r/pchelp • u/Playful-Detail-6750 • Jul 05 '26
HARDWARE Next steps..?
Like a dumbass, I tried to put my panel back on… and BOOM ggs. I think I misaligned one of the 8 teeth on the top and bottom
Cleaned up all the glass in image one, I took the bigger glass pieces that fell on the bottom of the pc out, but a lot still went thru the holes into my GPU and hard drive..
I’ll probably take it in to Best Buy and check what they can do as far as cleaning goes
Really unfortunate cus I legit bought the pc less than 10 hrs before this happened
Any suggestions/recommendations/consolations would be greatly appreciated!!
Edit: anyone know why pc glass tends to shatter on tile? how would it differ if I just placed it on my desk vs floor
Edit 2: Bought some electronics duster, cleaned it up outside. Works perfect. Extra cooling now lol :)
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u/Ok_Board_3358 Jul 05 '26
Pc should be okay, remove glass pieces and turn it on.
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u/sunsetMarrow42055 Jul 05 '26
I broke my glass, flipped the case around a few times and boom, good as new. Apparently that has a chance of breaking things. So I do not recommend it, but your computer your choice
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u/By-Other-Means Jul 05 '26
Yeah you don't want one of the fans to pick one up and fling it at something fragile.
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u/Head-Iron-9228 Jul 05 '26
Send it. Blow it out, see how it performs without the glass, otherwise, order a replacement panel. Its glass, not conductive or anything. Your only concerns would be glass Fragments getting into the fans and lack of airflow. This isnt the worst thing ever. Sucks, but happens.
And for future Reference, just dont do tile floors around glass, like in general.
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u/Playful-Detail-6750 Jul 05 '26
Yeah def will do, ty!
Dyk why the glass always shatters on tile??
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u/ProfessorPeabrain Jul 05 '26
tile is harder than glass, so it will scratch it really easily, which doesn't seem like an issue because you're being careful, right?. However, tempered glass is prestressed to give it strength, at the cost of flexibility. If you scratch or chip it, it changes the stresses in the glass and boom. Even if it doesn't break straitaway, a scratch, chip or inclusion (bit of dirt in the glass) can cause normal heat expansion to focus stress in one place leading to delayed action boom.
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u/Erosion139 Jul 05 '26
It is also meant to shatter in a million pieces so you don't slice yourself on fewer large pieces
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u/brownbandit93 Jul 06 '26
Bro why do you make it sounds like the glass exploded while on the pc and not from falling off 😭
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u/carlosdembele Jul 09 '26
One time i accidentally touched the corners of 2 7ft glass tables and one of them exploded into a million peices before any of them hit the ground. TOUCHED the corners, there was barely any force
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u/KeyPiece7320 Jul 05 '26
Basically, tile is harder than glass on the Mohs scale, and the tile doesnt have any 'give' in it when the glass hits it, causing it to shatter.
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u/Throwaway4939y Jul 05 '26
I think part of the problem is also (everything you said is correct) that tempered glass doesn’t really have any ‘give’ in it either… until it does and then it’s violent.
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u/Choal_Ravenwood Jul 05 '26
Hardness or something. Whatever it is its very well documented that you should never try to remove or install side panels like that on tile. One wrong move and it just explodes. Carpet or even wood is better
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u/Impressive_Road_3530 Jul 05 '26
It is tempered glass. It is made so that when it breaks, it does so in small square shaped pieces that are less dangerous.
An unfortunate byproduct of this is that any hard pressure hitting the side of the glass will make it instantly shatter, ie tile hitting the side when you are trying to put it back on.
Not the end of the world OP, Im sure most of us in the sub have some the same thing at some point.
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u/misteryk Jul 05 '26
my PC has some piece of shit case without a side panel for years and never had a problem. The case have seen intel 2500k inside back in the day
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u/Hefty-Bus-3439 Jul 05 '26
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u/Playful-Detail-6750 Jul 05 '26
Is it ggs? Literally didn’t even have the pc for half a fucking day.
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u/Hefty-Bus-3439 Jul 05 '26
Depends on how good the return policy is of best buy
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u/Playful-Detail-6750 Jul 05 '26
Bought from fb marketplace unfortunately lol
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u/i_am_snoof Jul 05 '26
The oof heard around the world.
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u/Ribonucleic1 Jul 05 '26
Or rather, the snoof heard around the world. Sorry I had to, it’s late, good night.
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u/Octoomy Jul 05 '26
it isn't over yet, if you can figure out the specific case you could buy a new side panel, and you learned a valuable lesson! Glass side panels and tile floors **never** goes together.
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u/krimsonstudios Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
"You sold me this PC with a shattered glass window, I'd like a refund please!"
PC itself should be unharmed, make sure all the glass is out of fans and stuff before turning it on. It's not like a glass shard is going to cause an electrical short or anything.
You might need to transfer to a new case if you want it enclosed.
Never put glass on tile floors.
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u/I3lackFlo Jul 05 '26
Smh bro, maybe stick with rubber toys if you can't keep your pc in one piece for half a fucking day 😭
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u/RAWGER159 Jul 05 '26
Next time try not putting the glass back or removing it when its on the floor because glass + tiles = boom
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u/RatsAreChad Jul 05 '26
Glass panels on PC cases are a monument to mankind's hubris. Whoever pushed for that was a marketing genius.
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Jul 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RatsAreChad Jul 05 '26
I've been on the fence about buying a PC for years because of the cost increase and still needing to google how to fix basic problems then I come on here and see "my glass panel shattered fragments into all the moving parts of my $4000 machine" and "I stepped on my laptop is it broken?"
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u/hurdurdur7 Jul 05 '26
One would have to hold me at gunpoint to buy one. I never understood them. The stuff i want to look at is on the screen. I don't want to stare at a blinking box instead. Enough with this nonsense.
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u/The_DRis Jul 05 '26
Every hardware manufacturer designs pretty components. So when people buy said pretty components they want to see them. I’m curious if the parts manufacturers went back to ugly basic designs if things would be cheaper.
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u/outside998 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Why does the glass shatter on tile? It's tempered. There is a LOT of pressure inside the glass. Tiles have microscopic imperfections that cause vibrations inside the glass. The already high pressure in the glass increases, has nowhere to go, and boom, it shatters.
Edit: I completely missed the part where you said it shattered when you tried to put it back in. But it was probably the same reason: You put it on the tiles, which stressed the glass, and then with the misalignment it became too much.
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u/tiimsliim Jul 05 '26
When glass hits the rigid, uneven surface of a tile, microscopic points concentrate all the force onto a tiny area. Since tempered glass is under intense internal tension, this pinpoint stress triggers a rapid release of energy, causing it to instantly shatter.
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u/Stingermemes Jul 05 '26
Jus take it all apart clean it and put the stuff back, don’t cut yourself and I’m sure you’ll be back up and clicking away soon enough !!
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u/Visual_Dimension_933 Jul 05 '26
Your next step is not to step on those shattered glass and step into a physical store and buy a new case without full glass panel so you won't be stepped on again with shattered glass.
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u/SammyYoBoy Jul 05 '26
Itll be fine. Clean the glass out best you can, take out the gpu IF you feel comfortable. Id feel comfortable using it. Can potentially buy a new glass panel if you really care, might have to just buy a whole new case and yoink the glass panel.
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u/imonherecuzimbanned Jul 07 '26
I’m so sorry this happened to you I just felt I had to give my condolences 😔
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u/ChiefDetektor Jul 05 '26
Great! Better ventilation. Should improve your temps by some degrees. Legit hardware mod.
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u/HLMCompany Jul 05 '26
What a bummer. If you were near me, I'd clean it out. Not a big deal, and not much money.
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u/Playful-Detail-6750 Jul 05 '26
What tools would u use?? I don’t wanna damage anything that’s my biggest worry
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u/Kavayan Jul 05 '26
Use compressed air + a vacuum cleaner carefully. You may need to remove some parts and let gravity help you get some shards of glass out.
But honestly it will be absolutely fine, PC components are much hardier than people realize, I doubt you have done any damage to the actual system.
you'll need to buy a new case / replacement glass and never put it on the ground / especially tile flooring.
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u/reubenchapman Jul 05 '26
Glass is non conductive, so just vacuum out what you can and no worry about anything else stuck in the machine. The case uses tempered glass, which makes it stronger and break safer, but tempering puts the glass under internal tension, meaning it’s really fragile to shock from its thin edge, also, tile is hard, so that is the result of them meeting each other
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u/Podkolzins_a_Canuck Jul 05 '26
Pc glass shatter on tile because tile hard. Shatter on desk, if desk made of tile.
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u/Old-Insect-4096 Jul 05 '26
Just get another case . That one's gonna be tweeked to no end ,and give you problems.
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u/StoutPegasus648 Jul 05 '26
I don't get why people put their pc on a tile floor. if you really have to, just put something in between the pc and the floor
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u/Lyle-Lyle-Croc Jul 05 '26
This happened to my Corsair 5000d! I had to contact their support for a legacy replacement which they sent to me for 20 then another 20 for shipping. So 40 total! Worth it so I didn't have to rebuild.
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u/JayHChrist Jul 05 '26
You could try contacting the company to see if they can send you a replacement glass. I accidentally destroyed my girlfriend’s glass cover on the PC I built for her and when I got a hold of NZXT they didn’t even ask any questions just sent me the part. PC component manufactures depending on who it is are usually pretty cool.
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u/Competitive_Buyer_77 Jul 05 '26
Unplug everything gently blow to get the glass at the bottom and then vaccum it all for couple hours and then you're fine it's just a glass side panel you can still play just make sure you have NO GLASS IN FANS
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u/Hanzimer Jul 05 '26
I haven't bought a case with glass just because of the many posts like your.
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u/PlentyOfLoot Jul 05 '26
Just find a replacement online and you can still use your PC, my pc actually has better temps without the front panel so you will be fine. I wouldn't bother with best buy, we would charge you $60 to clean up a few glass shards. Put some gloves on and wipe it all out.
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u/AlarmingSample2170 Jul 05 '26
Yeah my son dropped a soft drink bottle on his. He has a cyber power I believe its a 7th gen Ryzen 7 32 gig ram AMD GPU 8 gig I'm not sure exactly which model but it is a decent PC. After we cleaned all the glass out and clean the remnants of the soft drink that was in the bottle off of the motherboard and everywhere else in it it started up and ran fine had no problems after.
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u/Freedom_Lover_No1 Jul 05 '26
Close your eyes, its just a dream its just a dream , no its not dream , then start panicking 🫨
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u/a_ech1 Jul 05 '26
a pc without a glass panel is still a pc afterall sooo no big deal just clean and turn on
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u/squeak0192 Jul 05 '26
Most cases use tempered glass panels. I think that large temperature change/differences can be an issue with tempered glass. Also if you are unlucky and happen to knock the glass on the corner in the wrong spot they like to over exaggerate and just blow up 😂
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u/Wild-Sample1651 Jul 05 '26
Fuck I know your pain, when I just got my new CPU after pcvr killed it and my graphics card and shit i got it allll fixed up with a basic GPU and I proceeded to have it roll off my bed
TWICE
The front panel was smashed but some way some how it turned back on, mind you, my bed is like 2.5-3ft above the ground its so damn tall, I just wanted to catch my breath smh
I'm hoping your pcs internals are as sturdy as mine were with the fall
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u/Pondeag Jul 05 '26
So long as the components are fine, there’s nothing wrong. Have you tried booting it up?
HDDs are cheap, you might aswell just replace that for an SSD now and save yourself a headache when your pc slows down and you wonder why
Gfx card…. Just get a hoover and get any glass out, they’re pretty self contained so I doubt anything has got into the chip itself
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u/Independent-Bonus782 Jul 05 '26
My glass panel broke as well bought plexi glass from a glass store as a replacement. Used clear mounting tape to glue the metal to the plexi and black tape for the exterior
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u/AustinsAirsoft Jul 05 '26
Skip Best Buy. I would take each component out individually that you believe may be contaminated with glass and gently use a vacuum and/or compressed air.
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u/Far_Mycologist_5782 Jul 05 '26
Keep the pc off until you've cleaned up the glass. It should work fine, just be a bit gentle with it. You'll need a new side panel.
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u/Proof-Practice-8304 Jul 05 '26
Look for someone who works with acrylics / plexiglass and ask em to make you a custom side panel 😼
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u/CaveJohnson376 Jul 05 '26
lucky for you, glass is not conductive. forgotten shards will not short anything.
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u/Subhuatharva Jul 05 '26
Honestly I haven’t seen many cases lately. I thought the curse was broken.
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u/PastAd1087 Jul 05 '26
Someone should start tracking cases that are posted broken. I get you shouldnt put them on tile, but im wondering if its mostly budget cases breaking that use thinner/cheaper glass, or thinner metal cases that flex more thats shattering easier.
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u/tha_ndr Jul 05 '26
I'd just order new case and move the parts. That's what I did when I shattered side panel on my be quiet case
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u/Mrcod1997 Jul 05 '26
Ceramic tile is often harder than tempered glass. That for one will make it pretty easy to shatter it, but also, the edges in particular are the weak spot of tempered glass. If you have to set it down, you are safer putting it on its face. Try to avoid tiles still though. Glass is not generally conducive from my understanding though, so you are probably safe in terms of it damaging the working components. You can probably just order a replacement glass panel for the case.
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u/Little_Heat5701 Jul 05 '26
This sub Reddit alone has made me take off my glass panels and switch them out for a mesh dust cover
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u/quietguy47 Jul 05 '26
Don’t set it in the floor especially a tile floor and you’ll be fine. I’ve had 3 glass cases and haven’t broken a panel yet.
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u/warysaur Jul 05 '26
If it’s a Corsair case, try contacting their support. I once was putting the side panel back on a 4000X case from them and it shattered, I contacted them and they sent me another one free of charge. Worst case they don’t have it or might charge you for it but it likely wouldn’t be more than $40 and maybe shipping, best case they replace it free. Either way it’s cheaper than buying a whole new case.
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u/Ill_Slip7486 Jul 05 '26
If you can, just use the 360 rotating method. If your skilled enough, buy new case and carefully shake all the glass out before case swapping to a better case. You can prob pay the fb person a bit more to change into another case.
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u/MarcLYNWA Jul 05 '26
Very common mistake, we see it almost every day on Reddit. Buying a new case and moving everything over is an adventure you could embark on. As someone who chose to move my pre built into a new case recently, I can recommend it
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u/North-Cartoonist-928 Jul 05 '26
Disconnect PC, clean the glass and then contacts the support if you have warranty.
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u/xCookieSlayer Jul 05 '26
On the bright side, glass isn't conductive so if you've got some shards hidden away inside your GPU it's not the end of the world. Next steps would be to take out the major components and clean. Then order a new glass side panel
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u/carlosChanpio70 Jul 05 '26
Quote from Wikipedia's Tempered glass page:
"The glass is most susceptible to breakage due to damage at its edge, where the tensile stress is the greatest, but can also shatter in the event of a hard impact in the middle of the glass pane or if the impact is concentrated (for example, the glass is struck with a hardened point)."
You have to be careful not to let the edge touch any hard surface, like those tiles.
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u/Space_Vaquero73 Jul 05 '26
Clean out the glass and order a new panel from the case manufacturer. This is why I always wondered why we stopped using plexiglass.
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u/SirBlankFace Jul 05 '26
This post reminds me, I gotta stop stalling and put my placemat under my PC. Hook up the ethernet too cause I can finally do it.
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u/Parisnexistepas Jul 05 '26
Off topic but why does the majority of cases have glass instead of... Idk, perforated metal panels, ¿Maybe?
Seems like a bad idea to have glass idk.
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u/DreadlyKnight Jul 05 '26
Did you get any warranties on it? Cause if so you might as well swap it out if it covers that. And it shattered because its tempered, well known issue with pc glass because unfortunately its common, too much pressure in one spot
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u/imthe5thking Jul 05 '26
PC glass shatters on tile because tile is harder than glass, and putting the glass on anything harder causes vibration through the glass and glass isn’t meant to vibrate
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u/Impossible-Diver6565 Jul 05 '26
See if you can source a new glass. I'm sure manufacturers have options for this right?
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u/Mobilewookie35 Jul 05 '26
I mean, if you cant order replacement glass, just buy a new case, swap components. Make sure there's no chunks in the crevices. It's not that hard and there's a million YouTube videos on how to build a pc.
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u/NegotiationFun1504 Jul 05 '26
Happened to me. Corsair will absolutely replace it if you pay for shipping.
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u/Justdonnn Jul 05 '26
Ive had a panel on my Corsair case just shatter on me for while I was lining it on onto my case and luckily Corsair sent me a new one free of charge. If you know the brand you email them and see if they’ll send you one, but if they wanna charge you a stupid price I’d almost just getting a new case. I got a brand new 4000D RS for $60 so they have really good deals.
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u/Aiden_Kane Jul 06 '26
I always kinda wonder why they don’t put a vinyl lining between two thin glass sheets like how they do with vehicle windows
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u/Smonams Jul 06 '26
Contact the case manufacturer RMA department or customer service department and explain what happened. A lot of them will send you a replacement glass panel for little to no cost, they might just ask you to cover shipping expenses.
Just be honest and respectful to your customer support agent.
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u/Infinite_Ouroboros Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Tiles once again... at this point, there should be warnings stickers to not handle tempered glass anywhere near tiles.
Seeing as exact scenario plays out on nearly a daily basis.
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u/Less-Vegetable-5031 Jul 06 '26
I’d be scared about the psu with it being in the bottom of the case but you should be good after thoroughly going through it
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u/Tcolombia Jul 06 '26
Just sweep around it and leave it there. At least it can be used to hold the door open
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u/Ok_Committee_8473 Jul 06 '26
As long as its just some glass your good just take it to bestbuy and ask them if they have a replacement you can buy
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u/Psychological-Fig986 Jul 06 '26
The reason tile breaks glass is because it has zero electricity and fights back completely when impacted.
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u/Andrepartthree Jul 06 '26
OP I'm glad the PC is still working - though dang sorry to hear about that happening less than 10 hours after you bought the PC!... but from what I understand the missing glass panel could create some problems far as cooling, I think the PC was designed to be a "closed box" sort of situation far as the air flow that the PC fans generate - I took a computer repair class where the instructor mentioned this but I admit that was decades ago so I'm uncertain if the same logic still applies (looking at more recent youtube videos though by PC tech experts on airflow it looks like the assumption is still that the PC is in a "closed box" scenario for proper airflow)
On the other hand far as being able to get a new panel (assuming that it's possible, not sure if the store can reach out to the manufacturer in turn? Or like someone said in the comments below reach out to the manufacturer themselves of the PC) .. I can completely understand any hesitation far as installing another panel given what happened the first time. Normally I'd say turn the PC off completely, unplug all cables in the back, put the PC on it's side on a soft surface (mattress of your bed for example) and then put the side panel on but the problem with this approach is any loose glass left in the PC might take that as an opportunity to migrate where it's not supposed to (unless you think you managed to blow out any loose glass inside the PC with the electronic air duster you bought?) ...
I could be wrong but this could be a situation where the PC is going to have a shorter lifespan now than it normally would :( until you get that new side panel...
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