Noisy PC - solutions
Discussion
Mr C_G bought me this Antec Sonata Piano Black Quiet Case. from Overclockers. Very quiet, the dodgy blue neon lights on the front are optional! 
>> Edited by chim_girl on Saturday 23 October 16:25
>> Edited by chim_girl on Saturday 23 October 16:25
QuietPC seconded.
I have some variable speed controllers from there which work well, also acoustic foam/sound deadening pad kits which do the business. The fans they sell are good, Zalman. There is a quick "fix" you can do to get 12v fans running at 7v - involves rewiring one of the DC connectors in your case to swap pins - a quick Google should tell you how. This is a good no cost start to reducing fan noise.
If your disk are particularly noisy then the disk enclosures are a good idea, but can reduce disk life through excess heat so can be a mixed blessing. Probably OK with most 5400rpm drives, but perhaps better avoided with 7200/10000 rpm drives. I have one Maxtor 5400 rpm disk which was incredibly noisy for disk access which is now practically inaudible due to a QuietPC enclosure. edited to add - fitting the disk enclosure can try your patience though!
Depending on your CPU you may find the CPU fan to be the worst culprit, and an uprated CPU cooler with a better heatsink and larger/slower/quieter fan may be useful.
I am sitting next to a quietly humming tower server which was decatted 500 Chim noisy (almost!) to start with. I replaced the (dual) CPU fans with ones from QuietPC, added a large internal fan blowing across the cpu area on a variable resistor running at a low speed, replaced the twin power supply fans with quiet Zalman fans, replaced the case fan with a Zalman running at 7v, and added a slot fan also running at 7v. I added sound deadening material liberally, also foam, and stood the whole caboodle on a foam pad instead of direct on the laminate office floor. Its quieter now than the disk whirring in the Dell notebook I am writing this on!
Don't overlook the obvious either. Longer cables for mouse, keyboard and monitor might enable the noisy box to be moved further away, maybe behind or underneath the desk, which could help.
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Saturday 23 October 17:03
I have some variable speed controllers from there which work well, also acoustic foam/sound deadening pad kits which do the business. The fans they sell are good, Zalman. There is a quick "fix" you can do to get 12v fans running at 7v - involves rewiring one of the DC connectors in your case to swap pins - a quick Google should tell you how. This is a good no cost start to reducing fan noise.
If your disk are particularly noisy then the disk enclosures are a good idea, but can reduce disk life through excess heat so can be a mixed blessing. Probably OK with most 5400rpm drives, but perhaps better avoided with 7200/10000 rpm drives. I have one Maxtor 5400 rpm disk which was incredibly noisy for disk access which is now practically inaudible due to a QuietPC enclosure. edited to add - fitting the disk enclosure can try your patience though!
Depending on your CPU you may find the CPU fan to be the worst culprit, and an uprated CPU cooler with a better heatsink and larger/slower/quieter fan may be useful.
I am sitting next to a quietly humming tower server which was decatted 500 Chim noisy (almost!) to start with. I replaced the (dual) CPU fans with ones from QuietPC, added a large internal fan blowing across the cpu area on a variable resistor running at a low speed, replaced the twin power supply fans with quiet Zalman fans, replaced the case fan with a Zalman running at 7v, and added a slot fan also running at 7v. I added sound deadening material liberally, also foam, and stood the whole caboodle on a foam pad instead of direct on the laminate office floor. Its quieter now than the disk whirring in the Dell notebook I am writing this on!
Don't overlook the obvious either. Longer cables for mouse, keyboard and monitor might enable the noisy box to be moved further away, maybe behind or underneath the desk, which could help.
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Saturday 23 October 17:03
The noisest thing on my PC is actually the GPU cooler - it has a whiny, screechy noise which isn't particulary pleasnt.
As for cooling, well I upgraded to the Zalman Flower cooler fairly quickly from my GlobalWin screamer and have been fairly pleased with it since, the only thing was they released a newer version a couple of months later which had better heat transfer.
I also put a thermaltake 480W Silent PSU in, which had variable fan speed, and got a FanBus controller which controls the 4 80mm fans in my system.
On the quiestest setting I can only hear a ever so slight whistle, the loudest been a gentle hum and thats on a 1.4Tbird which were/are notorious for creating a lot of heat!
I actually was reading a review the other day of a silent PC (can't find it today mind) and the guy did exactly the same thing, his hdd had a Zalman encloure on which had heat-pipes to avoid the excessive heating problem, apparently the sytem became near silent!
The one thing to ensure if you are going to go the silent route is that your box is relatively clear inside so that any air moves easily. Quiet air-cooling comes from low rpm fans and that means low cfm's = higher temps...
As for cooling, well I upgraded to the Zalman Flower cooler fairly quickly from my GlobalWin screamer and have been fairly pleased with it since, the only thing was they released a newer version a couple of months later which had better heat transfer.
I also put a thermaltake 480W Silent PSU in, which had variable fan speed, and got a FanBus controller which controls the 4 80mm fans in my system.
On the quiestest setting I can only hear a ever so slight whistle, the loudest been a gentle hum and thats on a 1.4Tbird which were/are notorious for creating a lot of heat!
I actually was reading a review the other day of a silent PC (can't find it today mind) and the guy did exactly the same thing, his hdd had a Zalman encloure on which had heat-pipes to avoid the excessive heating problem, apparently the sytem became near silent!
The one thing to ensure if you are going to go the silent route is that your box is relatively clear inside so that any air moves easily. Quiet air-cooling comes from low rpm fans and that means low cfm's = higher temps...
victormeldrew said:
There is a quick "fix" you can do to get 12v fans running at 7v - involves rewiring one of the DC connectors in your case to swap pins - a quick Google should tell you how. This is a good no cost start to reducing fan noise.
5V, not 7V
The disk drive power connectors have 12V on the yellow wire and 5V on the red, so what you do is connect the fan between red and black. (Although I suppose you could connect them between yellow and red to get 7V. Bit nasty though.) However, not all fans will work connected this way (often they do run but need a flick to start them), so the alternative is to run them off 12V through a resistor. The required value is somewhere between 100 and 220 ohms depending on the fan, so start at 150 ohms and experiment. All fans I've ever fiddled with will run silently using one or other of these methods. I like to run my PCs with the sides off the case and with fans "quietised" using either the 5V or resistor methods blowing air on hot bits. I don't touch the CPU fan though - leave that as standard. Makes them a bit quieter, though the improvement is compromised by my habit of obtaining disk space by stuffing them to the gunwales with SCSI disk drives of relatively small capacity bought cheap at computer fairs. Makes a big difference if you just have one big disk drive like most people do.
Ooops, I stand corrected! 5v it is then! My memory ain't what it used to be!
True, not all fans will start at 5v, but its worth a try as its free.
You can get software (eg Adaptec EZ-SCSI) which will power down unused SCSI drives BTW. My server is also stuffed with "cheap" SCSI drives, but mostly they are powered down after 2 mins inactivity and therefore not making any noise.
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Saturday 23 October 20:35
True, not all fans will start at 5v, but its worth a try as its free.
You can get software (eg Adaptec EZ-SCSI) which will power down unused SCSI drives BTW. My server is also stuffed with "cheap" SCSI drives, but mostly they are powered down after 2 mins inactivity and therefore not making any noise.
>> Edited by victormeldrew on Saturday 23 October 20:35
Pigeon said:You pays you money and makes your choices!
I reckon that hard drives (excluding laptop drives) aren't made to cope with frequent stops and starts, and it's better for them to keep them running. Plus it's a pain waiting for them to spin up
I don't think there is a lot of difference in technology between 2.5 and 3.5 drives, so it probably isn't a reliability problem. Yes, spin up can be a pain, but I use some disks for on-line backups, installation disk copies etc, which are rarely accessed. Having them whirring away constantly is a waste of energy as well as audibly annoying.
My PC has got to be one of the quietest in the country.
The major sources of noise in the order of loudest to least loudest, and how I got around them:
1) PSU
Most cheap PCs come with PSUs that have very basic heat-management designs, and hence rely on huge noisy fans spinning at a million RPM to keep things nice and cool. The PSU I originally had sounded like a 747 on takeoff. I did my research and bought a SilenX Active-PFC 14dB PSU to replace it - oh my goodness this thing is silent. To date it is the only PSU I've heard that is truly silent - you can only hear it when you prop your ear right next to it. I bought it about six months ago direct from the US, though there is now a UK stockist. It has also been utterly reliable. The Antec Sonata is a nicely designed case, but if you're expecting silent don't buy it for that - the Antec PSU in the Sonata is merely quiet. If you want silent, shell out the dough for a SilenX power supply.
2) CPU Cooler
Again, most PCs incorporate OEM CPU heatsink-fan coolers that work adequately well at cooling, but are very loud. I chucked mine out and bought and installed a Zalman fanless CPU flower heatsink. No fans - no noise!
3) System Fans
System fans become very critical to system cooling when you undertake other measures to reduce noise. Without the loud (but heavy air-moving) fans in your system, your system can run very hot. I have a total of four fans in my system (one intake, one exhaust, one over the CPU and one over the video card), all of them variably controlled by a 3.5 inch control panel that I can use to adjust the voltage of the power going to the fans (and consequently the speed they run at and noise they produce). When I'm idling or when running overnight, I set them all to the lowest setting which renders them virtually inaudible. When I'm doing heavy gaming or video processing I knock the fans up to the maximum 12 volts. Generally, fans that cool well by definition are loud. Mass air flow generates noise and there's nothing you can do about that. Silent fans contain more efficient blade designs for moving more air compared to a cheap fan at any given RPM (hence reducing the need for noise) and contain better bearing designs to reduce the noise that the fan mechanism itself generates. The general consensus is to use quiet fans (e.g. Panaflo, Zalman, SilenX), and undervolt them to keep them quiet. But don't expect miracles - fans make noise. No compromise on this I'm afraid.
3) Graphics Card Fan
Any reference build of any half-decent video card today includes a tiny fan - necessary due to the heat the powerful GPUs of today generate. Though relatively quiet, this generates noise. I sorted out the problem of the fan on my Radeon 9800 Pro by literally ripping out the built-in fan and installing a Zalman heatpipe solution. It works a treat. Once again no fan - no noise!
4) Hard Drives
Once you have taken decent steps at reducing noise in your system, hard drive clicking can become very noticeably audible and incredibly annoying. The easiest way to combat this is to get a hard drive from the current range of Seagate Barracudas - these are very quiet drives that perform admirably and are renowned for their low operating noise levels.
The other common measures are to undervolt the GPU and the CPU to get them to run cooler - this way the heat requirements (and performance outputs) also reduce proportionately. I haven't done this, but if your PC usage isn't intensive, it could be something to look into.
That's about it - or that's what I've done anyway. My PC really is quiet - everyone who goes into my room and uses my PC always remarks on how little difference there was in noise levels when it was on without any prior prompting from me.
There are some caveats though:
a) Kit designed to keep things quiet (with the exception of the Seagate hard drives, which cost no more than any other drives) are generally expensive. The cost of the first steps like those I've outlined are not prohibitive, but when you factor in how much money you are spending just to quieten things down without actually increasing performance, the expenditure takes on a different perspective. I paid £120 for my PSU - the same price as a gig of RAM. When you start thinking about hardcore solutions like watercooling, the costs increase exponentially.
b) My system is very inefficient and it runs too hot, even with the four fans, and I only have a 9800 Pro and an Athlon 2500+ in there. I cannot game for more than a couple of hours before the video output starts showing heat distortion. My CPU idles at about 65 degress, which is by all accounts smoking. I am on my fourth hard drive because three have failed on me due to excess heat. This is the price I pay (and one I've always expected to pay) for my quiet setup - your needs and mileage may vary.
That's a basic rundown of running a PC quietly. It is a huge area though, and if you get serious about it you need to research and read-up a lot more than what I've said here.
Good luck, and ask if you want to know anything else.
D
The major sources of noise in the order of loudest to least loudest, and how I got around them:
1) PSU
Most cheap PCs come with PSUs that have very basic heat-management designs, and hence rely on huge noisy fans spinning at a million RPM to keep things nice and cool. The PSU I originally had sounded like a 747 on takeoff. I did my research and bought a SilenX Active-PFC 14dB PSU to replace it - oh my goodness this thing is silent. To date it is the only PSU I've heard that is truly silent - you can only hear it when you prop your ear right next to it. I bought it about six months ago direct from the US, though there is now a UK stockist. It has also been utterly reliable. The Antec Sonata is a nicely designed case, but if you're expecting silent don't buy it for that - the Antec PSU in the Sonata is merely quiet. If you want silent, shell out the dough for a SilenX power supply.
2) CPU Cooler
Again, most PCs incorporate OEM CPU heatsink-fan coolers that work adequately well at cooling, but are very loud. I chucked mine out and bought and installed a Zalman fanless CPU flower heatsink. No fans - no noise!
3) System Fans
System fans become very critical to system cooling when you undertake other measures to reduce noise. Without the loud (but heavy air-moving) fans in your system, your system can run very hot. I have a total of four fans in my system (one intake, one exhaust, one over the CPU and one over the video card), all of them variably controlled by a 3.5 inch control panel that I can use to adjust the voltage of the power going to the fans (and consequently the speed they run at and noise they produce). When I'm idling or when running overnight, I set them all to the lowest setting which renders them virtually inaudible. When I'm doing heavy gaming or video processing I knock the fans up to the maximum 12 volts. Generally, fans that cool well by definition are loud. Mass air flow generates noise and there's nothing you can do about that. Silent fans contain more efficient blade designs for moving more air compared to a cheap fan at any given RPM (hence reducing the need for noise) and contain better bearing designs to reduce the noise that the fan mechanism itself generates. The general consensus is to use quiet fans (e.g. Panaflo, Zalman, SilenX), and undervolt them to keep them quiet. But don't expect miracles - fans make noise. No compromise on this I'm afraid.
3) Graphics Card Fan
Any reference build of any half-decent video card today includes a tiny fan - necessary due to the heat the powerful GPUs of today generate. Though relatively quiet, this generates noise. I sorted out the problem of the fan on my Radeon 9800 Pro by literally ripping out the built-in fan and installing a Zalman heatpipe solution. It works a treat. Once again no fan - no noise!
4) Hard Drives
Once you have taken decent steps at reducing noise in your system, hard drive clicking can become very noticeably audible and incredibly annoying. The easiest way to combat this is to get a hard drive from the current range of Seagate Barracudas - these are very quiet drives that perform admirably and are renowned for their low operating noise levels.
The other common measures are to undervolt the GPU and the CPU to get them to run cooler - this way the heat requirements (and performance outputs) also reduce proportionately. I haven't done this, but if your PC usage isn't intensive, it could be something to look into.
That's about it - or that's what I've done anyway. My PC really is quiet - everyone who goes into my room and uses my PC always remarks on how little difference there was in noise levels when it was on without any prior prompting from me.
There are some caveats though:
a) Kit designed to keep things quiet (with the exception of the Seagate hard drives, which cost no more than any other drives) are generally expensive. The cost of the first steps like those I've outlined are not prohibitive, but when you factor in how much money you are spending just to quieten things down without actually increasing performance, the expenditure takes on a different perspective. I paid £120 for my PSU - the same price as a gig of RAM. When you start thinking about hardcore solutions like watercooling, the costs increase exponentially.
b) My system is very inefficient and it runs too hot, even with the four fans, and I only have a 9800 Pro and an Athlon 2500+ in there. I cannot game for more than a couple of hours before the video output starts showing heat distortion. My CPU idles at about 65 degress, which is by all accounts smoking. I am on my fourth hard drive because three have failed on me due to excess heat. This is the price I pay (and one I've always expected to pay) for my quiet setup - your needs and mileage may vary.
That's a basic rundown of running a PC quietly. It is a huge area though, and if you get serious about it you need to research and read-up a lot more than what I've said here.
Good luck, and ask if you want to know anything else.
D
-DeaDLocK- said:
My CPU idles at about 65 degress, which is by all accounts smoking.
...for an Intel. Not too bad for that spec Athlon (rated to ~85 C) but obviously can run cooler if you're not worried about the noise.
Anyone tried those sound-deadening mats that stick to the inside of the case?
pdV6 said:Yes, as I said above! Yes, they do work. To see how much benefit you might get try holding a finger against your case. If the sound alters noticeably then your fan noise etc is being amplified by the case and the matting will help. You might get it cheaper at a car accessory shop, eg DynaMat as fitted to cars to stop panel resonation.
My CPU idles at about 65 degress, which is by all accounts smoking.
...for an Intel. Not too bad for that spec Athlon (rated to ~85 C) but obviously can run cooler if you're not worried about the noise.
Anyone tried those sound-deadening mats that stick to the inside of the case?
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