Computer Cooling Questions

[Justin Kirkham]

I have a dell, which is stock as far as the hardware goes. Right now I am running HDD thermometer with a two day log to monitor the computer temperature. Usually I am running around 113*F (45*C), but on the hot days it gets up to 122*F (50*C). From my understanding, this is a little high, but is still within the upper limits of the safe range. Is this correct? ((My computer is always running with a fairly full load, since I have Grid.org distributed on at all times.))

Secondly, I would like to add an additional fan to my computer if this would help to lower the temperature of the hard drive. I want one that will be quiet, because as of right now, my computer is silent, no matter what it is doing or if the fans are on or not. SO, can you guys help me out? What are the good fans, how easy is it to do, etc?

I'm NOT planning on doing anything big to my computer. I would like to add an additional fan into the empty slop that I have below my cd drives, if that is possible. Computer Pictures

-Justin

[95Batmobile]

www.3dcool.com
http://www.nexfan.com/

[eXzodious]

Originally posted by Justin Kirkham:
I have a dell, which is stock as far as the hardware goes. Right now I am running HDD thermometer with a two day log to monitor the computer temperature. Usually I am running around 113*F (45*C), but on the hot days it gets up to 122*F (50*C). From my understanding, this is a little high, but is still within the upper limits of the safe range. Is this correct? ((My computer is always running with a fairly full load, since I have Grid.org distributed on at all times.))

Secondly, I would like to add an additional fan to my computer if this would help to lower the temperature of the hard drive. I want one that will be quiet, because as of right now, my computer is silent, no matter what it is doing or if the fans are on or not. SO, can you guys help me out? What are the good fans, how easy is it to do, etc?

I'm NOT planning on doing anything big to my computer. I would like to add an additional fan into the empty slop that I have below my cd drives, if that is possible. [URL=.[/URL]

-Justin

That’s perfectly fine, you got to expect that with OEM machines like Dell they are made to be quiet… the CPU's danger zone is around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. It's a Pentium 4 so it should be very easy to change out you don’t have to worry about cracking a CPU die like on the Athlon since the Pentium 4 has a heat spreader. I really wouldn’t worry about temperature the CPU will throttle it's speed to protect it self from overheating but if you really want to put a good heat sink on their go with something that has a copper base and a high flow fan, have fun!

[95Batmobile]

Originally posted by eXzodious:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Justin Kirkham:
I have a dell, which is stock as far as the hardware goes. Right now I am running HDD thermometer with a two day log to monitor the computer temperature. Usually I am running around 113*F (45*C), but on the hot days it gets up to 122*F (50*C). From my understanding, this is a little high, but is still within the upper limits of the safe range. Is this correct? ((My computer is always running with a fairly full load, since I have Grid.org distributed on at all times.))

Secondly, I would like to add an additional fan to my computer if this would help to lower the temperature of the hard drive. I want one that will be quiet, because as of right now, my computer is silent, no matter what it is doing or if the fans are on or not. SO, can you guys help me out? What are the good fans, how easy is it to do, etc?

I'm NOT planning on doing anything big to my computer. I would like to add an additional fan into the empty slop that I have below my cd drives, if that is possible. [URL=.[/URL]

-Justin

That’s perfectly fine, you got to expect that with OEM machines like Dell they are made to be quiet… the CPU's danger zone is around 160 degrees Fahrenheit. It's a Pentium 4 so it should be very easy to change out you don’t have to worry about cracking a CPU die like on the Athlon since the Pentium 4 has a heat spreader. I really wouldn’t worry about temperature the CPU will throttle it's speed to protect it self from overheating but if you really want to put a good heat sink on their go with something that has a copper base and a high flow fan, have fun! </font>[/QUOTE]LOL he was asking about hard drives, not the CPU [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/twak.gif[/img]

[eXzodious]

Doh hard drive...I'm sorry I overlooked it usually no one worries about hard drive temp look at one of these http://www.cluboverclocker.com/revie...t/airmaxx_pro/ you can get one made by Antec at Comp USA for around 20 bucks. Usually in Dells there is no heat sink fan combo on the CPU they use a huge heat sink on the CPU and a case fan with a green plastic air deflector I would take all the crap out and replace it with a good CPU heat sink / fan combo that way the air flow isn’t restrictive inside the case leave the old 80mm fan in place if you can and get one for the front of the case so you have a air tunnel effect that goes through the case, low to high.

[ July 20, 2004, 10:01 PM: Message edited by: eXzodious ]

[speedracer95v6]

You can get ball bearing fans and stuff from tigerdirect.com pretty cheap. I would just look around their site (cooling products) or go to a cooling specific site.

Before I water cooled my system, I was running 3 80mm fans, 2 92mm fans, and the processor fan. It sounded like a jet engine. I now have 2 80mm fans and the 2 92mm fans are on the inside of my radiator(it deadens the sound). It is half as loud and twice as cool.

Oh yeah, as far as processor cooling, if you have the room for it (I didn't cause my power supply was in the way) get a thermaltake volcano or something (whichever works on an intel). I just put a volcano 12 in a friends system(full copper heatsink, variable AND adjustable fan speed - via a nob on the front or back of case) and with an athlon 2200+ he only runs around 35-38 degrees on the medium setting. Really a good fan setup.

[Justin Kirkham]

soo... I have been looking at some of these sites, and here is what I have come up with. I can get This Fan, and that should cool my computer off if I do nothing else? I am kinda confused by this all, so any "Idiot's Guides" would be really helpful.

-Justin

P.S. That unit is a heat sink and a fan, both, right?

[98Camaro3.8]

Originally posted by Justin Kirkham:
P.S. That unit is a heat sink and a fan, both, right?

Did you even read the page? It says in like 2 or 3 different places that it has both a heatsink and a fan.

[Justin Kirkham]

Ok, perhaps I should rephrase the question. Is the unit I linked to an adequate heat sink and fan? Or is it not enough of a fan, not enough of a heat sink, etc?

-Justin

[98Camaro3.8]

Here's a couple reviews of it:
http://www.thetechzone.com/reviews/c...ate_hd_cooler/
http://www.thinktechie.com/reviews.php?id=25
http://www.slcentral.com/reviews/har...uhdc/print.php


IMHO, I wouldn't worry too much about your hard drive temps. Have you tried Motherboard Monitor to check your CPU temps? That's much more important than HDD.

I have 2 intake fans, 1 exhaust fan, 2 fans on the power supply, an OCZ Gladiator on the CPU, and another fan on the graphics card. Coupled with some good thermal paste on the CPU and Northbridge and you'll never have to worry about temps.

[95Batmobile]

Originally posted by Justin Kirkham:
soo... I have been looking at some of these sites, and here is what I have come up with. I can get This Fan, and that should cool my computer off if I do nothing else? I am kinda confused by this all, so any "Idiot's Guides" would be really helpful.

-Justin

P.S. That unit is a heat sink and a fan, both, right?

That is everything you need and is more than adequate.

You might also want to consider one of these:
http://www.3dcool.com/?module=produc...fanBallBearing
When you bring air in, you need to let air out, just like a car.
Sometimes putting a bunch of fans blowing air into the computer can be bad if you don't have anything to let all of the hot air out. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Those Slot fans work great... I have one in my computer [img]smile.gif[/img]

This one looks cool too:
http://www.3dcool.com/?module=product&sku=TwinTurbo

[Justin Kirkham]

Thanks! I will be buying a slot fan, and the ultimate HD cooler, and I will let you guys know how it goes. Also, I am getting that motherboard monitor too.

-Justin

[95Batmobile]

Originally posted by Justin Kirkham:
Thanks! I will be buying a slot fan, and the ultimate HD cooler, and I will let you guys know how it goes. Also, I am getting that motherboard monitor too.

-Justin

Hey dude, I have one of these:
http://www.3dcool.com/?module=produc...igitalDoc5plus

Would you be interested in it?

[Justin Kirkham]

Probably not, just because I only have slot, and that will be taken up by that 'ultimate' cooler, will it not?

Also, I tried to get the motherboard monitor working, and I cannot find my motherboard on the list of supported boards. Am I just stupid? I have an Intel Mainboard D845EPT2 Pendleton 2.

-Justin

[Justin Kirkham]

Crap! I don't think that the ultimate cooler will fit in my case! I have 4 slots, 3 of which are taken. Two of them have CD drives, and one has a floppy disk drive. ((Pictures are in the link in my first post.)) I have another empty slot, but it isn't tall enough! It is a 5.25" slot, but it is only 30mm tall.... so the ultimate cooler won't fit, since it has fans that are 40x40x20mm, right? This means that I can still get a slot fan, but that I will have to get a lower profile unit for the HD like This.
Thanks for all the help! I'm learning... slowly...

-Justin