Tips for making PC quieter?

Rev

Right, I was apparently wrong about the CPU cooler. I entered the BIOS to see if I could lower the speed and it was running at 3000RPM, obviously it was working overtime. When last I checked it was between 2100 and 2300. I changed the settings and had it running 1500RMP, and is much quieter, so there's the culprit. but my CPU was idling at 46° and I'm not really happy about that.

I changed everything back to auto and figured I'd just ask for help here. Since I don't understand the BIOS settings 100% so I'm hoping someone can enlighten me so I don't blow anything up.

Here's what's in the list of options

CPU Fan Speed (Currently 1520)

CPU Q-fan control (obviously enabled)

CPU Fan ratio (I have this set to auto, because I'm not sure what it does, but it can be set to anything from 90% to 20%)

CPU Target temperature (Lowest option is 35°)

So can anyone tell me what these would be best set at?

Thanks

ormus

keep playing with the fan speed control until you get nr the lowest temp setting.
35 is ok. ish.

Rev

Amalea wrote: »

Whats the graphics card? Silent heatsinks can be an issue on powerful cards-putting more strain on other fans. Personally with only two fans I'd be wondering if they are having to work harder as there is less air flow in the case.

Sorry didn't see this. It's a Nvidia 7300GT, I don't game so at all so I got the cheapest card they had in with a silent heatsink. Went for silent because every card I've had before it with a fan, the fan has gone wrong.

Swan_2

bookduck wrote: »

I would not do this. Buy new fans. Oiling fans is often a temporary fix. Most fans are designed not to be oiled and causes the fan to be deadly silent, as in oil acts as a dust magnet causing the fan to stick and seize

the friend who did this for me builds top-end silent systems & he's done it many times for me & others who've had noisy fan problems

he does it very carefully, cleaning first & replacing the bearing covers, no-one's ever had any problems afterwards

perhaps I shouldn't have suggested it as an amateur fix

NastyMatt

What you may have is because you have so few fans in your case the cpu fan is working overtime to keep it cool. Getting a fan control will not help as you will lower the speed to get it quiet and then the cpu will heat up and crash your system.

I'd actually suggest getting MORE fans. Get a couple of case fans that are 120mm each.. they can rotate at 800rpm and create no noise. Anything below 20db is as good as silent.

Fans are cheap.. just remember you need an air flow across the board (bottom - top as heat rises). This will mean cooler air across your cpu (and intake temps for the cpu fan) meaning it can run at lower speeds.

spakkker

See this says your cpu is good for just over 60c. http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm
set your cpu target a bit higher and the fan will work less- ie. quieter.
With a non-stock cooler it shouldn't idle so high- I would re-seat the cooler on your cpu -check up methods on net, preferably from an overclockers forum because their cpu's will be getting hot and they know it.

BillScarab

Are you Maxtor discs the new ones? I found on my old PC that Maxtor drives caused a lot of noise and vibration. I downloaded a utility form their website and changed the disc speed from 100% to 99% and it made a massive difference to the nosie without affecting the performance in any noticable way.

Rev

Thanks. I'll order some case fans from quiet pc tonight and reseat the CPU fan when I install them and see if it makes a differance.

Can you remember the name of the Maxtor tool? One of them is new, one from my old PC.

ormus

is it maxblast from seagate.com?

Rev

I've been looking around trying to pick some decently priced quiet case fans and a few forums talk about them running at different vaults, and the noise level being affected depending on what vault the fan is running at. How exactly do you know what voltage it's running at? And change it if you want less noise.