New External Monitor w/P-7805u FX

I just bought and set up a new 24" external monitor, which is now connected to my 7805FX. With the addition of an external keyboard, the FX is now essentially serving as my tower.

With that in mind, I would like to store the computer itself somewhere off my desk, so I have room to set the external keyboard and other peripherals in its place. My concern: leaving the FX's top closed while the computer is running, and/or sticking it in a place where it might become overheated, though it would still be sitting atop my Zalman MC2000 and RM Clock is throttling it down under 30C, even with the top only about an inch up.

One solution I'm considering is simply removing the laptop's monitor/top altogether and storing it, since it will be a few months before I finally scrape up the money to get a proper desktop tower. The concern there with this solution is keeping the not inconsiderable dust and animal hair that floats around this household out of the works... but it otherwise seems like a viable idea, since the chances of my needing to take this laptop off site are now almost nil. It truly has become, not just "desktop substitute, but a desktop.

Any thoughts on whether or not this is a good idea--and why or why not--would be appreciated.

 

Top closed only stops air comming in from the keyboard. There are plenty of other ports available for air to get into the system. You can comfortably set the system up to throttle at even 75c with no issues. Essentially 30c for these sysems is icy cold. With all the dust and hair keep an eye though on temps and periodically clean it up....................

 

Thanks, TANWare... I wasn't looking forward to taking the top off (at least not until the next time I completely dismantle it!), but I also didn't want to end up toasting my baby. I have a place to set it up so that it's out of the way, but still accessible, so that's what I'll do.