P182, [email protected], HR-01+, 3HDD etc

axee · Post by **axee** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:22 pm

My system:

Motherboard: ASUS P5Q PRO
Processor: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0GHz @ 3.80 GHz (1.33V)
Memory: Mushkin 2x2GB Redline KIT 1000MhZ
Video Card: Nvidia 7600GS
Hard Drive: WD6400AAKS (SQD), WD10EADS, WD1EACS
Powersupply: LC Power 550W (Scythe Slip Stream 1200rpm @ 800rpm 5V)
Case: Antec P182

Cooling:
Intake and exhaust: Scythe Slip Stream 1200rpm@800rpm 5V
HDD cooling: NB Blacksilent XE2 @ 630rpm 5v
HR-01+
Zalman ZM-MFC1+

Pictures are worth a thousand words (sorry for bad quality):

On the door I mounted old and massive MasterCAM mousepad. Fantastic for canceling HDD whining noise.

Cut grills and mounted 92mm fan for two HDD's (Green Power's)

Fantastic results with suspended SQD!

I even glued remaining parts of MasterCAM mouse pad on 5'25 bay covers for canceling even last sounds from boot drive.

HR-01+ package foam

This is maximum cable management that I can do without sleeved cables and modular PSU. In this picture computer don't look neat and tidy as it is. It really looks great, I just can't put that good look on picture..
I wish i could take better pictures..

Temperatures:

IDLE
CPU: 32
Motherboard: 31
GPU: 48
WD 640 (in SQD): 35
1TB drives: 31

LOAD
CPU: 60
Motherboard: 33
GPU: 75
WD 640 (in SQD): 39
1TB drives: 31

Overall my computer is very quiet (never enough

), during daytime I can't hear if it's working, at night I can hear it but just VERY little whining from 1TB drives and whoosh-ing of rear fan, but I really have to concentrate. System is quieter than the same configuration without two 1TB drives and only WD6400AAKS in lower chamber. I'm surprised that horizontally mounted SlipStream in PSU doesn't bother me. It would be ideal if I can run intake and exhaust fan at 500rpm, but that hot cpu just don't let me.

In future I am planning to buy q9550, hd4670 (need 2 dvi connectors) and Modu82+ (I would buy Value 430 but it's not available in my country).

Any comments or suggestions are welcomed.

Greetings from Slovenia.

Riffer · Post by **Riffer** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:23 pm

Nice build.

Pretty good temperatures from the HDD's, considering they appear to be enclosed.

Mr. B · Post by **Mr. B** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:05 pm

What was your reasoning behind your choice to mount the hard drive fan like that?

axee · Post by **axee** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:47 pm

There was never room for middle fan between HDDs and PSU, but I really want to keep drives cool.

Why? Do you think it isn't good solution?

Modo · Post by **Modo** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:26 am

If you make sure that the only back exhaust is through the PSU (no openings on the sides), then you don't really need the front fan.

axee · Post by **axee** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:01 am

Maybe I'll give it a try, I really want to keep temperatures under 35 degrees...

What about cable management, any suggestions?

Riffer · Post by **Riffer** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:08 am

Maybe that is just a hot running CPU?

If you want cooler, your motherboard supports a bunch of possibly cooler chips:

http://asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=BxdaH ... templete=2

axee · Post by **axee** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:38 am

I doubt that hot CPU can affect HDD temperatures, if that is what you mean.

"Power saving" features can not be enabled when overclocking :/ But even overclocked CPU is often too slow for me, desperately need new CPU because I'm used to do "heavy tasking"...

Mr. B · Post by **Mr. B** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:56 pm

axee wrote:There was never room for middle fan between HDDs and PSU, but I really want to keep drives cool.

Why? Do you think it isn't good solution?

Based on your pictures I don't see why one wouldn't fit.

axee · Post by **axee** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:05 pm

Middle fan mounting isn't effective enough. I tried 800rpm slip stream in the middle vs. 630rpm NB XE1 in the front, option with slip stream is louder and less effective, temperatures of drives raised to about 35, with NB are about 31.

Thanks for comments!