The most important problem with quiet PC is mobility.
I can hardly imagine MikeC moving his PC every 2 or 3 months to a LAN party.
Most quieting techniques require unconventional mounting of components. While it may be safe with some mods, I wouldn’t want to haul my PC to my friend’s house when the HDs are only suspended on rubber bands.
Another problem is the HSF. I was looking at the recommended HSF page when I noticed that all the heat-sinks with decent performance weight well over 300g. AMD specify that the maximum weight of a socket A heat-sink must be below 300g to be able to safely move the PC without removing the HSF first. Given the trouble of removing and applying new thermal paste each time the HS is removed, I can’t consider it a practical solution.
Is it possible to make a quiet PC without scarifying its mobility?
Mobility of silent PCs
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
You should also consider the other possibilities. The Zalman 7000AlCu, is 447g, which is under the weight limit for the P4 and possibly the A64. The Nexus AXP-3200 is JUST over the weight limit for Athlon XPs, so if you're willing to take a really small risk......
If you don't have a crap load of hard drives like I do, you can get the Smart Drive enclosure and install it in your 5.25" bay.
The only problems may be the Video Card, but I think removing the video card and reinstalling it is a relatively simple procedure that isn't too much trouble.
Also, Welcome to SPCR
If you don't have a crap load of hard drives like I do, you can get the Smart Drive enclosure and install it in your 5.25" bay.
The only problems may be the Video Card, but I think removing the video card and reinstalling it is a relatively simple procedure that isn't too much trouble.
Also, Welcome to SPCR
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flyingsherpa
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when CPU manufacturers specify the max heatsink weight, they are generally talking about SHIPPING. this is so an OEM knows they can safely ship a computer to a customer as long as the heatsink is below the weight limit. if you're just going to a LAN you won't be putting near the stress on that socket. ever see UPS guys kicking boxes around? thats what the AMD / Intel spec has to hold up to. if its just you carrying your box to a LAN then i wouldn't worry about it.
if you still worry about it, then get a heatsink that mounts through the mobo. i saw a video (i think it was on Swiftech's site) once where they dropped a computer off a 2-story building to show how good their thru-mobo attachment method was. the heatsink stayed on, but i doubt the computer was usable
regarding drives... well pure suspending doesn't lend itself to movement. but it wouldn't be hard to come up with a simple drive bracket that rests on foam or sorbothane that is bungied or velcroed down to your case. that would hold the drives well (and still decouple them) as long as you kept your computer upright. which you can easily do if you're hand carrying it to a LAN. just takes a little extra work, but its do-able.
and for fans... i mount all mine with 3M foam tape. that stuff is strong and would allow LAN moving easily (not sure i'd ship it with them like that though). i find it de-couples well enough... i can't hear any of my fans and my case does not vibrate. YMMV.
if you still worry about it, then get a heatsink that mounts through the mobo. i saw a video (i think it was on Swiftech's site) once where they dropped a computer off a 2-story building to show how good their thru-mobo attachment method was. the heatsink stayed on, but i doubt the computer was usable
regarding drives... well pure suspending doesn't lend itself to movement. but it wouldn't be hard to come up with a simple drive bracket that rests on foam or sorbothane that is bungied or velcroed down to your case. that would hold the drives well (and still decouple them) as long as you kept your computer upright. which you can easily do if you're hand carrying it to a LAN. just takes a little extra work, but its do-able.
and for fans... i mount all mine with 3M foam tape. that stuff is strong and would allow LAN moving easily (not sure i'd ship it with them like that though). i find it de-couples well enough... i can't hear any of my fans and my case does not vibrate. YMMV.
It depends what you mean by "mobility". I've taken my watercooled PC's to many lans.
One solution took an extra 2 mintues. Because I need to wedge foam around the pump so it wouldn't move in the car. The case was heavy and just took a little more mussle. That's IT.
My other solution is known as SilverSilence. So far I have taken this beast to one lan. I just pack up the fan controler, extra fan over northbridge, wedge foam around the PSU. That's IT. Load it into the back seat of car with a jumper under it to level it.
Ok, I agree to remove a HSF that is bolted to a motherboard takes some time to remove. Why dont you lay your case flat? And not remove it. If you do want to remove it, that's fine. Add 5 mintues to your packup time. Big deal!
Honesly I just think people are lazy, when it comes to moving computers. I take a 21' CRT montior to lans and half the time up stairs. Plus a heavy case that took maybe 5-10 mins extra to pack up compaired to a standard case. Honestly I dont see what the big deal is.
I do have one friend who complains about taking his standard case to lans becasue it's to much work. I just can't understand that! And he plays games more than anyone I know..?..? If you dont like lans, dont go.
Please understand I'm not trying to pick on anyone here. I'm just trying to make a point that it's not really that hard to take a PC to a lan. Reguardless of the little extra effort you may have to do.
Just have fun with your PC
One solution took an extra 2 mintues. Because I need to wedge foam around the pump so it wouldn't move in the car. The case was heavy and just took a little more mussle. That's IT.
My other solution is known as SilverSilence. So far I have taken this beast to one lan. I just pack up the fan controler, extra fan over northbridge, wedge foam around the PSU. That's IT. Load it into the back seat of car with a jumper under it to level it.
Ok, I agree to remove a HSF that is bolted to a motherboard takes some time to remove. Why dont you lay your case flat? And not remove it. If you do want to remove it, that's fine. Add 5 mintues to your packup time. Big deal!
Honesly I just think people are lazy, when it comes to moving computers. I take a 21' CRT montior to lans and half the time up stairs. Plus a heavy case that took maybe 5-10 mins extra to pack up compaired to a standard case. Honestly I dont see what the big deal is.
I do have one friend who complains about taking his standard case to lans becasue it's to much work. I just can't understand that! And he plays games more than anyone I know..?..? If you dont like lans, dont go.
Please understand I'm not trying to pick on anyone here. I'm just trying to make a point that it's not really that hard to take a PC to a lan. Reguardless of the little extra effort you may have to do.
Just have fun with your PC
Good points
I read the answers ( thank you guys ) and I noticed a couple of things.
- flyingsherpa pointed out that the max weight specification is for SHIPPING.
I think he is right in saying that those conditions are a lot more hazardous for a computer then hauling your box to a LAN party.
( I do remember an incident involving my box on the way to a LAN party. I was driving on an icy road. The traffic light turned to read. I started pumping my brake to no avail. Seeying that the car wasn't slowing down, I press harder on the brakes. Just before the intersection, the tires got hold of some bare asphalt. My box literally flew from the back seat and slammed itself on the front seats. I feared for the HDs but no harm was done. )
Despite some rare incidents, I don't think that Heat-sinks really pose a big problem.
I'm more concerned about mounting thing with mecanical decopling ( Is that how you spell it? ).
The whole idea is not to have anything hard retaining parts that cause vibrations. Usually, those parts are also the heaviests, and therefore require a solid fixture.
I do agree with WayneSim that people are lazy when it comes to moving a computer. Personnaly, I find that the longest part of packing a box for a LAN party is unplugging and packing all the wires required for my box. Since wires are always accessible and neat and tiddy, it takes no time at all!
I also agree that P4 and A64 sockets are more resistant than SocketA, however, the processors for those sockets generaly generate more heat and cost a lot more.
- flyingsherpa pointed out that the max weight specification is for SHIPPING.
I think he is right in saying that those conditions are a lot more hazardous for a computer then hauling your box to a LAN party.
( I do remember an incident involving my box on the way to a LAN party. I was driving on an icy road. The traffic light turned to read. I started pumping my brake to no avail. Seeying that the car wasn't slowing down, I press harder on the brakes. Just before the intersection, the tires got hold of some bare asphalt. My box literally flew from the back seat and slammed itself on the front seats. I feared for the HDs but no harm was done. )
Despite some rare incidents, I don't think that Heat-sinks really pose a big problem.
I'm more concerned about mounting thing with mecanical decopling ( Is that how you spell it? ).
The whole idea is not to have anything hard retaining parts that cause vibrations. Usually, those parts are also the heaviests, and therefore require a solid fixture.
I do agree with WayneSim that people are lazy when it comes to moving a computer. Personnaly, I find that the longest part of packing a box for a LAN party is unplugging and packing all the wires required for my box. Since wires are always accessible and neat and tiddy, it takes no time at all!
I also agree that P4 and A64 sockets are more resistant than SocketA, however, the processors for those sockets generaly generate more heat and cost a lot more.
My new box
In answer to polaris comments, here is what's going into my new box :
- Antec Sonata : Not small, but I think it's a good starting point to build a silent PC. I intend to add accoustic damping merterial to all the free surfaces. I'm pobably going to try a couple of HD mouting techniques.
- AMD Athlon XP 2500+ : Descent performance, low price, and not too much heat.
- Zalman 7000 Al/Cu : Pretty much as quiet as you can get for a HSF.
For the sake of complete information, here are the other components even if they don't have a lot of impact on tempreture and noise :
- ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe rev. 2
- 2 x Kingston PC2700 HyperX 256MB
- Adaptec AHA-2940 SCSI Host adaptor ( for the CRW-2200S )
Here are the thing that are going to need some modding to wrok silently :
- Quantum Fireball AS 40 GB : It's not too loud, but it does produce a high pitch whine, and the seek noise is audible in my current system. The 2 seagate Baracuda ( 1x120GB Baracuda V, 1x120GB Baracuda 7200.7 ) in my server make less noise than the Quantum drive. I might buy another seagate drive for my workstation, but I'll try silencing the Quantum drive first.
- MSI GeForce 3 TI200 : It's the most anoying thing in my current setup. The stupid sleeve fan is making an high pitch rattling noise and a terrible whine. I think I will build some kind of custum bracket to mount a panaflo fan in front of the card.
- Yamaha CRW2200S : It's pretty quiet for normal operation ( like reading a movie from a CD ), but when I'm burning or when I'm copying data from a disk it can get pretty loud. The noise is high pitch and there is almost no vibration at all. It think that accousting damping material applyed to the side of the drive and the door of the Sonata should do the trick.
- Pioneer DVD-116 : That drive has it all : vibrations and high pitch whine. mecanical decoupling and noise damping material is required to silence this sucker.
It think that is pretty much it. I'm gonna tweak that box for the ultimate level of silence possible. I'm already thinking about ducks, and methods to fix the HD. I just don't want to sacrifice mobility and I don't want noise... This is gonna be a taugh one 
- Antec Sonata : Not small, but I think it's a good starting point to build a silent PC. I intend to add accoustic damping merterial to all the free surfaces. I'm pobably going to try a couple of HD mouting techniques.
- AMD Athlon XP 2500+ : Descent performance, low price, and not too much heat.
- Zalman 7000 Al/Cu : Pretty much as quiet as you can get for a HSF.
For the sake of complete information, here are the other components even if they don't have a lot of impact on tempreture and noise :
- ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe rev. 2
- 2 x Kingston PC2700 HyperX 256MB
- Adaptec AHA-2940 SCSI Host adaptor ( for the CRW-2200S )
Here are the thing that are going to need some modding to wrok silently :
- Quantum Fireball AS 40 GB : It's not too loud, but it does produce a high pitch whine, and the seek noise is audible in my current system. The 2 seagate Baracuda ( 1x120GB Baracuda V, 1x120GB Baracuda 7200.7 ) in my server make less noise than the Quantum drive. I might buy another seagate drive for my workstation, but I'll try silencing the Quantum drive first.
- MSI GeForce 3 TI200 : It's the most anoying thing in my current setup. The stupid sleeve fan is making an high pitch rattling noise and a terrible whine. I think I will build some kind of custum bracket to mount a panaflo fan in front of the card.
- Yamaha CRW2200S : It's pretty quiet for normal operation ( like reading a movie from a CD ), but when I'm burning or when I'm copying data from a disk it can get pretty loud. The noise is high pitch and there is almost no vibration at all. It think that accousting damping material applyed to the side of the drive and the door of the Sonata should do the trick.
- Pioneer DVD-116 : That drive has it all : vibrations and high pitch whine. mecanical decoupling and noise damping material is required to silence this sucker.
It think that is pretty much it.
I'm gonna tweak that box for the ultimate level of silence possible. I'm already thinking about ducks, and methods to fix the HD. I just don't want to sacrifice mobility and I don't want noise... This is gonna be a taugh one