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URGENT: Is it safe to block the bottom ports on my iMac?

M

MacPen

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 11, 2007
5
0
Got the Innovation 7000 articulating arm today. Two hours later (including a trip to buy another torx wrench after mine broke), I discovered that my 24" iMac is too heavy for the damn arm. I bought it on a recommendation from someone else with a 24" iMac so I don't know why it's not working. Regardless, I tried putting it back on the stand for now. Guess what? When I tried removing the torx screws again, my new torx wrench broke. So my only solution was to stick it back up on the arm and let the iMac rest on the desk.

My question is, since the arm isn't holding it up, the entire bottom side (where you access the memory and where the built-in speaker is) is resting on the desk and I was wondering if there are any air intakes there for cooling. If so, I figure I may run into a overheating issue. If not, good because it will probably be this way for a few days until I feel like buying another damn torx wrench to put it back up on its original stand.

I'm writing this message on my 24" iMac with the bottom ports blocked so someone please tell me quick if the iMac has intake ports on the bottom. Also, will a message pop up if it's overheating so I know?
 
It is NOT advisable to block the bottom ports, and you will not get any sort of message if you're overheating. In the event of overheating, best case scenario, you will be alerted by instability (or more likely a total freeze, forcing you to turn off the computer), and worst case scenario it will fry the CPU. Or maybe even worse, it will run too hot, you'll never know, and eventually it will cause the HDD to die and you'll lose all of your data.
 
MacPen said:
Got the Innovation 7000 articulating arm today. Two hours later (including a trip to buy another torx wrench after mine broke), I discovered that my 24" iMac is too heavy for the damn arm. I bought it on a recommendation from someone else with a 24" iMac so I don't know why it's not working. Regardless, I tried putting it back on the stand for now. Guess what? When I tried removing the torx screws again, my new torx wrench broke. So my only solution was to stick it back up on the arm and let the iMac rest on the desk.

My question is, since the arm isn't holding it up, the entire bottom side (where you access the memory and where the built-in speaker is) is resting on the desk and I was wondering if there are any air intakes there for cooling. If so, I figure I may run into a overheating issue. If not, good because it will probably be this way for a few days until I feel like buying another damn torx wrench to put it back up on its original stand.

I'm writing this message on my 24" iMac with the bottom ports blocked so someone please tell me quick if the iMac has intake ports on the bottom. Also, will a message pop up if it's overheating so I know?
Click to expand...

i dont think it would do anything bad to your mac
all its blocking is the speakers and the ram which dont really need air flow
 
LOL RAM doesn't get hot? WOW what kind of DDR2 RAM are you running I want some!

I wouldn't block ANY ports or holes in the Mac. Given that Mac wants everything to look pretty and seamless and they put the holes and ports there anyways I would say even the speakers likely offer some air flow.

For example think of hot air rises. As the hot air rises and leaves the Mac it has to be able to draw cool air from where ever it can or the heat simply builds even with fans.
 
Okay guys. I put a little box underneath the iMac so it's now lifted about an inch off the desk. I think you were right about the air flow as when I stick my hand underneath I feel a very small draft. Should be all good until I get it back on the stand or get a new arm.

By the way, anyone have any idea why the Innovation 7000 arm doesn't work? I'm bummed after all this work!
 
thecrackerjack said:
Well the arm you speak of is VESA compliant mount you may need a kit from apple

2.16GHz or 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
http://store.apple.com/ca/product/MA473G/A


2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme
http://store.apple.com/ca/product/MB060G/A

I'm not sure about the current 23" 2.8 and 3 models.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have even been able to mount it without this. I'm on top of it and purchased this a week ago. Already using it.

My question is why won't the arm support it? I appear to have the 7000-800 variation which is said to support up to 24lbs. My iMac weighs 24.7 pounds exactly and when I use my hand to judge the weight the stand is supporting, it's a whole less that just .7 pounds. From my estimates, I'm having to hold up about 10 pounds in order for the arm to stay above the desk. That would mean the arm can only hold 14 pounds. My only guess is that PCMall gave me the 7000-500 variation by mistake which only holds 14.5 pounds as that appears to be what mine will only do.

It specifically says on the invoice though that I've got the 7000-800.
 
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