PS: you can try to argue me out of the server motherboard, but your going to need to convince me why not to get errorless (more like less errors) computer parts (especially the ram, i think the processor is just made to run 24/7 without crapping out but i dont think it has any error checking stuff)...

the mobo is a gigabyte GA-ep45-Ud3R do u guys think a E32xx/e3300 will be enough? That's a current model (I have the UD3L version in my HTPC). The E32xx/e3300 should work fine. For another $15 you can get an E5300, which has a larger cache. The E5300 probably won't use any more power than the E3xxx...

Electrolytes with beer chasers all around!

The site has been up and down over the past couple of days. I doubt that it's gone for good unless one of the folks over there has licked one too many caps.

Take a look at this piece: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-The-Motherboard-Voltage-Regulator-Circuit/616 Remember that a heatsink is needed to keep a component within its specified operating temperature. There is no point in adding heatsinks unless they are i...

The OP's problem was due to the USB connector from the front panel being plugged in backwards (reversed polarity) into the MB. You probably have the same problem with the reset switch. Try plugging the switch into the MB with the lead wire colors reversed. Normally, the leads on the reset switch are...

netmask254 wrote:... how is the PSU cooled?

If there is a case fan, then there will be a differential pressure between the inside and outside of the case. This will generate airflow inside the PS.

If the PS is in a separate chamber, with no fan, it will a combination of convection and radiant cooling.

RagnarDarude wrote:...PATA/IDE drive, is the power connectors the same as SATA?

No, older drives use a Molex connector (standard on all PS's).

So you're saying high current can't be dangerous as long as the voltage is low, like 12 V? So what's the "max 18A at 12V" rule about then? This is where you need Ohm's Law: V=I x R Written to solve for I (current): I = V/R From this equation it can be seen that there can not be a high current if re...

12 V may not be dangerous, but I thought it was the current that made capacitors in PSU's dangerous? Voltage is the force that causes the electrons to flow (the current). The resistance of the human body is high enough that 12v can't push enough electrons to cause any damage. That, however is the s...

The first question is can you get the mounting hardware to put it on a 1366 socket board. The thermal load of an i9 at stock speeds is probably lower than your current CPU.

I take it that this is the connector from the front panel USB to mother board connector? and the polarity was flipped by putting the connector in backwards? (Usually one of the holes is blocked off in the connector so you can't put it in backwards.)

Thanks for getting back to us.

Do you want people in the rest of the world to think that people in NA have bad manners? No, the role of Canadians is to makes sure than not all NA's have bad manners. :D I'm afraid my sarcasm got lost in translation. My point is that there has to be some physical phenomenon to cause noise to spont...

If the switch goes to ground it might activate, particularly if it shares a common ground with the motherboard. The problem is that the PC goes into an apparent sleep state when a USB drive is inserted into some USB port. This seems to be of no interest to you, because you want it to be a ground pr...

Did you see the thread about the Antec Front Panel Audio issues? I vote for an errant ground between the power, reset or sleep switch. Particularly if you have the Power Button mode in the BIOS set to sleep, or if you have a sleep switch. That was caused by a ground loop, which is a well understood...

Its a combination of voltage/idlestate/frequency regulation that makes the inductors or capacitors of the PSUs (and even some motherboard components sometimes) vibrate and make audible, annoying buzzing noise. Uh, hello, we have 60 Hz here, you have 50 Hz there. Different fundamental frequencies fo...

RoGuE wrote: Either way, definitely make sure it's grounded because that could cause some issues like the one's you're having.

Please explain the mechanism for how a poor ground can cause this when the memory stick is floating and not tied to ground? What is the source of the differential potential?

themaster1 wrote:As far as i know sleeve bearings are ok for horizontal positions but not vertical.

No, other way round.

MikeC wrote:Interesting -- someone should start a poll/thread on electrical noise on p55 systems.

I see that all the issues are in places that have 220v / 50 Hz. I could understand that effecting power supply noise, but not MB noise.

Any USB port? Even USB ports on the back of the computer? Any memory stick? Have you tried more than one?

Need to do some experiments to determine if it's: memory stick, case wiring, or MB.

Have you tried greasing the fan ? If you stare long enough, it might shut up. j/k :) If a bearing has been making noise for a while, particularly a plain bearing, the bearing is permanently damaged and lubing it would be a very temporary measure. While I really like reading most of Dan's pieces, hi...

You can't tell much about the fans once they are mounted.

Take them both out, sit them on edge, on a table and power them up with 12v. If one is louder than the other, it's probably vibration; look run out around the hub.

I like the new test concept. The only suggest I would make is to record the initial ambient temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. In theory, higher humidity and/or pressure should increase the cooling ability of the air. (You're measuring the velocity of the air, but not its mass.) If it tu...

BlackWhizz wrote:Are there some "spherical capacitors" (translated by google, dont know if its a correct translation)

It's not; no such thing. There are things like radial and axial caps, and I doubt if the form factor has any effect on noise.

Is 220v/50Hz universal on your side of the pond?

I don't know where you are, but here in the US Micro Center often sells the Q9550 for $180. At stock speed it's faster than what you have, uses less power and runs cooler than the Q6600. I'm running mine at 3.6 Ghz at stock voltage. If you don't change the CPU, then at least change to HS/fan. The on...

Those are also known as "bleed resistors". They also function to dissipate the charge on the caps when input power of the PS is turned off.

Depending on component selection, usage and ambient temperature conditions they can be very quiet. I have a couple of systems in LL cases that are very quiet.

There is no simple answer to the question, because it all depends on how much heat has to be dissipated. That depends on the load on the CPU, the temperature of the ambient air entering the case and the configuration of the case. In most situations, under moderate load, that Coolmaster cooler that w...

You had a collection of parts that didn't work right. You changed one of the parts and it still doesn't work right, so assume that the part you changed wasn't the bad part to begin with. The computer would never booted into the BIOS if the PS or CPU had hard faults. RAM is usually the hardware culpr...

For gaming, the resolution used is very important. The size of the screen doesn't matter, because no matter how big it is the resolution won't be greater than 1920 x 1080. The card you picked should be fine. I won't attempt to guess how quiet it will be because: Sound levels are subjective. Noise le...