Okay, I guess that doesn't really make sense -- I guess I was just wondering if they happened to manufacture those drives in a different way which would cvause noise variance.

But I would still like answers to my other two questions.

How do the 2MB and 8MB versions of Samsung drives compare? The 0812N (8MB) vs the 0802N (2MB); 1614N (8MB) vs the 1604N (2MB); etc. How do they compare noisewise? I am especially interested in seek noise. Also, how is the SP0411N (the 40GB slim drive)? I know it's not as quiet as the normal-sized dr...

After I finish some other projects, I'd like to try and sleeve my cables.

What is the easiest way to go about sleeving cables (mainly power cables)? I don't want to bother with removing the Molex connectors, etc. What do I need to buy and is there anything I need to know?

If the third pin (which I don't have) is for RPMs, then does that mean I can't control the RPMs with the controller? Or just that I can't get reports on the number of RPMs?

Yeah, I guess sticking a 3 pin connector on the end of that thing probably isn't too tough (key word probably ; I've obviously never done it before), but would that make it so I couldn't plug it back into the card again? And would there even be a point? If it's only two wires does it even have the r...

Opening the PSU seems way too much of a hassle. I guess I can use the third fan controller for the videocard fan instead, just to see how much sound the video card fan contributes. Would it be this sole wire that I'd want to connect to the fan controller (obviously I'd have to use an extension, but ...

Alright, thanks. I actually already have a light so I don't know if I'd use the lights that come with the controller or not, but I'm sure I would use the light-controlling feature of the controller to control the light I already have (or just replace mine with one from the box if it integrates with ...

How about this Vantec? It fits in a 3.5" bay instead of a 5.25", and if I were to eventually want to give HDD suspension a shot having my 5.25"s free would be handy. Is it on par with the Sunbeam and Zalman offerings? BTW, how do you install these things? Just unplug the fans' power plugs from the P...

My HDDs aren't the biggest noise makers right now (after I turned on AAM on my Maxtor, at least), but if I'm planning on quieting the rest of my system (which has noisy stock case fans, stock PSU, stock HSF, etc), then I don't doubt that the noise of my HDDs (seek and whine) will resurface. I'm just...

Unfortunately one of the main reasons I bought this machine was because I needed more hard drive space. I already had a laptop with a 60GB HDD, and it is almost completely filled up. So I got a desktop so that I could have more HDD space; thus my two 200GB HDDs (I really only need 1 200GB HDD, but t...

I can identify with the original poster. I haven't yet really started trying to quiet my PC, but when I do I am really concerned about the idea that I might quiet my computer, but in turn just make it more annoying. My main concern is trying to sleep while my computer is on. I sleep 4 feet away from...

I tried the Hitachi Feature Tool and I can't get it to actually change the AAM mode for either of my drives. I choose a mode and then when I click Test or OK, it just resets back to whatever it was before. Also, oddly enough, I cannot hear the seeks on my Western Digital drive at all when I do a Tes...

Well, I figured that at 5AM I'd already be asleep, and I don't think the seek noise would be loud or erratic enough to wake me up; just to keep me from falling asleep in the first place. But silencing all my drives would obviously be nice; I just figured if I could at least silence the system one, I...

Alright, I just posted a more broad thread about my dilemma in all its scope on the General board here, so any suggestions are welcome.

I am looking to quiet my new computer. I sleep just barely 4 feet away from it and I'd like to leave it on at night. Until I can get it quieter I will probably turn it off before I go to bed but I'd like to work on changing that. Basically what I'd like to do is quiet it as much as possible without ...

If I can figure out how to do what you did (i'm not sure I'm following what you did with the actual drive cage??? I have a Raidmax A268 case...) then would that be able to make the seek noises of my drives (a Maxtor DiamondMax+9 200GB (6Y200P0) and a Western Digital Caviar 200GB (WD2000JB)) complete...

Can you furthur explain how to do that? Is there a tutorial or some pictures? You enclosed the HDD in foam and then mounted it in the case using foam washers on the screws?

Yeah, I haven't messed with the swap file, so I should be good there. So, during system idle time, Windows will only write to the hard drive it is installed on? It will leave all the other drives alone? That's good news. As for the "turn off hard disks" setting in power management, I know about that...

I'd still like to know about my first two questions, though. Because if there is either (a) a way to make Windows leave my drives alone when I'm not actually doing something with them, or (b) if Windows, when you're not actively using the computer, only seeks the drive Windows is installed on, then ...

Thanks. The 7200.7 40GB sounds good.

Doesn't the elastic suspension thing just reduce vibration, not seek noise? Or is seek noise caused by vibration? (?) I didn't think it was.

(Also please check out my more general thread here ) For me the most annoying sound is the seek noise caused by the hard drive. Mainly because it is sporadic, chaotic, unpredictable, random, and unconstant. At least the sound from a fan is more white-noise-ish and constant, so you can get used to it...