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Making an old pc useful...

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  • 21-03-2007 1:39pm
    #1
    joe_chicken
    Registered Users Posts: 1,287 ✭✭✭


    I'm looking to make an old PC (a socket 754 AMD based machine) into a file server...

    Problem is, it's very loud.
    The PSU is only 360Ws, but I'd be willing to upgrade that...

    Could anyone suggest the best cooling for this machine considering I'm not planning on overclocking and looking for it to be as quiet as possible?

    I haven't really messed with cooling before (i.e. followed instructions on the back of heat-sinks/fans) but all suggestions welcome,

    Thanks.


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    #2
    DirkVoodoo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,504 ✭✭✭✭DirkVoodoo


    A PC is only as quiet as the loudest component, stating the obvious I know, but its true.

    Good quiet PSUs would be Seasonics or Tagans, they use slow spinning 120mm fans.

    Google around for other quiet hardware: coolers like zalmans, samsung hard drives, passively cooled graphics cards and motherboards.

    A good air cooling solution should suit you fine, check out silentpcreview, anandtech and extremetech for reviews.


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    #3
    L31mr0d
    Registered Users Posts: 8,067 ✭✭✭L31mr0d


    crack open the psu and replace the fan with a quiet one, be sure to ground out the PSU for at least 24 hours before hand though, while your at it, replace the fan on top of the CPU as well. Also i'm guessing if its old the HDDs are going to be making a lot of seek noises, see if the drives support AAM then use the Hitachi HD tool to turn the Seek noise right down low if they do. Also if your current PC and network supports Gigalan it might be an idea investing in a cheap GigaLan card for your file server.


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    #4
    joe_chicken
    Registered Users Posts: 1,287 ✭✭✭joe_chicken


    L31mr0d wrote:
    crack open the psu and replace the fan with a quiet one, be sure to ground out the PSU for at least 24 hours before hand though

    Hadn't thought of that... how easy is it to do that?
    and what kind of fan would I need?
    L31mr0d wrote:
    Also i'm guessing if its old the HDDs are going to be making a lot of seek noises, see if the drives support AAM then use the Hitachi HD tool to turn the Seek noise right down low if they do.

    Hmm... the hdd noise is not bad compared to the psu and cpu fans, looking to get them quiet first... nice trick though!


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    #5
    L31mr0d
    Registered Users Posts: 8,067 ✭✭✭L31mr0d


    joe_chicken wrote:
    Hadn't thought of that... how easy is it to do that?
    and what kind of fan would I need?



    Hmm... the hdd noise is not bad compared to the psu and cpu fans, looking to get them quiet first... nice trick though!

    See, but how bad is their noise going to be when your PSU and CPU are quiet?

    As for the fan replacement, its a doddle, if you can do a bit of simple soldering. Most PSU fans aren't connected using one of those 3 pin connectors, they are hardwired into the PSU, just cut the cable going to the stock fan, screw in your new fan then solder the power and gnd connections from your new fan into the old ones and your done.


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    #6
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    if its gona be a file server, TBH, sell it and buy an older PII/PIII computer, some drives and a SATA card. More bang for your buck.


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    #7
    L31mr0d
    Registered Users Posts: 8,067 ✭✭✭L31mr0d


    SouperComputer wrote:
    if its gona be a file server, TBH, sell it and buy an older PII/PIII computer, some drives and a SATA card. More bang for your buck.

    ... and a gigalan card, i'd hate to have a fileserver and have to move more than a few gigs across a 10/100. I would of recommended the above but i'm thinking the OP wants to make the most of what he has.


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    #8
    joe_chicken
    Registered Users Posts: 1,287 ✭✭✭joe_chicken


    Don't really want to sell it, it's got sentimental value :)

    Haven't completely decided on a file server yet, it depends on how quiet I can get it! :)

    I've just discovered that it's actually my graphics card that's making a large part of the noise

    It's a 9800 pro, and the fan on it is crap...

    Was looking at replacing the fan, but then saw:
    http://komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=315783
    It seems to be passive?! can't really find much info on it...

    Anyone any good suggestions for a quiet (silent if possible) agp card?


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    #9
    L31mr0d
    Registered Users Posts: 8,067 ✭✭✭L31mr0d


    Does the mobo have onboard? Also if its a fileserver it can be headless, just set it in the BIOS to auto power up after a power failure, install something like Ultra VNC or WinVNC (or set up a VPN connection if you know how) and you will be able to access the computer remotely over the network without there being a need to have a graphics card in it at all.


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