Quite Quiet 1,8 Ghz Duron ( aka K7 gaming rig for old games

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:19 am

I had some spare parts which I did not know what to make. When I discovered the Dualcore problems with older games I decided to make gaming computer for older games, prior 2003 made games.

CPU: 1,8 GHz AMD Duron 266 FSB
CPU Cooler: GlacialTech SilentBreeze III
Motherboard: Asrock K7VT4A Pro
Memory: 2 x 256 mb Elixir DDR 266
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80 Gb
Optical: LG GSA-4163B DVD-ram
VGA card: Sapphire Ati Radeon 9600 Pro ( its 40 mm cooling fan is noisiest part but its surprisingly quiet )
PSU: Silent Op 350W Psu by HEC / Compucase (HEC-350AR-PTF)
Case: Compucase C6H28 variant with 120mm fan places.
Case cooling: 2 x Nexus 120mm fans.
Special: Gembird Internal rackmount for 3,5" HDD's. For changing between Windows and Linux without opening case.

For the spare parts and old parts this computer is suprsingly quiet. Under 30 dB/A's by hearing. Although quite noisy compeared to my almost inaudiable primary computer. But I wasn't building a silent computer but rather quiet gaming rig for older games. I could get it more quiet by changing 9600 pro's fan.

Here's picture of the insides. You see cables, and everything important components.

Here's close up of the CPU cooler, which is budget Glacialtech Silent Breeze III. Copperbased aluminium cooler which has golden layer. Looks good and keeps my 1,8GHz duron around 33-35 degrees celsius. The fan is 80x80x25mm 9 bladed fan. Its just slightly more audiable than Nexuses at 12v. Which is pretty impressive for 20â‚¬ cooler.

Here's picture where you can see insides and front panel.

Rearshot, showing case cooling and HDD rack.

Rear shot. Nothing amazing in here.

Here's how case looks from front. The front panel is open for below, giving the front fan more than enough open space to get air. Its bit similar what antec has used since SLK-series. No filters though. But pretty good looking case for 30 â‚¬'s

Chris Chan · Post by **Chris Chan** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:25 am

How's the mobile rack on hard drive noise? I think you could eliminate the CPU fan by ducting it to the rear case fan.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:06 am

well, the mobile rack main noise is HDD vibration. Yeah, I am thinking how to nullify it. And ducting might be more than enough to quiet down CPU cooler. Although that fan is very quiet for being stock fan and 80mm stock cooler fan.

Shobai · Post by **Shobai** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:30 pm

Jamppa, you do realise that the easy fix for the "dual core problem" is to set the game to run on only one core, right?

that's what i do...alt+tab, alt+ctrl+del, select program, right click, set affinity, deselect one core, ok, alt+tab back in. quick as!

secondly, have you considered removing the fan grilles? even though you say you're only going for quiet, that'll reduce some fan noise. also, with no hard drives in the lower front, i'd get rid of that unnecessary fan. lastly, take that wire grille off the front of the rear 120mm and chuck it on the back off the case once you've chopped the grille out. [why is it even on there now?]

lastly, if you've got an old cpu heatsink from even a pentium1, take off the GPU's heatsink and mod the CPU one on. use the redundant front 120mm fan to cool it if it needs it. i usually just reuse the push pins that held the original on.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:58 am

I know setting affinity is good, but not all games are windows XP compeatible. I need Dos for my AH-64D Longbow

So running Windows 98 for older games is best. Besides I am way too lazy to mess all affinity for just for games.

I've thought cutting fan grils like I did with my primary case, but in my SLK3000B honey grill was easy to tin snip. In Here honey gril is smaller and would need dremel.

And Yes, I know I could simply swap some NB cooler for my 9600. But why bother? Its still not 24 / 7 use so getting so much worked simply for gaming machine that is not on 24/7 seems at this point not worth of the troubles.

When situation changes, I might mod it more silent one. Starting with 9600 pro ^^

jaldridge6 · Post by **jaldridge6** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:23 am

<3 Dos....

dosbox is pretty kewl too.

jaldridge6 · Post by **jaldridge6** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:36 am

thejamppa wrote:And Yes, I know I could simply swap some NB cooler for my 9600. But why bother? Its still not 24 / 7 use so getting so much worked simply for gaming machine that is not on 24/7 seems at this point not worth of the troubles.

because silencing computers is hecka fun.

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:12 am

jaldridge6 wrote:
thejamppa wrote:And Yes, I know I could simply swap some NB cooler for my 9600. But why bother? Its still not 24 / 7 use so getting so much worked simply for gaming machine that is not on 24/7 seems at this point not worth of the troubles.
because silencing computers is hecka fun.

Yeah, that's true but it also requires some budget, which I currently don't have to spend on that system for now.

Shobai · Post by **Shobai** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:04 pm

well, if you don't have any heatsinks lying around, that's just too bad for you, unfortunately! like Mr jaldridge said, it's a lot of fun to work on something and see it work.

also, please note i said CPU heatsinks, and not NB - even the old P1 heatsinks have a lot more surface area than NB ones, and make better coolers. they also have the added benefit of being completely free if you're dumping an old machine - which is how i get/got mine =]

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:30 am

Some new improvements:

New Back Image of the case. Nexus Real Silent mounted outside back.

New shot from inside, you can see removed grill.

Here's front intake. Nexus real silent aswell.

Here's how my vga card looks now.

Temperatures (ambedient was around 20-21 degrees C):
Motherboard: 31 degree's C
CPU: 34 Degree's C
Samsung Spinpoint P-series 80 Gb: 26 Degree's C

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:47 am

jaldridge6 wrote:<3 Dos....

dosbox is pretty kewl too.

If they ever improve dosbox enough to allow Win95 emulation..then we'll be in business!!