Help me build a QUIET home server...please

[TomK]

Folks,

I have a Antec 1030B running and the noise is killing me in my small home office.....it's a stock configuration, with a cheapo cpu cooler.

My son is in need of a new machine anyhow, so I am going to move this AMD combo into his room, therefore I am looking to build the following:

A new server machine that is QUIET!

I'm not worried about the Intel vs AMD, I most likely will go with another AMD 1.4, but I am more concerned about having the quietest components available. Including Case and CPU Cooling devices, case fans, etc.

Please give me your opinions on what the quietest:

- Case is (or do I buy any case and change out the components, if so, with what?) Don't need a server size case, that weighs 100lbs, etc. Just something to hold 2 to 3 IDE's and a floppy/cdrom/burner/dvd, etc. BUT IT HAS TO BE QUIET!!! (I tell you how loud my current setup is???)
- CPU Cooler for a non-overclocker, most likely AMD 1.4 CPU possibly Intel 1GHz (I have one sitting here too)
- Case fans, which ones to go with what case?

The noise is driving me CRAZY!! Please help me!

Links would be appreciated too ;-)

I'm going to do my part for the economy this week, and buy this stuff.

Thanks,
Tom

God Bless America
Down with Terrorism

 

[Def]

If you like the Antec 1030 case, why don't you get another one of those and get some 21dB Panaflo case fans. Those should be very quiet. Then get the quietest CPU fan you can find that will let you run stable. I'd say a 28dB 19CFM Sanyo Denki fan would fit the bill on a good heatsink.

That should be more than bearable. And if it's still too loud, run 7V to the Panaflos and you'll be able to hear a pin drop over them.

Sound insulation might also an option.

 

[cirrus1]

Although I like AMD best, I would recommend an Intel setup if you are concerned with the noise. The P3 1ghz produces much less heat than any Athlon, and therefore doesn't need a very powerful cooling setup. You would still need some case fans since you have some HD's in there. Just get some low-noise quality fans from Panaflo or Papst, or run your existing fans at 5 or 7v. German Noise-Control produces some quiet cooling setups. I don't know if they are available were you live.

Follow the rig link in my sig an look at my main athlon system. You will see that I have some Papst fans in it.

Also be sure that your PSU is quiet. If you'll like you can replace the fan in the PSU to a quiter one.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

get an enermax whisper power supply, use a bunch of panaflos for the case, and for cpu, get a reaaally nice hs like a sk6 or that swiftech, and use a quiet fan on it.

 

[aidan]

Top fan for heatsinks is this Thermaltakewhich pushs 31CFM at 28dBA (60x60x25). Doing its work on my server (link below)

 

[cirrus1]

/me looks at aidan's server :Q Damn that thing is sweet Although I wonder what a GF2 GTS does in a server...

 

[Phinance]

The Panaflo L1A's are good for a quiet PC. I like the PC Power & Cooling Silencers better, though (they seem to move more air with less sound...). Anybody know where you can find that Thermaltake fan on-line? I haven't seen it, and I've got an SK-6 coming in a few days (weeks? years?).

If you can afford the cost, the new Alpha 8045 or Swiftech 462 both take an 80mm fan. It would be overkill from a cooling standpoint, but you can ditch the fan (probably a Delta) that comes with it for a quieter one without needing an adapter.

 

[mlchang]

How quiet do you mean by quiet?

If you really care, go with intel and you can use 19cm Sanyo Denkis, or quiet Panaflos, or *possibly* no fan at all, on your heatsink and not worry too much about heat, for a 1.4GHz TBird I don't know...

The thermaltake 60mm is "quieter" than the Y.S Techs, Deltas, etc...but I can still hear it across my room which is about 12' X 13'. It doesn't whine, so that's a big benefit, and it performs well. Plus, I have Sonex sound insulation lining my case...but you can't help the sound leaks from the various case fan holes on an unmodified Antec SX635. So what I hear is mostly the sound of air moving (relatively low frequency white noise, versus and mechanical or whining of fan blades moving through air...).

Enermax Whisper PSes are not "that" quiet either...when the 80mm and 92mm fans get going, it can actually be quite loud, no louder than most people's HSF, but if you had a quiet fan on your HS, then this power supply could very well be the loudest thing in your case.

Also, consider the Swiftech or Alpha once it is available with a quiet 80mm fan, plus the 80mm fans have different pitch to them...if you want quiet and performance you're going to have to pay...

Panaflo 80mm and 92mm L1A fans rock...very quiet. Mount them with a thin rubber washer in the Antec's fan mounts. It's a tight fit, but it helps reduce some vibration. Mount your hard drive with grommets. Damping material for vibrations, acoustic or barrier foam for noise. Cut out all the grills and replace them with chrome grills or if you can stand it no grill at all, just watch your fingers, pets, etc...

Remember the problem is moving air, you have to have it. And any hole to the outside world from the inside of your case will let sound out. The less air you move the quieter you will be. So the slower your fans, the quieter. The less openings in your case the quieter. It just comes down to how much performance you're willing to sacrifice.

Thermaltake 60mm at So-trickcomputers.com
Thermaltake 60mm at sidewindercomputers.com
bare MC-462 heatsink, add your own fan, at sidewindercomputers.com

Both are good dealers, have purchased from both and was very satisfied.

Michael

 

[sanz]

If you want a quiet server, and don't care about which CPU, then go for Intel. Anyone who says otherwise is biased.

For some thought on HSF issue.. this is from Overclockers Oz

The most interesting thing tonight is most definitely this video over on Tomshardware.de. It shows footage of testers removing the hs/f assembly from a few PC's running a Q3 loop. A 1.4GHz TBird, a 1.2GHz Palomino, 1.0GHz CUmine and a 2.0GHz P4 socket 423 all cop the treatment, and with very interesting consequences. The Intel CPU's don't get above 38 degrees and survive.. whereas both AMD CPU's head right up to 300 degrees, kill the motherboard and smoke themselves up pretty badly. Which is kind of strange.. I thought the Palomino had a thermal sensor to prevent this kind of thing? Anyway, thanks to Gary for pointing it out.