First time poster need suggestions

Hurreman · Post by **Hurreman** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:34 am

Greetings everyone!

With three desktop computers running 24/7 in the same room, I'm starting to get more desperate for more quiet setups. I recently bought a new setup:

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Case: Antec Sonata, damped with ACOUSTIPACK Deluxe damping mat.
CPU: S478 INTEL P4 3.0GHZ with Stock heatsink & fan
GPU: PowerColor Radeon 9800 PRO with Stock heatsink & fan
Storage: 2 * Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm 80GB S-ATA in a RAID0 array.
MB: ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe
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.. and it's indeed more quiet than my previous setup, altho the new CPU fan generates about the same amount of noise as a small Jet-engine. My next step would be to replace the stock CPU heatsink & Fan with a Termalright XP-120 and a PAPST 120mm fan. I'm also thinking about buying another set of the Acuoustipak Deluxe Mat, to fill upp a few more 3,5" and 5,2" slots, plus fill in any gaps that I might have missed.

I might get a VGA Silencer as well, depending on how much noise that'll be reduced after replacing the CPU Fan&Heatsink.

The CPU currently varies from 40-55 degrees Celsius, and the MB around a steady 35 degrees. I'm hoping the Thermalright XP-120 will reduce the CPU temp quite a bit.

Does anyone have any further suggestions?

Edit:
Forgot to mention, the PSU is a Truepower Silent 380W that came with the case.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:10 am

Howdy Hurreman, WELCOME TO SPCR!!!

1) Definitely change the CPU cooler. XP-120 will be great, as long as it fits. XP-90 will work fine too.

2) Quiet down the video card.

3) (Potentially, depending on how successful you are with the first two steps) Swap out the fan in your PSU. Instructions can be found by searching SPCR sites.

4) Don't bother with more dampening material, it's effects are pretty subtle compared to the hardware changes that really are required.

Hurreman · Post by **Hurreman** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:33 am

Thanks for the welcome and advice!

Another question however, does Arctic silver and such make a big difference? Not using any cooling paste at all at the moment

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 6:54 am

Hurreman wrote:Thanks for the welcome and advice!

Another question however, does Arctic silver and such make a big difference? Not using any cooling paste at all at the moment

Aack! Damn-near anything would be better than nothing!

AS works fine but not to much better than regular old cheap white paste. You really should be using something though.

burcakb · Post by **burcakb** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 9:59 am

I like AS better because it doesn't deteriorate. I've applied white stuff and came back a year later to find it hardened and cracked. I've taken off a heatsink off a CPU with AS and it was as if it was newly applied - after 18 months.

Hurreman · Post by **Hurreman** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:35 am

Once again, thanks for the tips

From what I've seen, there's no big difference in price between AS and the "lower quality" goo, so seems worth the extra few pennies for some Arctic Silver.

Now, the setup for my workstation is close to complete. I also booted up my new damped server chassi, and I could hardly tell if it was booted up or not! That's without any harddrives tho, but still comforting that the PSU, GPU and CPU fans arent too noisy! Next step would be to quiet down my girlfriends GPU, which I believe is a Radeon9800Pro.

I can see the light!