handles shipping.

  • I was in a very similar position two years ago after my first year in college.

    In my case, I decided to ship my comp. from Chicago back to Boston via the USPS in order to save on cost (we drove in the fall). Including insurance, the total came out to around $25 for regular ground shipping (and nothing broke). If memory serves, the package took about a week to arrive.

    For packing, I used the original cardboard box/packing materials the system came in (ie, styrofoam and packing peanuts) and a lot of tap
  • I'll be flying back in late August and I don't think that I'll be able to take her [his computer] back with me

    You're not planning to have a girlfriend at college, are you?

    Just as well, that way you'll have plenty of time for MMORGs, and Slashdot, and her.
    • A girl...friend? I don't understand, we never talk about those at my LAN parties. Plus, my baby has a much larger backside cache, if you know what I mean...
      • A girl...friend? I don't understand, we never talk about those at my LAN parties.

        A "girlfriend" is described on page 63 of the AD&D Monster Manual.

        Some key abilities:
        +5 Pout Attack
        -3 Player Saving Throw required to prevent the monster from running up player's "Magic Visa Card"

        Oh, and something about a whip, I think.
  • DHL [dhl-usa.com] rocks. Cheaper than UPS, gets it to the same place. Never had these guys lose my stuff.
  • Just put a big "FRAGILE" sticker on the box! Yeah, that'll do it!
  • Use USPS, they are the cheapest. Get insurance for the brand new G5 price. Make sure insureance covers partial breakage.

    If it breaks during shipping, collect insurance, go to NY Apple Store and buy one. Easy.
  • ...then you buy the damn thing! ;D
  • Um, you do realize that if you wait until you're a student, if it's a large-enough school, you'll get a 10-15% educational discount on the machine. That alone (plus the fact that it'll be shipped there, plus the fact that it won't ship until August, and that's if you've already ordered one) is worth the wait.

    Join the Apple Student Dev. program for an even larger discount, or make friends with someone who had/has an internship/job at Apple for more discounts.

    That being said, I think the recommendations fo
  • ...how many PC's are shipped daily without mishap, why is this even a question? First of all, you don't have a G5. They're not out yet. So either wait until you get to where you're going and have Apple ship it to you there, or keep the original packaging and ship it in that. Most any carrier will do. If you're worried, insure it. Probably the smart thing to do anyway. And back up anything you don't want to lose.

    God, I feel more and more like a curmudgeon every day. Is it just me?

  • I went to college in upstate NY [Clarkson] and then moved to SFbay. Basically I did it myself. Original packaging for the computer [no monitor] and ploped it in my car with the rest of my belongings. 4 days later it arrived in tip top condition.

    If you're going to college you likely have a bit of time to spend, and you'll need to get used to road trips anyways :]

    In all seriousness though, this is the best way to do it. If you're flying then use UPS/fedex and bundle the puppy up nice, take the hdd out and i
  • Cheap would be good.


    Go cheap and get cheap service.

  • That is, if you insure it. It's just a little more expensive.

    You're looking at 120 dollars, more or less, and that's for the box sans monitor. Figure about the same for the monitor.

    For the same thing at UPS (mind you, I've been guesstimating this all) it's about 60 bucks.

    That said, you'd be lucky if the g5 will be ready by then. Buy a used laptop (pentium is fine) for 200-300 bucks (or if you are a mac addict, consider a 5300.) and play the waiting game. Heck, you might find out what you really want.
  • The best solution I ever heard for this is to wrap everything in plastic, find a nice sturdy box and get afew cans of that expandable foam you spray in cracks (not sure of the name, but the hardware store should have plenty)

    Just make sure that you have plenty of foam around your PC and it is wrapped in plastic so the foam doesn't stick to anything. Stay away from peanuts for anything heavy, peanuts are designed to give, you want something that is designed to stay rigid but can collapse without putting
  • Just a different viewpoint. I would recommend you get a powerbook instead.

    I have a powerbook, and I hook it to an external mouse, monitor and keyboard at my house -- and I forget it's not a desktop machine. (Actually, I use a monitor switch)

    And I can go portable with it. I don't do it as often, but when I travel, it's really easy to carry around. I think you'd get more use out of a laptop at school anyhow.
  • I sent a server of mine from the midwest to Maryland via FedEx Ground for $20, including $2,000 insurance. It took about a week. I believe I got a tracking number. It worked out well. Just pack it well, and in original packaging if possible.
  • I've had to ship loads of computer gorp for business trips (demos out-of-state). We used these large plastic, foam-filled, lockable shipping containers. They were oversized, so we had to pay an extra $50 or $75 per containter, but the airline happily accepted them as checked luggage.

    Personally, what I'd do is:

    1. Look up the maximum dimentions for checked luggage for the airline you're using. Usually it's something like the sum of the three dimentions of the package can't exceed some maximum number.

    2. Go
  • ALWAYS use FedEx! They are much more professional than the other companies, not to mention their IT staff is top notch!!!
    • ...and you work there. Speaking of which, why am I still paying to ship things FedEx? Why are you not getting me discounts?
      • ...and you work there.

        Which is exactly why their IT staff is top notch! Not to mention we have some 1337 BSD people downstairs in our building.

        You do not get my discount because I have to be there in person when I get it. So start coming to Memphis to ship or STFU! :>>>>

  • Laptop (Score:2)

    by orn ( 34773 )
    Get a laptop instead. It'll be a lot more useful to you as a student. Wireless is everywhere. You can take it to the library. You can take it to friend's places for gaming.

    I wish I had one when I was in school. You'll be happy you do. And then shipping won't be a problem.

  • I am as big a fan as anyone of Apple hardware, and I too am lusting after a new G5. HOWEVER in your shoes, given that you are just getting out of high school and will be entering the real world and/or college, you're going to have a lot more important things to worry about spending money on than a top-shelf computer.

    Figure out exactly what you need when you arrive at college/start a job and worry about it then. Your moving question then becomes irrelevant.
  • samsonite makes a really big-ass suitcase for about 125 that fits a computer with associated parts that i used to use for technology demos cross-country when i didn't trust fedex to get it there on time. you have to check it, but the suitcase has a sturdy lock built into it. you'll also need to buy some extra foam padding for safety.

  • Read this [slashdot.org].

    You don't have to worry about crossing the country borders, but the comments are interesting.

    Personally, I left my computer in my college town (at a you-store-it kind of place, not environmentally controlled, just a few feet off the concrete ground) even when I was gone. Get a used POS for your summer needs. It's not worth the trouble to ship your baby just for the summer.

  • I don't know why it hasn't been suggested already, but if it's a big ticket item - go get a custom box made. Ask around and see where local companies that rent speakers and amplifiers for events have their boxes made. Most medium-large centers have a shop that can make them to size, custom foam lined just for your gear.

    Another, lower cost option is to find some large toolboxes. This won't fit a tower case, but is good for a lot of other electronics and related items. You can get form-fitting foam linings f
  • Remove anything that can possible come loose. I shipped my CPU from Minnesota to California and when it arrived the memory was out, cards had come loose, the whole bit. The screws even wiggled loose. Also there was an article on K5 about shipping. Search for it and read it.

  • When I left for school, all I could afford was a PM4400 (first Mac with IDE), I struggled through with that, shipping it home in the summer. I had repacked it in the original box, with the original foam padding, plus sticking some of my t-shirts in the spaces for extra padding. But then when I got it at home the second summer of college, I could easily see it had been dropped... (every time you ship something, the box is going to get a little torn up, but this was worse) my Mac was DOA (something with the
  • Given that the G5's probably won't ship until late August or September anyway, I don't think that shipping will be an issue. Also, you might very well be able to get an educational discount if you by from the university's computer store when you get there.

    But, save the computer box and foam inserts when you need to return for the summer. It'll be a slight pain to save in the dorms, but the original box and foam inserts will be the best shipping materials that you can use short of the heavy duty shipping
  • You will even get a nice educational discount. It isn't even out yet, and might not be out when classes start depending on the schedule of your school and whether there are delays.

    Oh and one final thing: buy a laptop instead.

  • I just shipped a Dec Alpha system (desktop) that weighs 45 lbs, from DC to Miami. Cost was $31 (including insurance) for UPS ground.
  • I know a fellow who drove a forklift, loading trucks for an industrial shipping company (who mostly deals with, say, furniture, machinery, and partially finished widgets.

    Most of this stuff comes on pallets, usually with a frame around the contents. It gets taken off of one semi, moved around, and put on another semi to its final destination. These pallets (of somewhat nonstandard sizes) needed to be packed into a given number of semis headed for a particular destination.

    The pallets always managed to fit
  • Digital photos of every step of the packing process, up too and including the drop off at the AUTHORIZED shipping center. Store these pics on a PC DIFFERENT than the one you are shipping.

    This way, if damage occurs, you are able to make a reasonable case for yourself that yes, you did pack the PC in a decent manner, and can prove it. Also, pictures of the box/PC as it was when you received it (preferably BEFORE the delivery driver leaves, able to make a claim IMMEDIATELY upon receipt). Documentation will

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