Cool and Quiet

(On the cheap.)

From HOT HOT HOT

I will try this see if it stops my machine from lifting (ehh, when it get's hot it's fan's speed will be increased which sounds as it is about to be airborne ).

I used to have that problem with my computer. I did a little research, and found a few inexpensive ways to quiet my computer. You interested?

Always welcome

I've got a decent system, not an extra powerful one. I've got an AMD64 processor and an ATI Radeon 9600 All-In-Wonder. I don't put out the most heat, but at times I've still managed to put out just as much noise as hotter running computers. When I was still in highschool, my computer was out in the living room, so I could no longer accept those higher levels of sound, and didn't have a huge budget to throw at the problem.

I am going to share some advice for quieting your computer while still cooling it effectively. I'll start at the most basic level, and work my way up from there. I won't cover anything like water cooling- if you know what that is, you probably know of dedicated sites. My advice aims to be low cost, a maximum of maybe twenty dollars. Some of it will require modding your system, some won't. However, these mods aren't anything fancy or requiring special tools such as putting in a glass window. The modifications may be as simple as replacing a system fan.

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If clarification or correction is needed, let me know.

My first bit of advice: Find the offender.

It doesn't help to quiet your case fans if the loudest thing there is your CPU fan. I'll focus some of my advice if I hear any feedback on what runs loudest in your system.

My second bit of advice: Clean the system.
Theory: cleaner system runs cooler, thus doesn't need to go 100% on the fans.
Surprising amounts of dust can really build up over time inside your computer. If enough collects, it can form an insulating blanket and reduce the cooling capabilities of your computer, esp. the heatsinks. Plus, its a lot healthier and easier on your allergies if you clean out your system before working on it.

Buy some canned air, and on a good day, move your computer outside BEFORE opening it up. If you haven't cleaned your PC before, huge clouds of dust will be set free. Read the directions on the can of compressed air fairly carefully. If you handle it improperly you can quickly drop the can to freezing temperatures, even in a Florida summer.

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I may go into more depth later, but right now I'm feeling somewhat lazy. I'm suggesting solutions, but not going into depth on how to do them properly. I suggest a little healthy research, rather than jumping straight in if you haven't done this before.

Tip three:
Theory: Keeps your system running quieter AND cooler. Less friction means less noise and higher speeds on that fan.
Lubricate your fans.
There are some fairly specific procedures you'll want to follow, so take care. It's not particularly dangerous, or tricky, but there are some pitfalls. For instance- DO NOT USE WD-40. Maximum US cost: $2.99
http://insight.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/chips/0,39020436,2135514,00.htm
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102643&cp=&kw=lubricant&parentPage=search

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Okay now. This following bit of advice isn't for laptops or small computers. Towers work best.

Tip Three install some case fans. Expected cost ($10 ~ $20).
Theory: Well chosen case fans can move more air over hot parts such as the CPU. Even if the CPU has a powerful heatsink and fan, it does no good if the cool air isn't moved over and hot air pushed out of the computer. If your CPU or GPU fan has varied speeds, a couple case fans can make it less necessary for those to crank up to full speed and hence full noise. Adding more fans does not necessarily make your computer louder.
Advice: If you don't have these already, add a front and rear case fan. 120 mm. is best. The larger they are, the more air they move at lower speeds. Bigger is often quieter. Don't trust manufacturer ratings. There is no standardized system for measuring decibels in the fan market. Any good shop will let you listen to a fan before you buy it. If you don't have a good shop near you, check out Silent PC Review. http://www.silentpcreview.com/ This is an excellent site, and is where I got started.

Unless you are going for a truly silent PC, such as might be used in a recording studio, 30 decibels will probably be a good maximum.

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Nice tips bovine.

Though I don't really need them myself.
8 fans keep my tower cool and they run quite silent as well.
Plus blue and red LEDs look good

I never thought of lubricating fans before though...maybe something for the future.

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