1 or 2 watts IS significant! TDP at low freq for a modern laptop cpu might be 10-15W. 13.1W example: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Intel_Core_Duo_%28Yonah%29 Or more if you pick a hungry CPU, but this is SPCR. If undervolting, then when idling, or between bursts of activity when surfing, maybe there...

Have read, and seem to have experienced, that ram is a significant source of heat, and therefore noise. For those who have already experimented or know, would two 256MB SODIMMs of PC133 be hotter than one stick of 512? By a lot? All have 8 chips. Similar for DDR2 667mhz SODIMM, 2G vs. 1G + 1G. Or (2...

You could also try RMClock, free version: http://cpu.rightmark.org/products/rmclock.shtml

And also check forums for your brand/model of notebook, if it is a popular brand. Or this site: http://forum.notebookreview.com/

Just FYI--last time I checked the WD website, the 160GB Scorpio was 2 platter. Samsung offers a single platter 160GB if you care, and in case the 160 Scorpio is still 2 platter. I'd rather go with eSata myself if similar price, but I'd have thought USB or FW on a new PC would be plenty fast enough f...

That's surprising. If at all close to accurate, then costs of leaving equipment on are much lower than I thought. Many in the South use electric heating, so costs in Winter may already be low. Efficiency is given in SEER or EER for models I found with quick search. I don't follow what you mean about...

e.g. 40w idle PC left on 24/7 is about $40/year at current average US electricity rates. May be much more in some areas. OP is in Texas... in Winter, will probably replace some electric heating, but in Summer... wouldn't surprise me if takes at least an extra 100 watts of A/C to counteract the 40 o...

If USB is fast enough for what's to be stored on the drives, and only one PC needs to access them, then that would seem to me the cheapest and probably best option. Hard drives are often cheaper when you buy them as an external drive already in a USB enclosure. So, just wait for a good deal on a 1TB...

The big news for me ist that atcfwchg is said to work with the Sansdisk Extreme-IV cards. This could mean standby and more than one partition in Windows ;) atchwchg did work to make my Sandisk Extreme IV's Fixed. Oddly, just like before I made them fixed, they are still performing in single or dual...

PATA IDE to CF I think is just connecting the right pins to the right places. So the adapter is passive. Have read that some old, cheap ones didn't connect all pins needed for current DMA, but hopefully newer ones do. I'm guessing it's a good sign if the card says "DMA" on it, like some of the $4 o...

In Windows 2000/XP, is pretty easy. Once set up properly, just have to retype password in if reboot, first time use each network drive since rebooted. Probably don't need to do anything if you don't use security. And there might be a way to make user name and passwords for NAS and Windows the same, ...

The solution I've been heading towards is using a small NAS box over gigabit ethernet for most storage (with a 3.5" traditional drive in the NAS) and using CF as local hard drive(s) in the computer. Already moved most data over to the NAS, and am very happy with it so far. Can't hear it from its spo...

Good point about Raid 5. I plan to put page swap on a completely separate CF drive, so if those writes kill a CF someday, it will only kill the swap file. With Linux and/or a lot of RAM, page swap may not even be needed. I keep most my data on a NAS across the room from me. So, writing of most data ...

This site has some pics of hardware, and tips on firmware hacks, for several models/versions of Buffalo NAS: http://www.nas-central.org/index.php/Main_Page I don't plan to open or do firmware hacks on mine, but maybe the pics could help someone here, or the hacks might help one to buy a cheaper mode...

Is there any website that shows which SATA or IDE or IDE DMA to CF adapter performs the best? I looked at hjreggel's cardspeed site but it doesn't have any, only USB, FW, ..etc PATA IDE to CF I think is just connecting the right pins to the right places. So the adapter is passive. Have read that so...

I've got a new Buffalo Linkstation Pro, and am happy with it. If you're right beside it, is too loud, but I can't hear it at all from across the room with it behind a desk.

Could always swap the drive for a 2.5" if needed, and maybe undervolt the fan.

Not only does the CF card have to support DMA (which mine does), the CF adapter apparently has to as well. Mine does not. Here's some comments on why, apparently some older cards didn't bother connecting all pins or including all pins: http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/5/24/46 I have seen some on ebay for ...

Thanks. I've been a bit disappointed with supposedly quiet Fujitsu and Hitachi notebook drives, but will probably try this--unless go nuts ($$) and instead get a low capacity SSD.

If you don't want Ubuntu to mess with your Windows disk bootsector, you can temporarily disable your HD controller in BIOS, effectively hiding your HD during the install, then Ubuntu will by default make the flash drive bootable. Thanks, will have to try that. Or if can't find in BIOS, will just di...

Locklear wrote:160GB 2,5" Samsung HM160HI (5400rpm, 1 platter)

How quiet is that Spinpoint M5S drive? I'm thinking about that exact same model # for a laptop, where will be very close to it, with little to block the noise.

I'd like to boot Ubuntu or Xubuntu from an SD card, probably using my USB adapter. So far haven't got it to work, but haven't put much time into it. I want to use the "Live" version, which loads the OS into memory, ordinarily from CD or DVD. I don't want to allow writes to the SD card. That's why I ...

A 42" 1080p LCD TV with a computer inside. Claims to have no fans. Maybe from across the room, you won't hear the hard drive(s). :) Or if you can afford this, you could probably replace with SSD. Doesn't seem to be available for sale yet: http://www.lumenlab.com/ http://speedingcomputer.com/2007/10/...

I agree would be nice to have a smaller bezel. Also, 32gb ssd would be too good to be true. Looks like 4 to 8 or 16gb. Still, looks very promising, as second home computer and/or for travel. http://www.hothardware.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=981 (including pics) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS...

When playing a game (high cpu usage) I've put the notebook on top of an upside down aluminum pan or pot. Seemed to help some, to keep fan from turning on. I place the pan so air can get to the inside of it. Have used large uncoated heavy duty pan meant for stovetop, with two small handles. But a pan...

As far as noise sensitivity goes, I'm probably one of the most if not the most sensitive of members here. I'm talking about _feeling_ emf's in my temples even when I can't hear any noise! In that case, depending what you'll use the notebook for, you could consider getting a notebook where you could...

Thanks for the updates; I may try this someday. I tried Knoppix (full size) DVD version instead of CD, thinking the higher density of a DVD would mean slower spinning, or at least less spinning. With Knoppix, the notebook fans are more of an issue for me than the optical drive. But, if I ever come a...

You can try Damn Small Linux very easliy, just burn a cd, and run it using DSL toram It will load entirely into memory. If it's enough to meet your needs, you could get rid of the hard drive, and either continue to boot from cd, or do a USB or CF/PCMCIA version. I didn't try Puppy Linux myself, as i...

doesn't seem to be much interest, but thought I should update: A few days after my last post, the drive started making occasional noises. A few crunchy noises over maybe 15 seconds or so, then a higher pitched noise sounds a little like breaking a thin glass string, ending with a click, maybe parkin...

Keep in mind that the 7200 drive may run hotter, requiring more fan use. Not sure if significant difference or not. Also, not sure how much faster 7200 80g is than 5400 100g. And, you can always buy a different drive... so you might buy whichever is cheapest, and if unhappy, switch it for a quiet 42...

Simple answer is to use a 2.5" drive instead, in almost any 2.5" enclosure. I have a 5.25" discontinued ADS enclosure with a very quiet fan, quieter than my 7200.7 3.5" drive. But I suspect getting a quiet fan is hit or miss, and if there's a fan, there will be openings, letting more noise out. Ther...

Thanks for the link. Here's a discussion and less thorough instructions for the same utility: http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=70943 For many Dell notebooks, this utility can help temperature control the fans quieter than the BIOS does: http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/ And for many noteboo...