CPU / Cooler / Heat / SB51G Question

[milanlad]

I'm just about to build a PC Music Server around a Shuttle SB51G. The CPU will be a standard Celeron 2.0Ghz and the SB51G will be left switched on 24/7.

Do I need to use any heat compound between the Celeron and the Shuttle heatsink?

Please could someone advise me on this.

Thanks

[menthel]

Yes! Arctic silver 5 is the best one to use.

[TiG]

Just to reassure you and backup Menthel ITS a resounding YES, all PC's should have thermal paste nowadays.

ESPECIALLY in shuttles ...

TiG

[Timmy!!!]

All shuttle pcs come with thermal paste. Its not arctic silver but im happy with it myself.

[andrewuk]

I'm just about to build a PC Music Server around a Shuttle SB51G. The CPU will be a standard Celeron 2.0Ghz and the SB51G will be left switched on 24/7.

Do I need to use any heat compound between the Celeron and the Shuttle heatsink?

Thanks

Hell yes or you risk overheating problems. Shuttle supply thermal paste in the box (assuming you're getting a brand new one) which will work fine. I have a server based on an SB51G and it's a great choice for that sort of thing. Mine is mainly used as a webserver (Apache) for my CGI/PHP etc projects that I work on. It's also a SetiQ server, an mIRC Fserver although it does have some MP3s on it and I keep my downloads on it too. It also runs Seti 24/7 so is at 100% load all the time.

Despite it being on full load mine runs cool and quiet (helped because of the relatively slow CPU and because i replaced the standard CPU fan with a much quieter one) and is based on the following spec:

* SB51G
* Using on-board graphics (more than adequate for server use)
* On-board sound (again more than adequate)
* Samsung SpinPoint 40Gb hard-disc (very quiet - can barely hear it)
* Pentium 4 2.26Ghz (Northwood 533Mhz bus)
* 256Mb Crucial DDR PC2700

You'll probably want a larger hard-drive if you're using it as a music server and I can heartily recommend the Samsung SpinPoint 160Gb with 8MB cache - very quick drive and virtually silent too. You might also consider getting a cheap P4 chip off ebay as they are miles better than their Celeron cousins but if all it's gonna do is transfer some music files over a network then it should still be fine.

The CPU in mine sits at around 45'C full-load, or on the rare occasions when it sits at idle in the low 30s. Hard-drive seems pretty constant at 29'C.

My main PC is also a SB51G and that has been rock solid too, just a shame it doesn't support AGP 8x, dual channel DDR or 800Mhz bus P4 chips but it still does everything quick enough for me and can just about manage all my games!

[milanlad]

Hell yes or you risk overheating problems. Shuttle supply thermal paste in the box (assuming you're getting a brand new one) which will work fine. I have a server based on an SB51G and it's a great choice for that sort of thing. Mine is mainly used as a webserver (Apache) for my CGI/PHP etc projects that I work on. It's also a SetiQ server, an mIRC Fserver although it does have some MP3s on it and I keep my downloads on it too. It also runs Seti 24/7 so is at 100% load all the time.

Despite it being on full load mine runs cool and quiet (helped because of the relatively slow CPU and because i replaced the standard CPU fan with a much quieter one) and is based on the following spec:

* SB51G
* Using on-board graphics (more than adequate for server use)
* On-board sound (again more than adequate)
* Samsung SpinPoint 40Gb hard-disc (very quiet - can barely hear it)
* Pentium 4 2.26Ghz (Northwood 533Mhz bus)
* 256Mb Crucial DDR PC2700

You'll probably want a larger hard-drive if you're using it as a music server and I can heartily recommend the Samsung SpinPoint 160Gb with 8MB cache - very quick drive and virtually silent too. You might also consider getting a cheap P4 chip off ebay as they are miles better than their Celeron cousins but if all it's gonna do is transfer some music files over a network then it should still be fine.

The CPU in mine sits at around 45'C full-load, or on the rare occasions when it sits at idle in the low 30s. Hard-drive seems pretty constant at 29'C.

My main PC is also a SB51G and that has been rock solid too, just a shame it doesn't support AGP 8x, dual channel DDR or 800Mhz bus P4 chips but it still does everything quick enough for me and can just about manage all my games!

Thanks for your input.

On the SB51G which is used as a server:

1) are you using the standard PSU or the SilentX PSU?
2) how long has the SB51G been running as the server?
3) if you're using the standand PSU does it make any noise at all?
4) what type of CPU fan did you replace with?

Cheers

[andrewuk]

Thanks for your input.

On the SB51G which is used as a server:

1) are you using the standard PSU or the SilentX PSU?
2) how long has the SB51G been running as the server?
3) if you're using the standand PSU does it make any noise at all?
4) what type of CPU fan did you replace with?

Cheers

I have put the SilentX in mine, but only because it is quieter when running at full-load than the standard PSU. For serving up music I expect it will just be sitting idle for 99% of the time so the standard PSU will be quiet enough. We had a power cut the other night, but prior to that it had been on for just over 6 months with no reboots

I think the fan I replaced it with was an Evercool 80mm which I got from Tekheads, but this was ages ago and I don't think they stock them anymore. I have heard good things about the Noiseblocker range (also from Tekheads). I would think an Noiseblocker S2 would do you fine and would be very quiet.

[milanlad]

I have put the SilentX in mine, but only because it is quieter when running at full-load than the standard PSU. For serving up music I expect it will just be sitting idle for 99% of the time so the standard PSU will be quiet enough. We had a power cut the other night, but prior to that it had been on for just over 6 months with no reboots

I think the fan I replaced it with was an Evercool 80mm which I got from Tekheads, but this was ages ago and I don't think they stock them anymore. I have heard good things about the Noiseblocker range (also from Tekheads). I would think an Noiseblocker S2 would do you fine and would be very quiet.

Would you say that the Shuttle 'ICE' CPU Cooler system is not very silent compared to the ones you mentioned above?

[Timmy!!!]

It is definately louder until you replace the provided fan(s).

Unfortunately my pc is always at 100% load when on as I use UD, so the psu gets a bit noisy. The solution - I shoved my pc in a cupboard!

[andrewuk]

Would you say that the Shuttle 'ICE' CPU Cooler system is not very silent compared to the ones you mentioned above?

It isn't particularly quiet when running full speed, no. Most people just put in a quieter fan though since it takes about 2 minutes to do and only costs a few quid!

[Apex]

none of you bothed to turn smart fan on ?

[Timmy!!!]

Obiously we do that as well to get extremely quiet computers (well I do anyway)

[andrewuk]

none of you bothed to turn smart fan on ?

Yeah, but even with smartfan the stock fan is uber noisy compared to its replacement

Obviously the quieter fans don't push as much air (although mine comes pretty close to the stock fan anyway) so you will get a slight increase in temps.

It's a trade-off really. You can't have silence and low temps (and if you can I'd love to know the secret!) in a confined area like the shuttle. Having said that, my main rig stays below 55'C at full load which certainly isn't chilly but it's not something I lose any sleep over either

[gadgetboy]

Yeah, but even with smartfan the stock fan is uber noisy compared to its replacement

What fan did you replace it with? I have a SN45G2 with an AMD XP 2800 and the machine sounds like an asthmatic horse! I know AMDs tend to run a wee bit hotter than your average P4 so I would need to get as close to the "stock" specs as possible.

[Timmy!!!]

What fan did you replace it with? I have a SN45G2 with an AMD XP 2800 and the machine sounds like an asthmatic horse! I know AMDs tend to run a wee bit hotter than your average P4 so I would need to get as close to the "stock" specs as possible.

This depends how much you have to spend really.

If you have loads of cash go for a SilentX fan. These are the best fans you can get! The 11dba fan should be fine but you may wish to get the 14dba fan for that extra CFM and run it in 'Smart' mode.
http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/...t_Fans_72.html

If you have limited cash then go for a panaflo, thats what I have and they are very quiet. www.dorothybradbury.co.uk

[gadgetboy]

My very first "mod" ever! Being the impatient type I found an 80mm fan from the top of a Pentium heatsink (rated to cool a 3 Ghz P4), whipped the shuttle supplied one out and replaced it.

Currently running at between 51 and 55 degrees C but most importantly it is sooooo much quieter!