Case "mod" for an older pre-built slimline question

[smakadopolis]

Howdy,
A year or so ago I got an acer aspire x1200(slimine) from a friend since he got a new computer. I'm using it as an htpc/light gaming on my TV rig. I tossed a 6570 in there and everything is working fine. With one exception: Heat.
The GPU has no vents either on the side of the case, or at the top, so it just pushed warm air into itself and back into the case. (Cause it's not rear exhaust obviously) The GPU temps themselves are okay, but I'm pretty sure since it's just dumping it's warm air back into the case, it's making everything else a bit toastier. The HDD in specific.

So I was planning on drilling holes where the fan sits so it can more directly push air out of the case, and was wondering if there were any other suggestions as to how to create better airflow through the case? Most of the stock pictures of this thing shows a second vent above the cpu vent for any add-on cards, but mine doesn't have that. So I was thinking of adding something there as well.

 

[COLGeek]

Have you considered moving the guts of your system into a standard HTPC case?

 

[smakadopolis]

Yea, but I'd need to buy a new case, and with the system being as old as it is, I'm not sure it's worth the money to bother investing anything else into it outside of some drill battery and a few minutes of time.

 

[COLGeek]

Understood. Drill a "vent hole" would help, especially if you drilled out mounting holes for a fan as well.

Depends on whether the existing case has clearance for a fan or just a hole/vent.

BTW, I have an HTPC in one of these. Very iexpensive and everything runs quiet and cool:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352009

 

[jsrudd]

Have you thought about adding a case fan to exhaust some more air?

Looking at a diagram of the system, it looks like there is no rear exhaust fan. Simply adding a rear exhaust fan (even a few 80mm) might lower your temps without requiring that you drill any holes.

 

[smakadopolis]

There's not much room for an exhaust fan. The PSU /motherboard are packed tight, and since it's a slimline, there's very little space between one edge of the mobo and the side of the case. I mean...I'm sure I could make it work somehow, but yea.

It's a pretty tight fit as it is, thus why I was leaning towards a vent. I could probably fit a fan closer to the HDD or smaller unoccupied spaces between the case/mobo, but I dunno. Air flow and I aren't friends.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Drill holes for the fan and mount it on top of the case if space is tight inside
Moto

 

[smakadopolis]

Yea, I was thinking that as an option as well. I'm not too worried about the aesthitics of it all.

 

[smakadopolis]

Best answer selected by smakadopolis.

 

[smakadopolis]

Going for the gold and I'll try to break things tonight. All great feedback, so I can't chose just one "best answer" winner. So I'll pick at random.

Thanks folks