How do PWM fans work - i.e. what does he motherboard/BIOS use as inputs to adjust the fan speed?

Core CPU temperature?? If so, is there a defined temperature scale that is used (ex 50'C= run fan at 40% speed, 80'C = run fan at 75% speed etc..) ? Can this be customized?

Aren't they the same Sony FDB used in Scythe S-Flex? Not quite exactly, and however TR fans are usually way noisier than S-Flex "cousins" (which in their turn aren't definitely quieter than Slipstreams). Please take note that AFAIK no PWM fans may run as slowly as recent PWM Slipstreams do on 4pin ...

The Thermalright Venomous-X RT CPU heatsink comes with Thermalright's own FDB-1300 fan. Should I use this fan, or instead use a newer PWM controlled fan like the Scythe SlipStream 120 PWN adjustable ? Specs as follows Thermalright FDP-1300: 1300rpm, 50 CFM, 24 dbA, NO PWM control. Scythe Sipstream 1...

I noticed this CPU cooler has a different heatsink design where it contacts the CPU: instead of a plain flat metal plate, you have the heat pipes cutting through the plate flush with it. Do you have to use the supplied Cooler Master thermal grease given this unique design, or can you use another the...

Thanks for all the input! Okay, so I will not touch the NB heatsink, especially since it will involve removing the heatpipe that is attached to etc. I agree. The problem is that intake air (front fan) is blowing straight across to the HR-01 (which in effect in the exhaust port since its ducted). It ...

Good idea to mount the fan so it blows towards the back of the case.

But glue it to the heatsink fin? Will the high temp not melt the glue??

The fan I ordered (Scythe Mini Kaze 40mm) does not come with any fasteners to jurry-rig... and twist ties don't seem too secure!!

Any ideas how to cool the stock asus heatsink/heatpipe on the Northbridge (circled in the picture). This thing is burning hot to the touch on stock voltage. Mobo is Asus P5N32-E SLI and CPU cooler is Thermalright HR-01 with fanduct. There is only about 3/4" of clearance above northbridge as the cpu ...

Hmm, maybe I am expecting too much out of this system in a Sonata III. To clarify my setup: Sonata III case, E6600 CPU with Thermalright HR-01 (AS5 paste) and fan duct connecting the HR-01 to the rear exhaust fan (Noctua 120mm). There is NO fan DIRECTLY on the HR-01. There is a front Noctua case fan...

Temp software is SpeedFan. I have an Nvidia 8800GTS card. I will try replacing the noctua rear exhaust with a different 120mm fan when i am back home in a week. And also try opening the case to see if temps improve. 62'C stress is too hot, a lot of the Thermalright HR-01 hsf reviews show much cooler...

Is there any way to pinpoint if the problem is at the level of the CPU heat sink, or the system case in general? For example, my "mobo" temp is 46'C which seems hot? So, if the cpu gets to 63 on full stress, it is increasing 18'C --- does this reflect good or bad for the CPU heatsink? Is 46'C high f...

tried without the front fan, same temps 63-66'C CPU die when stressed with Ortho.. I even cleaned HS, reapplied AS5, and re-set the heatsink same temps. I am guessing the airflow in the Sonata III is too poor, OR as mentioned the noctua isnt great with a fan duct (although it feels like there is dec...

Okay made some cooling modifications to my system - its a heck of a lot quieter but my temps are way too high System: -Antec Sonata III case -E6600 CPU -Rear exhaust and front intake Noctua 120mm fans (1200RPM) -Thermalright HR-01 heat sink -Artic Silver 5 thermal paste (staight line of paste down c...

My room temp was 25'C, so the Die at full cpu load was running +37'C above ambient temp.

So this is acceptable? Next step is to add a front noctua and then a better hsf (thermalright HR-01 with fan duct, and AS5 paste)

Just starting to optimize the cooling on my Sonata III, E6600 (no overclock), Asus p5n32-e mobo. I replaced the rear Antec Tricool with a Noctua 120mm fan, and left the stock intel HSF in place for now. No front fan yet. Idle temp: Motherboard 45'C (?NB), CPU Die 44'C Stress (Othros): MB 45'C, CPU D...

Yet another reply to myself! Did some detective work on asus.com: Q: My chassis fan seem to run slower when connected to CHA_Fan1 connector even when I set the fan to operate under Duty Cycle Mode. Is this normal? A:This is because CHA_FAN1 connector has been specially designed to force fan to opera...

How strange.. After a few reboots the BIOS (and Asus probe II) detects the Noctua (chasssis) fan speed. But it is reading 1000RPM (not 1200)?? I am NOT using the ULNA, and the "duty cycle" is set to 100% in the BIOS?

I have an Asus P5N32-E motherboard and Noctua S12-1200 fan. The fan has a 3-pin connector. When plugged into the motherboard, the bios does not detect fan RPM, nor does SpeedFan? The only fan detected is th cpu fan. The mobo manual states that the connector the noctua is plugged in (CHA_FAN) and OPT...

The picture of the HR-01 Plus looks the same as the HR-01 released in 2006 (and still, I think, the best CPU cooler given its superb performance and fanless design)

What are the differences with the plus version?

What is the best software to fully "Stress" the CPU and record core temperature benchmarks?

I have an ASUS P5N32-E mobo and Intel E6600 CPU. It seems the intel thermal analysis tool (TAT) is the most recommended, but this does not work with nvidia 680i chipset.

What is the best software to use to tweak your fan's rpm?

Can the ASUS bios do this, or should you use 3rd party software (i.e. speedfan)? I would prefer to not spend $120 on a fan controller, and instead use the asus mobo (p5n32e-sli)

NeilBlanchard: This confuses me. What exactly constitutes a "restrictive case"? If you have 120mm intake and exhaust fans with reasonable cabling, can you still have a case that is considered restrictive? I am getting the Antec Sonata III and hope to use 2 x Noctua 120mm's. Do you think this case (b...

The Noctua 120mm fan would be mounted as the case exhaust fan (Sonata III case), attached to a fan duct, and then the HR-01. See photo below To me, this "confined" design seems like a "high pressure/resistance" scenario that may lead to poor fan performance (as some report), but according to the abo...

Has anyone used the Noctua 120mm NF-S12-1200 fan as a case exhaust fan attached to the Thermalright fan-duct (HR-01) CPU cooler? Does it perform adequately?

I have been told the Noctua's do not perform well in "pressure" conditions where there is some resistance to airflow

why did this site give highest rating to Noctua for case-cooling?

With respect to the Antec Sonata III case : 1. Do you guys (and/or gals!) recommend swapping out the rear Antec Tri-Cool fan with a Noctua NF-S12-1200, or just leaving it in? 2. Would you recommend adding a second (front/intake) 120mm fan (ex. a second Noctua NF-S12-1200 or another)? I am planning t...

I dont think this issue has been resolved. Here is what I have learned from reviewing posts: 1. While silentpc recommends the WD5000AASK (500gb SATA) as the best silent hard drive, there seems to be an issue with loud seeks 2. Apparently setting AAM (acoustic management) to 128 resolves the loud see...

Disagree. Antec Sonata III is the way to go. Multiple accolades for silence/performance ratio

But its all about compactness and style. I do not want a monstrous, ugly 900

You can do SLI with an 8800GTS, no? That is my PSU concern. CPU: E6600

I was told if you want to SLI your Nvidia (esp 8800GTX) with 2 hard drives etc, you will need more than the 500W supply, i.e. 800W

Disagree?

Is it possible to remove the power supply unit in the Antec Sonata III case (Eathwatts 500W) to install a larger one?

I have heard it is very difficult with this case?

Any suggestions for a silent(er) 800W+ supply?