Rob Malpass wrote:
> Hi all
>
> Without wishing to resurrect a thread from earlier this week, my
> question is - Would removing the number of peripherals (e.g. one
> optical drive, one hard drive) inside the case reduce CPU
> temperature? Common sense tells me it should - but then again I
> didn't appreciate that keeping the case enclosed (i.e. not having any
> missing blanking plates) was also advisable - so perhaps my common
> sense ain't up to that much!!
Yup, hard drives and CD/DVD RWs kick out a fair amount of heat.
>
> I have a box which overheats regularly - but (being still a bit of a
> rookie with Linux) I don't like faffing about with the hardware
> configuration for fear of needing to reinstall - which I don't want to
> do. Aside from the overheating, it's a nice stable Ubuntu 7.04 install.
That really shouldn't be an issue - you can just comment out the piece
of hardware you remove in /etc/fstab. Obviously, that last statement
falls flat on its face if you remove the drive with the root partition
on it!
;)
>
> It might (as Sean suggested in an earlier thread this week) be to do
> with too many fans. I can give that a whizz but my main worry is
> that (given this was built around a pre-built motherboard bundle) -
> that the builders haven't done a great job with attaching the CPU fan
> to the CPU itself. Is there anything I can check for here without
> actually removing the fan?
Air flow is important, with a general rule of thumb being that fresh air
comes in at the front of the case near the bottom, and gets pushed out
of the rear of the case having passed over warm components. This flow
should also duct away heat expelled by drives and cards. You want to
avoid obstructions to this flow that will cause eddies and dead spots.
It could be that a variable speed fan on the rear of the case might be
the answer. I have a 120mm fan with a manual switch that permits me to
increase the speed of the fan as required through 3 stages, which
fortunately remains set to low, even during intensive gaming sessions.
One thing you can do is to ensure that the CPU fan is correctly mounted
and that there is the correct amount of thermal paste applied to it.
Another thing you could consider is a new, more efficient (and possibly
less noisy) cpu fan. Quiet PC [1] and Overclockers [2] are good for this
sort of thing. Be sure to check that any potential replacement is
suitable for your CPU, and also be aware of the fact that some require
you to remove the mobo to fit them. Overclockers usually point you to
detailed instruction manuals for each product.
If you're feeling especially flush give some thought to a swish new case
- I am very pleased with the two Antec cases I have bought of late: the
PSUs have ben quiet and efficient (with lower than average ratings hence
less heat and noise), and the internal design has been well thought out.
eBuyer are pretty good for cases, with lots of feedback on the products
and they also offer free delivery.
Finally, pay attention to ambient temperature in the room. Hot air going
in will obviously be less efficient at cooling the internals of your
machine.
Sean
[1]
http://www.quietpc.com/gb-en-gbp/products
[2]
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
