Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Cooling Processors quietly

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Immanuel
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Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by Immanuel » Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:16 am

Hi :-)

I've purchased a vintage harddisc recorder, and I would like to make it sound less like a jet taking off. The device was meant to replace 2" tape machines which where in their own room anyway. So I guess fan and drive noise was less of a consideration back then. And yes, the audio quality of the recorder does justify this project.

I've ordered an SSD IDE drive to replace the system disc.
I've ordered a SCSI to SATA converter to replace the audio disc.


I would like to upgrade the CPU cooling to something less noisy.
It is an MMX 233 MHz CPU in a socket 7. At the moment, there is a 50*50 mm heatsink, and due to capacitors right next to the socket, I will not be able to fit a 60*60 mm heatsink. So I am thinking more in the lines of a taller 50*50 mm heatsink and a less noisy fan.

But what to choose and where to find it? Do you have any recommendations? My budget is probably within the 150 $/€ range, if it takes something exotic to get this as perfect as possible.

Mats
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Location: Sweden

Re: Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by Mats » Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:56 am

First of all, I think socket 7 uses the same mounting mechanism (you have to double check) as AMD's Socket 462, or socket A (the ones that doesn't utilize mounting holes).
Socket 462 was used for a long time, at least until 2004, so it may be easier to find parts from such systems. Dunno if that's of any help tho. ;)

Your CPU has a TDP of 17 W, so it doesn't need much cooling to begin with: http://ark.intel.com/products/49967/Int ... 66-MHz-FSB

I think you're going to have a hard time finding a quieter 50 mm fan. If there's room for it I'd go for a 60 or 80 mm fan, even with the same heatsink (if the capacitors doesn't make it impossible).
In some situations it's possible to mount a 60 mm fan directly onto a 50 mm heatsink, you just won't be able to secure with all four screws

Noctua has a 60 mm fan: http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=prod ... g=de&set=1

Here's a list of other 60 mm fans: http://geizhals.de/?cat=coolfan&xf=355_60~356_25#xf_top


Assuming that there's room enough above the CPU, you can look for a fan adapter (funnel) like these: http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g47/c12 ... Page1.html

Otherwise, you have to make one yourself, possibly by salvaging the frame (removing the motor from your current 50 mm fan), put it together with a piece of plastic with conic shape (maybe part of a kitchen funnel), and finally a 60 or 80 mm fan.

edh
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Re: Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by edh » Wed Feb 18, 2015 11:29 am

The old Pentium MMX 233 was the only Pentium MMX to come with a fan, the 166 and 200 just had a passive heatsink. Due to the overclocking potential there was with these chips I highly suspect you could run a 233 passively anyway. Unless you have no airflow through the case it should be OK.

You can't use a Socket A or Socket 478 heatsink as they do not have a large enough flat area. These chips had a physically enormous contact patch of 50mm x 50mm.

You could find a big generic heatsink from somewhere like RS Components that happens to be the right size probably.

Mats
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Re: Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by Mats » Thu Feb 19, 2015 12:07 am

edh wrote:You can't use a Socket A or Socket 478 heatsink as they do not have a large enough flat area. These chips had a physically enormous contact patch of 50mm x 50mm.
You're right. Although I wonder if the whole lid of the MMX really have to be covered anyway, the chip is much smaller.

I'm not sure that generic heatsinks are that easy to mount, those plastic mounting tabs breaks off easily.

Vicotnik
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Re: Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by Vicotnik » Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:28 am

edh wrote:You can't use a Socket A or Socket 478 heatsink as they do not have a large enough flat area. These chips had a physically enormous contact patch of 50mm x 50mm.
The PPGAs have a smaller contact patch.

Image

I think I've used socket 370 coolers on socket 7 CPUs. Last time I played around with a Pentium MMX I could make it run very cool by underclocking and undervolting. Easy with the motherboard I used, but that might not be possible with a vintage harddisc recorder.

Perfect would be if there was a way to replace all that old hardware with a Raspberry Pi. :D

xan_user
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Re: Vintage quiet - in search of a good socket 7 solution

Post by xan_user » Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:32 am

:?: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=63014 (or similar) then use any heatsink you want on the other end.

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