I did some testing with my Sonata using Black Packing tape to cover the holes. At first it was quieter, but then the case temps ramped up, and as a side effect so did the PSU fan. Then it was louder. I would agree that opening up the bottom of the case for better airflow would be a good solution all...

Crisspy, what do you mean by a fine mill-file ? Do you have an example?

I am hoping to put a 120mm hole in the side of my Mini Case (Steel not aluminium) and put a 120mm Pabst in there as an alternative to the Heatsink Fan.

Most Circular drill bits I have found only go to about 60mm. Should I get a dremel or should I pencil it and search for a shop?

Thanks for the suggestions gowarth. Problem is no holes in the mobo... I normally exclusivley buy mobo's with 4 holes, but not in this case, as I am thinking cheap and small.... So I need a lugged heatsink. Starting to think about the low profile arctic cooling Slim Silent Pro TC http://www.pccasege...

sthayashi, I already have a stock of 120mm fans.. but thanks for reminding everyone about the size of the panaflo ! The intent is to use the Panaflo or the Pabst (inside the case, undervolted to 5-7v) in conjunction with a LOW PROFILE heatsink... otherwise they wouldn't fit..... hence the LOW PROFIL...

I am building a Micro ATX Format box to use at LAN events and the like... and I am "attempting" to keep it quiet. I have started with: An Albatron KM400A-Pro MicroATX motherboard A MicroATX Case that has a decent PSU, and oddly has a 40m panaflo intake fan in the front left (which I will remove). I ...

I chose the Thermalright SLK800U With Panaflo L1A@7V and Zalman NB-32J Expensive but awesome. Be careful with some of the newer Thermaliright heatsinks on the NF7-Sv2.0, as they aren't compatable The 947U for example doesn't fit. The thermalright site says you can use a NEO Backplate Kit, but I thou...

In the Sonata. I open use "Gaffa" tape. Which is awesome stuff. When laid flat (I have an nf7-s v2.0): 1 - I bend the POwer SUpply cable behind the 5.25" drive bays, and then out at the Power Connector. 2 - I bend the 12v cable and gaffa it behind the power supply, and then run it stright down the b...

I bought one of these: http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/show_product_info.php?code=CO-SKS2000&category_id=49 They are REALLY cheap $AU $60.50 including interstate shipping, which is like US$45 all up ! It worked an absolute treat, and uses the Silicon Image Chip and Silicon Image Drivers. I am very hap...

Neil, I am surprised you needed to do this ?

I have an Asus p4p800 deluxe, and windows xp SP1 just installed on the Seagate Serial ATA... no drivers required at all ... It just worked like IDE.

I have built 3 systems with SATA now, and I haven't had any problems with loose cables on the HDD connector.

I have used exclusively Segate 7200.7 SATA drives
and Asus p4p800 & Abit NF7-S v2.0 mobo's

My problems are STILL in getting Hot Swap on the sata on the p4p800, works liek a charm on the Abit.

All requests up to this point have been added.

I have made a few purchases from lownoisepc.com so that has now been added to my recommended list.

Top operators, and the best range of silencing stuff in Australia.

In the end I didn't need the fan, and all is running well.... now my only problem is that the hot swap worked beautifully on my NF7-S v2.0 but won't work on my p4p800 deluxe.

Has anyone had any experience with SATA Hot Swap on the ICH5/R based motherbaords ?

I think that Vinyl Dye is far superior to spray as it soaks into the plastic and then goes hard and doesn't flake. I can't help you with a URL for the UK, but I used VHT Vinyl Dye. I couldn't buy this stuff online anywhere in Australia, so I expect it will be similar in the UK. I did however find it...

Trip,
I have a Silenx Silenx (as opposed to an exotic pc silenx). I am vey satisfied, and it has been running 24x7 (virtually) since I bought it.

BTW, it is Silenx not Silentx

Lenny, my concern is that due to the location, they will not have anywhere to draw the air from.

Anyway, I am going to do some S.M.A.R.T measurement, and also pull out a thermocouple and have a play.

No pics yet,

but without the fan, the hard drive got VERY hot.

I think stacking these things is not going to be a good idea, even with the fans.

I won't have room to mount a fan with what is going to be installed, and that fan that comes in them is extremely loud.

damn it!

Lars-Erik,
I find that as long as I grommet mount the 7200.7's they are extremely quiet. When just screwed in without the grommets, the seek causes vibration noise that is quite annoying.

Trip, I think he is referring to power required for same clock... eg heat.

well put putz.

unregistered.... it still makes we wonder why engineers were so stupid as to design the ATX/PCI spec with chips facing down !

With my sonata (before i replaced the PSU), I would get a beep on shutdown from memory.... but it was electrical noise in the PSU.

I don't have a pc speaker ... so I don't get any beeps on start up.. again from memory, I haven't rebooted in months.

dude, I would get some round cables, and make some use of gaffa tape to clean all those cables up... it is a real mess, and is probably affecting your airflow.

Ditto on earlier comments about your HDD. Try and get it Level, I would grommet mount it if you can.

I would create something similar to the SLK800/900 etc range of heatsinks, but provide the ability to rotate it 90 degrees, so if you have a socket configuration you don't like, you can rotate the heatsink. Then I would provide a fan mount on the SIDE of the heatsink, that allows you to blow air thr...

Thanks for the input Ralf, top notch ideas as always. When this unit arrives, I firstly nee to see if it fits in the bottom Sonata 5.25" Bay, problem being I need to run 2 of these and a burner, and i am worried about the top right corner of the mobo.... Same potential rpboelm with the 3700 BQE mayb...

yep, looking for the internal bay ones. like the last link.. . problem is, the bloody fans, you reckon they will be required? and the other problem is hot plugable. I have ordered one of these for testing, http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/show_product_info.php?code=CA-SNT125EB and I am going to remove ...

Offtopic: Where in Aus did you get your 3700BQE from ?

I havea silenx and i am quite happy with it. Mind you it cost me an absolute bomb to get it shipped out here from the US.

You should be able to use an ATA drive on the Serilel SATA to PATA converter, OS shouldn't matter... BUT: You may find you have trouble getting the cables to fit in the case. Read my experiences with SATA to PATA converters in my Sonata: http://www.bluecouch.com.au/reviews/satapata/satapata.asp The ...