Quiet Core 2 Duo, Solo, Ninja, Gigabyte DS3, SilentPipe VGA

wowimsocute · Post by **wowimsocute** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:54 am

After much reading, debating, and obsessing, I have finally bought everything and put everything together. I am writing this to "myself." I think I would have found some of these comments useful, so maybe someone else would too. I know this is a big post, but I like my new quiet computer. I'd love to read comments or answer questions, if any. The components:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 ($181.99)
CPU HSF: Scythe Ninja Plus Rev. B 1100p ($47.95)
Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver 5
Case: Antec Solo ($69.99)
Power Supply: Seasonic S12-380 ($69.99)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-965G-DS3 ($144.99)
Video Card: Gigabyte GV-NX76T256D-RH ($159.99)
RAM: Kingston Value RAM PC4200 2GB (2x1GB) ($179.99)
Intake Fan: Nexus Real Silent 92mm ($12.49)
DVDR: Pioneer DVR-111D
Hard Drive: Seagate 400GB
Misc: Case Fan Screws

Subtotal: $1001.14
Grand Total: $1094.88

Some of the parts:

Notes: I bought the 965G-DS3 for the integrated graphics even though I am not using it now. It was basically the same price, so why not? Scored a pretty good deal on the Seagate too.

Views of the build:

Notes: After I was done, I noticed that installed the Ninja fan clip holder thingie the wrong way (compared to other pictures in the gallery). I might change it around later, if I have other stuff to do. At some point in the future, I may get a rounded IDE cable for my DVDR.

Ninja bracket on the CPU Socket:

Notes: Before mounting the CPU and Ninja, I placed the Ninja bracket on the socket and looky, it collides with some inductors.

Applying Arctic Silver:

Notes: This was the initial amount I put on the CPU. I placed the Ninja on top and swiveled it to try to spread it. I did not push super hard, so the resulting circle of paste was not that large. I ended up adding about 50% more, and then the squished circle of paste was larger, but it still didn't cover the whole IHS. In retrospect, that first drop would probably have been enough after securing the Ninja pushpins and adding pressure. Based on my temperatures, however, it doesn't seem the extra AS5 had a horrible effect on cooling.

Filed Ninja bracket + ninja/cpu installed (first pic is not fully installed):

Notes: I took a big old file and filed away at one side of the Ninja bracket. It took me about 10-15 minutes and it wasn't that difficult at all. It didn't occur to me to take a picture of the bracket on the socket after the filing, so I don't have a picture.

Ninja Pictures:

Notes: Like other users have mentioned, the thing is pretty darn big. I installed it in the motherboard while it was out of the case and it wasn't that bad. I could see how it would be fairly difficult to install while in the case. Also, I had to put the Seasonic in the upper area (not screwed in) before I put the motherboard in because else it wouldn't have gone in easily. And remember to plug in the 12V before screwing in the power supply; it's hard to stick your fingers in there. The fan blocks access to one of the DIMM slots. Removing to fan to put a DIMM in is not too bad. Replacing the fan while in the case is not that bad either (even though I put it in the wrong way).

I have a Revision B, and used that bracket thing with 4 pushpins. The pushpins were fairly easy to use because the motherboard was out of the case. It took force to push the pushpins down, but nothing like the Athlon XP stock HSF from 5 years ago. (I remember pushing HARD with a screwdriver.) The ram was harder for me to push in than the four pushpins.

Fans:
I love Speedfan. It controls your fans!

I have the Antec Tri-cool exhaust on low all the time. I can hear a little bit of noise, but I'm not sure whether it is because it is fan noise (friction?) or air flow noise. I may change that with a Nexus later. If someone does read this, is there something similar to the Tri-cool switch to control the speed of a Nexus via molex? I have no more 3-pin sockets on the motherboard. I guess I could remove the Ninja fan altogether and just use that socket.

The Scythe fan on the Ninja is pretty quiet; you can hear it sort of whine when it is 100%. But again, I'm not sure if it is the fan or the noise generated from the air travelling through the fins.

My Nexus Real Silent 92mm is not pictured, but is in the top position in front of the Solo. The fan is really quiet, but at 100%, I can definitely hear a whooshing from all the air going in.

Overall, the system is quiet. Usually my typing drowns out the low Tri-cool, and when the fans have to spin up, I'm gaming or something. It's pretty good. I've been spoiled because I have been using a laptop which is virtually no noise. But this one is much more powerful.

Core Temperatures:
According to Speedfan (Load=dual instances of Prime95), and me messing around:

Tricool=Low, Scythe=0%, Nexus=0%
Idle=35/37C, Load=53/53C

Tricool=Low, Scythe=60%, Nexus=60% (Sounds same as 0% to me)
Idle=34/36C, Load=48/50C

Tricool=Low, Scythe=100%, Nexus=100%
Idle=33/35C, Load=48/48C

Tricool=High, Scythe=100%, Nexus=100%
Idle=31/34C, Load=45/45C
The Tricool on High is unbearable though.

Tricool=High, Scythe=0%, Nexus=0%
Idle=32/34C, Load=45/46C

Gigabyte 7600GT Silent Pipe:
I haven't really played any games other than Need for Speed Carbon, but it seems like it works well. According the Nvidia Control panel, it idles 40-41 degrees. Right now, it is at 44, after some racing. When I just exit a game, it says about 51 degrees. It does not require a PCI-E power connector.

Misc
The Seagate has seek noise, but it doesn't bother me. I cut myself three times; on the third time, I only realized I cut myself (from the Ninja fins) when I tried to pick up a screw and it was slippery because of my blood. Well, sweat also went into this build because I had to file away at that Ninja. The RAM I bought from frys was defective (open box, no bright orange label) and I found that out when it gave me errors installing windows; I saved myself headache by having a copy of Memtest available and that told me right away it was defective. The replacement I got had a bright orange open box label, but worked perfectly.

johnc · Post by **johnc** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:57 pm

Nicely done.

Have you checked the hard drive temperature?

johnc · Post by **johnc** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:57 pm

Nicely done.

Have you checked the hard drive temperature?

cainester · Post by **cainester** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 6:42 am

Nice rig. I have nearly the same setup as you do. DS3, Antec Solo with the C2D brain. One thing I am curious is that how did you manage to get Speedfan to work with this setup, cos mine doesn't?

What version Speedfan are you using and did you have to do anything in particular to make it work? How did you setup the fan controls in the Bios?

Thanks

wowimsocute · Post by **wowimsocute** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:20 am

johnc wrote: Have you checked the hard drive temperature?

on this seagate, it ranges anywhere from 26-37C. Usually hovers about 34-35. I haven't tried putting load on it because I'm not sure how.

cainester wrote: What version Speedfan are you using and did you have to do anything in particular to make it work? How did you setup the fan controls in the Bios?

i am using Speedfan 4.32 beta 4 (for C2D support). If you go here, register, and then you can dl the beta. Speedfan did not work at first; in the BIOS, you have to disable the automatic fan control. Speedfan can only control fans that are attached via 3-pin connectors. I have a nexus, and I accidently connected both the 3-pin and the molex; the molex will cause the fan to go 100%, so disconnect that.

thespeakerbox · Post by **thespeakerbox** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:56 am

You applied the AS5 on wrong. Do a line between both cores.

kater · Post by **kater** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:15 am

thespeakerbox wrote:You applied the AS5 on wrong. Do a line between both cores.

wrong? he did it ok, look at his temps. that's all that matters. anyway, there are as many ways to put it as there ppl putting it. there's even an official step-by-step guide by AC (on its website, and also discussed here, somewhere*). i like to use a razor blade, the kind my grandpa used, ppl use credit cards, ppl don't use anything but just put the heatsink on and it takes care of everything. and with dual cores and x2 there's the issue of sample variance - some ihs caps are placed more evenly, some not

anyway, cute boy, i like your rig (mine being relatively different), like the pics, good job,

*over the rainbow

wpb · Post by **wpb** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:05 pm

Nice rig. I have a similar system: Solo with C2D 6300.

You got a great price on the Solo. I bought mine at Fry's for $99.

I replaced my Tri-Cool with a Nexus 120mm. The Tri-Cool was a little louder to my ears, but the Tri-Cool has much better air flow than the Nexus. My temps actually went up 2C when I installed the Nexus. Of course the Nexus is super quiet since it's moving lesser air. I'm going to stay with the Nexus fan.

I was wondering about the Ninja mod. Thanks for sharing that. I installed a XP-90 HSF because I wasn't sure about the Ninja compatibility with my D975XBX MB. I'm very happy with the XP-90. Dropped my temps almost 10C and it's very quiet with a Nexus 92mm. I'll probably end up replacing the XP-90 with a Ninja (passive, no fan) sooner or later.

Don't know if the AS5 application is a big deal, but the AS website has a good description of how to apply the paste...it's a straight line between the cores.

Next up for me is a fan controller for my HSF. It's quiet, but I think I can make it even quieter at lower volts.

Enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing.

LucIyer · Post by **LucIyer** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 12:07 am

how does the ninja fit with the pushpins? does it feel secure, secure enough to take to a lan or on the road without major precautions? i read on some other forums that the pushpins are insecure, but i wanted to know your opinion since i saw your pictures.

Carlos E. Martinez · Post by **Carlos E. Martinez** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 3:44 am

wpb wrote:I was wondering about the Ninja mod. Thanks for sharing that. I installed a XP-90 HSF because I wasn't sure about the Ninja compatibility with my D975XBX MB. I'm very happy with the XP-90. Dropped my temps almost 10C and it's very quiet with a Nexus 92mm. I'll probably end up replacing the XP-90 with a Ninja (passive, no fan) sooner or later.

Your comments and wowimsocute's description of his assembly procedures are very informative.

I opened a thread on another section:

viewtopic.php?t=36068

But no one came say a word yet.

My concerns are for low noise and cool performance, and I also considered the XP90 and the Ninja to cool-down the CPU..

As I will be buying from Newegg, but to be delivered abroad, I have to gather as much information as possible before any purchase. It would be very complicated sending anything for an exchange.

Case, supply and heatsink, as well as fans, are the key issues. So what to go for that fulfills my requirements?

Have a look at the suggested assembly below:

http://www.videoguys.com/DIY5.html

They used a Thermaltake case that is aluminum, which has been comented in SPCR as being more noise-prone than steel.

The Thermaltake PS they used is not listed as tested in SPCR, so I don't know how noisy it is, though the detachable cables are a good thing.

And we get to the main noise source usually, which is the heatsink. On that assembly that is not even mentioned, so my guess is they used the original Intel. I don't think it would provide enough cooling.

Wowimsocute's comments on the Ninja and what he got are very interesting. I don't think I can get away with a fanless HS, Ninja or any other, because of my application, so I will have to add a 120mm fan for it.

I thought I could get away with the XP90, but your comments seem to indicate something larger may be in order.

The Thermalright HR-01 seems to be another option, easier to install than the Ninja, though it's also quite tall. This coolers are getting ridiculous!

So what would be the ideal combination of case, ps and HSF?

wpb · Post by **wpb** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:20 am

I thought I could get away with the XP90, but your comments seem to indicate something larger may be in order.

Carlos,

I'm very happy with the XP-90. The only reason I said I may change it to a Ninja is to go totally passive. I keep changing my mind, since again I'm very pleased with the performance with the XP-90. I really like the fact that the fan on the XP-90 is pushing a nice volume of air over the CPU and MB.

I think the XP-90 is a hot commodity (no pun intended). It's kind of hard to find. It's been out of stock at Newegg for weeks. I ended purchasing it at Cooler Guys, and last time I checked they are now out of stock.

IMO, I'd go with the XP-90 if your not going to go totally passive.

Bill

wowimsocute · Post by **wowimsocute** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:39 am

LucIyer wrote:how does the ninja fit with the pushpins? does it feel secure, secure enough to take to a lan or on the road without major precautions? i read on some other forums that the pushpins are insecure, but i wanted to know your opinion since i saw your pictures.

i put the ninja on before i put the motherboard in the case. before that, i remember picking up the mobo/cpu/ninja by holding the ninja. in retrospect, that was a horrible idea because of the potential for disaster. since i did it anyway, i will say i did not notice any wobbly-ness and it seems secure enough (but then again, i did not wave it around.) I really didn't test the security because it is going to stay under my desk. it is not going to just pop out on its own, but something may happen if you put it in a car with a whole lot of bumps. i feel like if you laid your computer flat (ninja perpendicular to the ground), it would be okay in a car.

note: if i were going to take my solo anywhere, i would DEFINITELY screw-mount my hard drive. i am pretty sure it would fly out if it were suspended the way it is now.

Carlos E. Martinez wrote:Wowimsocute's comments on the Ninja and what he got are very interesting. I don't think I can get away with a fanless HS, Ninja or any other, because of my application, so I will have to add a 120mm fan for it.

I think you could still use the Ninja, but just buy a very quiet 120mm fan. The one that comes with the Ninja is not all that bad. as long as you have the motherboard out of the case, the new ninja is not that difficult to install. place cpu, add thermal paste, place ninja, push pushpins in.

wpb wrote:I'll probably end up replacing the XP-90 with a Ninja (passive, no fan) sooner or later.

you might want to try using the original fan at half speed or so. it may end up being effectively inaudible and it might be worth a couple of degrees. I can't hear mine at 60%.

Carlos E. Martinez · Post by **Carlos E. Martinez** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:04 am

wowimsocute wrote:i put the ninja on before i put the motherboard in the case. before that, i remember picking up the mobo/cpu/ninja by holding the ninja. in retrospect, that was a horrible idea because of the potential for disaster. since i did it anyway, i will say i did not notice any wobbly-ness and it seems secure enough (but then again, i did not wave it around.)

That speaks very well for the way the Ninja was designed (and your installation, of course).

I think you could still use the Ninja, but just buy a very quiet 120mm fan. The one that comes with the Ninja is not all that bad. as long as you have the motherboard out of the case, the new ninja is not that difficult to install. place cpu, add thermal paste, place ninja, push pushpins in.

This your comment and that above puts the Ninja once again at the top of my HSF list. With the XP-90 close behind, though I know it's hard to to find.

There would be a Nexus fan to cool it, probably connected to a frontal control to slow or cut it down, for situations when I need less work from the CPU.

note: if i were going to take my solo anywhere, i would DEFINITELY screw-mount my hard drive. i am pretty sure it would fly out if it were suspended the way it is now.

What is wrong with the HDs being suspended? Do they slide freely? That shouldn't happen really. Elastic suspension seems to be a good way to let air flow freely through the HDs.

But how would you do the HD assembly now?

wowimsocute · Post by **wowimsocute** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 12:39 pm

Carlos E. Martinez wrote:What is wrong with the HDs being suspended? Do they slide freely? That shouldn't happen really. Elastic suspension seems to be a good way to let air flow freely through the HDs.
But how would you do the HD assembly now?

here is what it looks like in the hard drive area in the solo. this is not my image. (it is from viewtopic.php?t=35076 from replay0) you can see the elastic bands. my hard drive in there like the notebook drive. i could easily push it out, but won't just randomly slip out (unless i was driving somewhere) i don't know how much noise screwing the drive adds, but i might do it that way if i had to do it again.

crypt0r · Post by **crypt0r** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 3:30 am

I'm planning to also do a DS3 / Ninja setup.

I have never heard that filing down the Ninja was necessary for this motherboard. Can you please elaborate?

In this thread, viewtopic.php?t=35732, the JohnC stated that no modifications were necessary to the Ninja.

wowimsocute · Post by **wowimsocute** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 1:51 pm

crypt0r wrote:I'm planning to also do a DS3 / Ninja setup.

I have never heard that filing down the Ninja was necessary for this motherboard. Can you please elaborate?

In this thread, viewtopic.php?t=35732, the JohnC stated that no modifications were necessary to the Ninja.

It sounds like JohnC had the first revision of the Ninja which used several pieces: one under the motherboard, and a pair of retention clips on top to which the ninja attached. like so:

see this picture again. this is the Rev B. bracket for socket 775 cpus. that metal thing screws to the ninja body, then you use the pushpins to attach it to the motherboard (without an underside plate). near the bottom of the screen, you can see the round part of the bracket on top of some black inductors (?) i had to file away at that round part to get them not to touch. see some pictures in the OP to see the clearance.

also note that i have the gigabyte 965G-DS3. this version has integrated graphics (not using it). the layout on the 965P version might be different.

crypt0r · Post by **crypt0r** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:24 am

Thanks for the reply. Everything is much clearer now. I'm beginning to think that other people are just ignoring the contact, since I haven't heard of any issues with it aside from here.

Here's a post of a ninja revB/ds3 install without mention of complications:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1115592