Search found 111 matches

by littlebigman
Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:10 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsink?
Replies: 5
Views: 4722

Re: Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsi

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that next time I get a mini-ITX board.
by littlebigman
Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:46 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsink?
Replies: 5
Views: 4722

Re: Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsi

Thanks much. It's now a few degrees cooler with a bit less noise.
by littlebigman
Fri Jul 18, 2014 8:27 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsink?
Replies: 5
Views: 4722

Combining AMD A8-3850 and Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsink?

Hello In the hope of having a cooler, more quiet AMD A8-3850 CPU, I'd like to replace the stock heatsink + fan with a Coolermaster GeminII M4 heatsink on an ASRock A75M-ITX motherboard. But I have little experience and can't figure how to put the two together. I attached a picture of the parts I hav...
by littlebigman
Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:44 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: [SOLVED] CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automatic"
Replies: 5
Views: 5662

Re: [SOLVED] CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automat

It's a second-hand computer. I can always e-mail ASRock, but I doubt I'll get a reply. Still, even when running at its lowest speed with the case closed (currently at 38°C), I can hear the fan running. Does someone know which heatsink + fan I could use to cool that processor, considering there's 9cm...
by littlebigman
Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:54 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: [SOLVED] CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automatic"
Replies: 5
Views: 5662

Re: CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automatic" in BI

Thanks for the help. It looks like the stock fan that came with the AMD CPU. I should have checked in their Download section before asking: ASRock provides a utility called "ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility" that let users manage the CPU fans. http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/A75M-ITX/?cat=Download&os=Win7...
by littlebigman
Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:38 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: [SOLVED] CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automatic"
Replies: 5
Views: 5662

[SOLVED] CPU fan always at full speed even with "Automatic"

Hello I just bought a mini-ITX host with an ASRock A75M-ITX and powered by an AMD A8-3850. Even after upgrading the BIOS to the latest release and changing the CPU settings in the H/W Monitor section from "Full On" to "Automatic", the CPU fan is constantly running at full speed. The fan is connected...
by littlebigman
Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:31 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Which mini-ITX mobo + CPU + PSU for those two SFF cases?
Replies: 3
Views: 3532

Re: Which mini-ITX mobo + CPU + PSU for those two SFF cases?

Just office work with light development, and occasional video editing (but it only has to be faster than my current AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+, as I'm OK leaving the application running in the background for a couple of hours.)
by littlebigman
Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:28 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Which mini-ITX mobo + CPU + PSU for those two SFF cases?
Replies: 3
Views: 3532

Which mini-ITX mobo + CPU + PSU for those two SFF cases?

Hello

I'd like to build a mini-ITX-based SFF host for office use, and those two look good:
I took a look at mini-ITX mobos but am lost at what to pick, including the CPU and the PSU to get a silent box. Any idea?

Thank you.
by littlebigman
Thu May 30, 2013 2:49 pm
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?
Replies: 16
Views: 9708

Re: Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?

Intel has two options Ivy Bridge: Intel Desktop Motherboard LGA1155 DDR3 1600 Thin mini-ITX - BOXDQ77KB Sandy Bridge: Intel Desktop Board DH61AG Thin Mini-ITX Thanks for the links. Apparently, those mobos don't have on-board DC so I'd have to add a power brick. Is there no recommended mobo with on-...
by littlebigman
Wed May 29, 2013 5:23 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?
Replies: 16
Views: 9708

Re: Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?

Thanks for the feedback. Video playback is not an issue since I only watch movies once in a while and not in HD (19" monitor). I don't even have a TV anymore :-) As for internal DC vs. external PSU, the board will only have a CPU + SSD (for OS + apps) + HD (for data) + RAM, so I guess any mobo that ...
by littlebigman
Thu May 23, 2013 3:02 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?
Replies: 16
Views: 9708

Which mini-ITX motherboard + CPU for moderate home use?

Hello, I'd like to replace my aging home computer powered by an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ (Brisbane 65nm) with TDP of 65 Watts. I only use it to browse the web, watch a few movies, and write small .Net applications (ie. it should run the MS Express IDE fast enough), so I don't need great hardware to pl...
by littlebigman
Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:50 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Stylish, mini-ITX case?
Replies: 11
Views: 29210

Re: Stylish, mini-ITX case?

Thanks everyone for the infos. That looks like what on a desk? Sorry: I meant "that looks stylish like a Mac mini on a desk". Doctors et al. aren't computer geeks and would rather have some nice-looking case. I have a couple of questions: 1. Besides Lian Li and Silverstone, what are the major case m...
by littlebigman
Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:58 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: [power] Are my calculations correct?
Replies: 21
Views: 15244

Re: [power] Are my calculations correct?

Thanks everyone for the infos on building a quiet home PC. So it looks like NewEggs overestimates power needs by a long margin: With... CPU = AMD Athlon 64 65nm Mobo = Regular - Desktop Video = integrated Memory = 2GB Op drive = DVD-RW Hard drive = 7200RPM 3.5 x 2 "Our recommended PSU Wattage: 243 W...
by littlebigman
Sun Aug 12, 2012 2:55 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: [power] Are my calculations correct?
Replies: 21
Views: 15244

Re: [power] Are my calculations correct?

Thanks for the infos. Is there a web site where we can search for the different components and find how much power they use? Also, are booksize computers dead-silent and powerful enough for office use, or should I really build my own? http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=3&name=Barebon...
by littlebigman
Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:27 pm
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: [power] Are my calculations correct?
Replies: 21
Views: 15244

Re: [power] Are my calculations correct?

Thanks all for the input. If desktop computers use so little power, I wonder why even the smallest PSUs can output 400W. But then, if the computer only uses 100W, does it matter if the PSU is a 400W model? When I tell XPSP3 to go to suspend mode, the CPU fan and the PSU fan keep running while I expe...
by littlebigman
Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:36 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: [power] Are my calculations correct?
Replies: 21
Views: 15244

[power] Are my calculations correct?

Hello Out of curiosity, I wanted to know how much power my desktop computer used by leaving it running 24/7, and whether it was worth switching to a laptop that could really turn to suspend mode while the desktop still has its CPU and PSU fans running when I tell XP to go to suspend mode. For a desk...
by littlebigman
Fri Jul 20, 2012 6:56 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?
Replies: 7
Views: 4437

Re: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?

Thanks for the info.
by littlebigman
Fri Jul 20, 2012 5:08 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?
Replies: 7
Views: 4437

Re: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?

So the PicoPSU can provide up to 90W, so I should get an AC/DC brick that provides as much power as needed by the different components in the computer + some room to compensate for the loss converting the AC power to DC?
by littlebigman
Fri Jul 20, 2012 3:19 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?
Replies: 7
Views: 4437

Re: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?

Thanks. I'll get a 60W/5A. I got the 90W PicoPSU because it's the smallest they have.

I don't know much about electricity: How can we can get a 90W output from the PicoPSU while it's fed 60W from the AC/DC power brick?
by littlebigman
Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:39 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: 12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?
Replies: 7
Views: 4437

12V power brick for 90W PicoPSU?

Hello Title says it all: I need to buy a 12V power brick to feed a 90W PicoPSU . The motherboard is an Asus AT4NM10-I (Atom D425 on board), and I'll need to connect a 2.5" SATA drive, and an external DVD drive through two USB plugs just to install Windows on the drive. The Mini-box page doesn't say ...
by littlebigman
Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:09 pm
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Stylish, mini-ITX case?
Replies: 11
Views: 29210

Re: Stylish, mini-ITX case?

I'd like a compact case that looks like on a desk. If there are users of the really compact, Mac Mini-like boxes like the AOpen or Zotac Nano in the audience, how quiet are they? In terms of speed, they are probably fast enough for my needs.
by littlebigman
Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:01 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?
Replies: 7
Views: 3711

Re: NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?

Thanks for the tip. I'll think about it and see what I can come up with.
by littlebigman
Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:56 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: Stylish, mini-ITX case?
Replies: 11
Views: 29210

Stylish, mini-ITX case?

Hello I'm tired of those boring PC cases, and would like to build a stylish and silent Mini-ITX box for moderate use (just office work, and light development). Can compact cases like the Habey EMC-800S be made very quiet with a single hard-disk and an average CPU (dual core)? Ideally, I'd like somet...
by littlebigman
Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:40 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?
Replies: 7
Views: 3711

Re: NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?

Thanks for the info. I'll check what SOHO NAS are available that can be woken up through WOL. I also have to build a new, completely silent Windows workstation that can really be put to sleep, including the CPU and PSU, and still be able to wake up in the middle of the night for SyncBackSE to run, w...
by littlebigman
Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:05 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?
Replies: 7
Views: 3711

NAS that can be woken up/put back to sleep?

Hello, To back up my data, I currently have two internal SATA hard-drives and an application (SyncbackSE) that runs nightly. I know it still doesn't protect me from viruses that can delete all files on all connected devices but I have a bit too much data to save them to a hosted FTP server. As a med...
by littlebigman
Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:59 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Brand new Seagate ST500DM0 = constant, low-volume rattle
Replies: 0
Views: 2223

Brand new Seagate ST500DM0 = constant, low-volume rattle

Hello As the 200GB Seagate IDE drive holding backups of my data was showing signs of giving up the ghost, I turned off my desktop computer, connected a brand new 500GB Seagate ST500DM0 in parallel (488GB Seagate ST500DM0 02-1BD142), booted off a USB keydrive, ran Clonezilla, unplugged the old drive,...
by littlebigman
Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:21 pm
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?
Replies: 9
Views: 7705

Re: Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?

CA_Steve wrote:Notebookcheck is a great site for laptop reviews. You can use their search function for extensive weeding (including noise).
Thanks for the link.
by littlebigman
Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:06 am
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?
Replies: 9
Views: 7705

Re: Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?

Here's a set of feature I recommend: Thanks for the tip on the matté screen; I almost forgot it about it. With so few laptops these days with a matté screen, that should be an easy way to weed out the options. Unfortunately if you want dead-silence, there are only desktops as a viable choice. I use...
by littlebigman
Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:43 am
Forum: Quiet Prebuilt, SFF and Barebones Systems
Topic: Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?
Replies: 9
Views: 7705

Reasons to buy a desktop for moderate use?

Hello As an alternative to a desktop for my home PC that I'd like to be dead-silent, I was wondering if I should go for a laptop instead: Laptops... take less space than a desktop are built from the start to be very silent, as they can't be put under a desk have a keyboard layout that's a bit differ...
by littlebigman
Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:15 am
Forum: CPUs and Motherboards
Topic: Fanless CPU replacement for AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+?
Replies: 5
Views: 3630

Re: Fanless CPU replacement for AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+?

Thanks for the advice. I can hear a hum at night, when there's no ambient noise, although it's true that the two HD's are the (relatively) noisiest elements. I don't remember the brand + model of the heatsink/fan I'm using for the CPU: cpu.heatsink.fan.jpg The motherboard has a four-wire connector f...