Noisy media center

[ThomasI]

I'm setting up a new media center and I'm not quite happy with the level of noise being emitted by the fans, so I hope to get some advice on how I might reduce this.

My system:
Case: Antec Fusion
Motherboard: Asus P5B-VM
CPU: Conroe E6600
RAM: 4GB total in 4 sticks: Kingston PC6400 ValueRAM KVR800D2N5K2/2G
Graphics: ASUS Geforce 7600GT HTDI 256 MB
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS 9500AT
GPU cooler: NorthQ 3851A
2 Samsung SATA drives
Tuner: DigitalEverywhere FloppyDTV DVB-C
OS: Vista Ultimate 32bit

With the lid off, the most noise seems to come from the Zalman CPU-cooler and from the 2 Antec TriCool 120mm case fans. The NorthQ GPU-cooler is almost inaudible and it almost always runs at 1300 rpm. The fan in the power supply is also quiet.

The CPU cooler is hooked up to the motherboard with a 4-pin PWM connector. The case fans each have a little switch with 3 speed settings and they are hooked up to the power supply directly and not to the motherboard. The switches are both set at the minimum setting.

I tried few trials. Ambient temp is 24 C:

Running at idle:
This gives a CPU Digital Temp (as measured by Intels Thermal Analysis Tool - TAT) of 31 C. Asus' PC Probe II reports Motherboard temp as 49 C. PC Probe also reports the CPU fan as running at about 1650 RPM.

Running at "ordinary" load (recording in media center as well as playing back another recording in media Player):
CPU Digital temp: 34 C. Motherboard temp: 49 C. CPU fan: still 1650 RPM.

Running at max load (using TAT):
CPU Digital temp: 49 C. Motherboard temp: 50 C. CPU fan: still 1650 RPM.

This brings me to my first concern and area I hope to improve: Why does the CPU fan run at constant RPM?? The PWM system and the Q-fan system in the BIOS should slow it down when it isn't needed so much. The "Q-fan"-setting in the BIOS is set to "Ultra Silent". This led me to repeat the tests above, this time with the CPU fan disconnected (so just functioning as a heatsink. The BIOS POST complains and I have to pres F1, but after this Vista boots happily:

Running at idle:
CPU Digital temp: 34 C. Motherboard temp: 47 C.

Running at "ordinary" load:
CPU Digital temp: 37 C. Motherboard temp: 47 C.

Running at max load (using TAT):
CPU Digital temp: 63 C. Motherboard temp: 47 C.

My next concern: The case fans are hooked up directly to the PSU and so cannot adjust automatically to system load. The Motherbord has a connection for a case fan which is not used. Could this somehow be used to slow the case fans down even further? To investigate the feasibility of this I tried disconnecting one of them and running the tests again. Still without the CPU fan. Results:

Running at idle:
CPU Digital temp: 37 C. Motherboard temp: 54 C.

Running at "ordinary" load (recording in media center as well as playing back another recording in media Player):
CPU Digital temp: 44 C. Motherboard temp: 55 C.

Running at max load (using TAT):
CPU Digital temp: 75 C. Motherboard temp: 55 C. gpu-fan 2400 rpm


All through this I have been using TAT for measuring CPU temps. Is this reasonable? And is there a max acceptable temp for an E6600 Conroe?'

An aside: The NorthQ GPU cooler came with a 3-pin plug, which fit an one of the motherboard fan headers. It didn't fit on the 2-pin header on the graphics card, where the original ASUS GPU-cooler was connected. During the tests above, the NorthQ fan has been connected to the case fan header on the motherboard, simply because that was more conveniently located than the power fan header. All through the tests PC Probe has reported the case fan (really the GPU fan) as spinning at about 1300 RPM, except at the hottest test. Suddenly it jumped to 2600 rpm. A bit silly: I would rather have the GPU fan respond to heavy GPU-load.

Any suggestions would be extremely welcome.

 

[darksidedragon]

You really should connect that Zalman back up. I think the max operating temperature of the C2D is 80C, but I wouldn't be comfortable with it above 60C really.
The case fans should probably be replaced by some Scythe S-Flex fans, but they'll cost you a fair bit. I don't really know about the GPU fan - perhaps you can get a 3-pin to 2-pin adapter.

 

[ThomasI]

I connected the zalman. Disconnecting it was just an experiment, mainly to see how much noise it contributed.

Elsewhere, I been made aware of SpeedFan to control the fans. Would that be a good bet for getting the Zalman to run slower when the system is idling? (I'm just now trying to figure out how to work SpeedFan)

Thanks for the 60C hint. I was completely clueless about healthy temps for the C2D.

Scythe lists the S-Flex at $20, so that's $40 for the pair. Peanuts compared to what I paid for the system and plenty worth it, if it helps. It looks like they just hook up straight to the PSU without being connectoed to the motherboard, which is how my current case fans are also connected. So how will they help? Are they simply more quiet? And wouldn't I be even better off, if I could find quiet case fans that are controllable by BIOS or SpeedFan?

Thanks!

 

[darksidedragon]

The S-Flex fans are the quietest fans I know. If you get the 800rpm rated ones, they run at a mere 8dB!!! Pretty damn quiet.

For the Zalman, see if you can get a Fanmate controller. As it's designed by Zalman, it should work easily in conjunction with the Zalman HSF.

 

[ThomasI]

Yeah, I looked at the S-Flex fans - they look nice! I guess at 8dB, they don't need to be temp controlled. I think I'll get them.

Hm. The fanmate controller has 3-pin connectors. and my zalman fan has a 4-pin. Not sure that will work. Also, I would much rather have the CPU-fan speed be automatically controlled (by BIOS or FanSpeed or whatever) than by a manual controller. Thanks for pointing it out though.