I need help to reduce the noise level of my PC. Any advice is appreciated.
Here is the config:
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4GHz FSB 1066, 8MB Quad Core
CPU Cooler: Zalman 9700 CNPS NT
Motherboard: ASUS P5N-E SLI Motherboard
Memory: 4GB DDR II 667 Memory 240 Pin (Kingston)
Hard Drive: Seagate 500GB 7200RPM 32MB Cache Serial ATA II
Video: nVidia GeForce 8800GT 1GB DDR3 PCI-E Dual DVI HDTV
Case: Apevia X-Plorer Case
Power Supply: 550 Watt Optimax Dual Fan Power Supply
Originally, the PC came with Intel original CPU fan. It was too loud so I replaced with the Zalman 9700 CNPS NT CPU Cooler. It didn't do much with the noise level. The Zalman requires PWM control but my mobo ASUS PN5-E doesn't have PWN control so the fan speed is automatically set to max. The Zalman is still producing too much noise w/ Q-Fan (it is the PWN control alternative for this mobo) on.
So all in all, the Zalman cpu cooler is producing the most noise. Second is the Optimax PSU. Suggestion?
Need advice in reducing noise PC
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
Hi. I'm having nearly the same problem. I have an older Pentium D with about the same thermal profile. I'm using a 9500 but the issue appears to be the same.
A few things I've learned so far:
The Zalman is a good cooler. Possibly one of the best. but the fan on it is crud. 37Db and 25cfm(!). At full speed you can't really feel much air being blown out the rear. Place your hand 2-3 inches behind the thing. Feel nothing...
So I'm in the process of finding a good cooler. Since the design won't allow a box/enclosed fan to be put up against it point-blank, you need a fan with low noise and a high speed. CFM isn't as important as the fan needing to be able to have lots of pressure to get through the fans. On a typical boxxed fan, the sides of the fan keep the air pointed forward at all times. With a boxxed fan blowing against a typical cooler, there's no place for the air to go but through the entire heatsink.(Ninja is a good example of this)
Also, because of this, the backpressure on the fan causes the air to be blow out the sides, so you have air being blown sideways from the fan(the part that extends over and around the fan blades) which causes a loud beating/rotary engine type sound like a box fan. "WaAaAaAaAa" mixxed with "thubububububub". At least in mine it does. Most annoying CPU fan ever as a result.
Note - it's great at 7V. But no way will it cool either of our CPUs at 7V.
It's looking like an efficient 80mm fan might be the best bet as it would force the air deeper into the fins. Or maybe a little 60mm case fan that fits in the opening. Or a 120mm zip-tied to it blowing like 60cfm. I'll experiment in the next few weeks to get an answer. Nobody seems to be doing this, which is amazing, as its hideously loud once it hits full speed.
I'm also planning on trying a paper duct to cover the entire thing and remove the fan. Since it has a 1 inch center section with nothing in the middle, using a ducted setup to the exhaust fan might provide a useful result. Case air gets pulled through the hole, over the pipes, and out the case in one shot. My only concern is the motherboard won't be getting much airflow over it other than the PS fan.
Other stuff:
Power supply - Get something quieter. I'd be tempted to get a 400W passive myself, and probably will eventually, but any good model with a single 120mm fan in it should be very quiet. Lots of reviews here, btw.
Lastly, buy an Accelero S1. V2.0 Buy the turbo module. These will be very quiet. The auxiliary fans are because the 8800GT is a very hot card and even running, the fans are very quiet as they have no sides/case.
It comes with everything you need - heatsinks, chipset heatsinks, and so on. Most recommended mod I've seen online in years. Mine on a Radeon X1800XL runs a paltry 40C running games, so I turned off the fans. 55-60C after an hour, which is well below the stock fan. A silent video card is a godsend. The stock ATI cooler was like the GT's - 60db or more. Like a small handheld vacuum cleaner. Now, *poof* - nothing.
P.S. You can ask others here as well, obviously. I don't know if the 8800GT can be run with the SI without a fan of some kind blowing on it or sucking air out of the case(slot fan or whatnot).
A few things I've learned so far:
The Zalman is a good cooler. Possibly one of the best. but the fan on it is crud. 37Db and 25cfm(!). At full speed you can't really feel much air being blown out the rear. Place your hand 2-3 inches behind the thing. Feel nothing...
So I'm in the process of finding a good cooler. Since the design won't allow a box/enclosed fan to be put up against it point-blank, you need a fan with low noise and a high speed. CFM isn't as important as the fan needing to be able to have lots of pressure to get through the fans. On a typical boxxed fan, the sides of the fan keep the air pointed forward at all times. With a boxxed fan blowing against a typical cooler, there's no place for the air to go but through the entire heatsink.(Ninja is a good example of this)
Also, because of this, the backpressure on the fan causes the air to be blow out the sides, so you have air being blown sideways from the fan(the part that extends over and around the fan blades) which causes a loud beating/rotary engine type sound like a box fan. "WaAaAaAaAa" mixxed with "thubububububub". At least in mine it does. Most annoying CPU fan ever as a result.
Note - it's great at 7V. But no way will it cool either of our CPUs at 7V.
It's looking like an efficient 80mm fan might be the best bet as it would force the air deeper into the fins. Or maybe a little 60mm case fan that fits in the opening. Or a 120mm zip-tied to it blowing like 60cfm. I'll experiment in the next few weeks to get an answer. Nobody seems to be doing this, which is amazing, as its hideously loud once it hits full speed.
I'm also planning on trying a paper duct to cover the entire thing and remove the fan. Since it has a 1 inch center section with nothing in the middle, using a ducted setup to the exhaust fan might provide a useful result. Case air gets pulled through the hole, over the pipes, and out the case in one shot. My only concern is the motherboard won't be getting much airflow over it other than the PS fan.
Other stuff:
Power supply - Get something quieter. I'd be tempted to get a 400W passive myself, and probably will eventually, but any good model with a single 120mm fan in it should be very quiet. Lots of reviews here, btw.
Lastly, buy an Accelero S1. V2.0 Buy the turbo module. These will be very quiet. The auxiliary fans are because the 8800GT is a very hot card and even running, the fans are very quiet as they have no sides/case.
It comes with everything you need - heatsinks, chipset heatsinks, and so on. Most recommended mod I've seen online in years. Mine on a Radeon X1800XL runs a paltry 40C running games, so I turned off the fans. 55-60C after an hour, which is well below the stock fan. A silent video card is a godsend. The stock ATI cooler was like the GT's - 60db or more. Like a small handheld vacuum cleaner. Now, *poof* - nothing.
P.S. You can ask others here as well, obviously. I don't know if the 8800GT can be run with the SI without a fan of some kind blowing on it or sucking air out of the case(slot fan or whatnot).
DAAMIT! Why don't you guys ever read the recommended list?! I'm sick of people who do : not read the recommended list --> pick up the quietest components; not doing the minimal required basis stuff that every spcrer should at least do before starting bitchin' in the forum; not read read parts of the forum that should help with his/her specifical components to reduce noise level.
I read the first sentence... and meh when I read CNP9700 I gave up going any further. What? WTF? Are you saying you can put the quietest 120mm fan on that thing?!
Give up... If you want to reduce the noise level DO what I said former and STOP whinning about noise level when you don't even read the recommended list...
Good luck guys.
I read the first sentence... and meh when I read CNP9700 I gave up going any further. What? WTF? Are you saying you can put the quietest 120mm fan on that thing?!
Give up... If you want to reduce the noise level DO what I said former and STOP whinning about noise level when you don't even read the recommended list...
Good luck guys.
I bought the Zalman CNPS9700 before going to this forum. I just wanna know what I can do to reduce noise with what i have right now. I spent big bucks on that Zalman and it disappointed me. And i know that i have to replace the PSU.toki_c wrote:DAAMIT! Why don't you guys ever read the recommended list?! I'm sick of people who do : not read the recommended list --> pick up the quietest components; not doing the minimal required basis stuff that every spcrer should at least do before starting bitchin' in the forum; not read read parts of the forum that should help with his/her specifical components to reduce noise level.
I read the first sentence... and meh when I read CNP9700 I gave up going any further. What? WTF? Are you saying you can put the quietest 120mm fan on that thing?!
Give up... If you want to reduce the noise level DO what I said former and STOP whinning about noise level when you don't even read the recommended list...
Good luck guys.
Well... I mean... that seems a bit... harsh.toki_c wrote:DAAMIT! Why don't you guys ever read the recommended list?! I'm sick of people who do : not read the recommended list --> pick up the quietest components;
Trying to diplomatify his comment a bit: There are easy ways to quiet your build down, but it's gonna take more than just some open-cell foam. In the end, nothing silences a computer more than money. The problem here, as you probably started to guess even before toki_c explained it, is that you don't have quiet components. You can't make them quiet without replacing them.
Not that I'm an expert, but I've done enough research that I've got a good idea what the experts might tell you:
The easiest problems to solve are the PSU and the Zalman 9700. You might also have noisy case fans, but you haven't said anything about them, so we'll assume they're okay for now.
A new PSU is going to be the most expensive. You probably don't need 500W, so something like the Antec NeoHE 430 should work. It can be had for about $65. I think that's about as cheap as you'll find a PSU.
For the Zalman, I'd probably suggest ditching the whole thing. You might try the AC Freezer Pro or the new (sorta) Xigmatek coolers for around $30 or so. They both are pretty compatible with everything. Note that both of these only have "fairly" silent fans and only the Xigmatek can use a different fan. The Scythe Ninja would be quieter, but it is also much larger so it may or may not fit with you case/motherboard.
Now, if you do all that and its still not quiet, then it's time to blame that single-slot 8800GT. As suggested, the Accelero seems to be the cheapest way of fixing that.
If I were you, I'd start with the cheapest fixes and keep working through them until the noise drops to a suitable level. If you don't have a problem with money, then it would be best to ditch the PSU and HSF and look at ways of either slapping a cooler on the 8800GT or selling it to a friend and looking for an 8800GT with a quieter fan, an 8800GT with a dual slot cooler, or a decent 8800GTS.
Note - I received the motherboard, the CPU, the cooler, and the ram as a gift, so until I can afford a Ninja, I'm looking at fan swaps.
And, yes, you can swap fans on the Zalman in about five minutes and a couple of small hand tools.
Evidently it makes an enormous difference. The design is great. The fan is pathetic. If Zalman bothered to put even a 25db fan on it instead, nobody would complain about it.
Note - if you get a 45-50cfm fan at 25db, it'll also cool much better, which will allow for lower rpms. The stock fan only pushes 25cfm(among the worst on the market), so the threshold between low rpms and hot hot hot mode is very small. Once it gets too hot, the fan stays on full speed. A higher CFM fan would fix this and allow for more reasonable speed throttling.
http://www.themodnation-forums.com/view ... =22&t=1456
$5 fan. Might be worth a try.
The Zalman fan is held on with two screws. Undo them and the entire bracket lifts off. Attach a new fan to the bracket and put back in. It can also be reversed to fit larger fans. Another cheap option might be to just zip-tie a stock 80mm case fan to the entire assembly.
End result:
It's not a real cooler. Mod it for $5 until you can afford a proper cooler.
*****
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article759-page3.html
Get this when you can. The reason it works well is because it has less depth for the fan to push through. A lot of the symmetrical ones look nice, but the fans don't usually push more than half of their rated CFM through the entire unit.
The Ninja also would work, but it's geared more towards passive cooling(the Thermalright requires a fan). IMO, since you'll need a fan anyways, due to the massive heat that CPU puts out, the Thermalright might be the best option.
NOTE - It's good for the review to use a 130W TDP processor as a worst case scenario, since a lot of the quad cores are getting seriously hot as well recently. The results are 20C less than the stock cooler, even at 5V. This and the Ninja are designs that work properly.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article759-page2.html
Notice the size, though. The Zalman is the size of the Ninja Mini in the back. The only downside is that this might not fit in anything other than a full-width tower case. The Ninja will generally fit in most larger cases without any issues.
EDIT:
http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getart ... rticID=673
This also is another choice. But it's silly huge. Like 7-8 inches tall. Note the passive measurement. This was with the opening in line with the rear case fan which was essentially 1cm or less from the end of it. So the case fan pulled a lot of air through it. Basically stock cooling results but without a fan. I'm looking at this as a replacement as well, since that would drop my system down to three fans.(intake, psu, and exhaust - all easy to modify)
viewtopic.php?t=40188
The discussion about it on this site.
And, yes, you can swap fans on the Zalman in about five minutes and a couple of small hand tools.
Evidently it makes an enormous difference. The design is great. The fan is pathetic. If Zalman bothered to put even a 25db fan on it instead, nobody would complain about it.
Note - if you get a 45-50cfm fan at 25db, it'll also cool much better, which will allow for lower rpms. The stock fan only pushes 25cfm(among the worst on the market), so the threshold between low rpms and hot hot hot mode is very small. Once it gets too hot, the fan stays on full speed. A higher CFM fan would fix this and allow for more reasonable speed throttling.
http://www.themodnation-forums.com/view ... =22&t=1456
$5 fan. Might be worth a try.
The Zalman fan is held on with two screws. Undo them and the entire bracket lifts off. Attach a new fan to the bracket and put back in. It can also be reversed to fit larger fans. Another cheap option might be to just zip-tie a stock 80mm case fan to the entire assembly.
End result:
It's not a real cooler. Mod it for $5 until you can afford a proper cooler.
*****
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article759-page3.html
Get this when you can. The reason it works well is because it has less depth for the fan to push through. A lot of the symmetrical ones look nice, but the fans don't usually push more than half of their rated CFM through the entire unit.
The Ninja also would work, but it's geared more towards passive cooling(the Thermalright requires a fan). IMO, since you'll need a fan anyways, due to the massive heat that CPU puts out, the Thermalright might be the best option.
NOTE - It's good for the review to use a 130W TDP processor as a worst case scenario, since a lot of the quad cores are getting seriously hot as well recently. The results are 20C less than the stock cooler, even at 5V. This and the Ninja are designs that work properly.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article759-page2.html
Notice the size, though. The Zalman is the size of the Ninja Mini in the back. The only downside is that this might not fit in anything other than a full-width tower case. The Ninja will generally fit in most larger cases without any issues.
EDIT:
http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getart ... rticID=673
This also is another choice. But it's silly huge. Like 7-8 inches tall. Note the passive measurement. This was with the opening in line with the rear case fan which was essentially 1cm or less from the end of it. So the case fan pulled a lot of air through it. Basically stock cooling results but without a fan. I'm looking at this as a replacement as well, since that would drop my system down to three fans.(intake, psu, and exhaust - all easy to modify)
viewtopic.php?t=40188
The discussion about it on this site.