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Thread: Cooling Sollutions

  1. #1
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    Cooling Sollutions

    Anybody here use anything other than the stock cooling sollutions?

    I've always had this ongoing problem with my PC where on hot days I can't play games too long without the PC beeping at me. It's not even that hardcore in terms of hardware, well, it was back in the day but not anymore.

    I have:
    ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe Motherboard
    Intel P4C 3Ghz
    Thermalright Heatsink with a Zalman fan
    Asus Radeon 9800XT
    1Gb Corsair XMS Pro
    120Gb Western Digital
    80Gb Maxtor
    80Gb Maxtor
    Coolermaster Praetorian Case
    Coolermaster CoolDrive 4

    Now, the CPU, GPU, HDD and Case are all connected to the Cooldrive so I can see temperatures and control fan speeds from the front of the PC.
    The idle temperature of the CPU ranges from 35-45 degrees, depending on the weather.
    When I book up a game, it ranges from 45-55. However, on a hot day like today, playing a game for half hour will soon see the temperature hit 60. The Cooldrive is set to alarm at 58+ degrees, and gawd the beeping is annoying!

    The fans on CPU, Graphics Card, Case etc are all on full speed.

    The Case has two in takes at the front, which blow over the two Maxtor drives and pull air into the case. Theres an outtake on the top of the case, and one on the rear. Plus the outtake from the Enermax PSU at the rear.

    One of the biggest problems at the moment is the PC's location, I had a new desk fitted in my bedroom and therefore the case is in like a ...box. It has wood below it, on both sides and at the rear. So, it can pull air in from the front, but the air coming out the top and the rear is just being blown into this box area.


    What could I add to the PC to reduce the temperature keeping in mind the following:
    *Got to be very cheap
    *Got to be very quiet, I sleep in here


    Any suggestions?
    Parm

  2. #2
    Senior Member sawyen's Avatar
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    • sawyen's system
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    Rip the side panel off.. that directs more clean fresh air into the casing... a little give and take during hot summer days my fren... Try blowing some air using a table fan into the case to see if its really your air flow problem..

    Thermalright HSF and ur still getting rubbish temperature? I starting to think whether you've installed ur HSF correctly..

    60C is a little hot for a stock system..
    Me want Ultrabook


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    • OmarSantiago's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Striker Extreme
      • CPU:
      • Core 2 Duo 6750
      • Memory:
      • 4GB Black Dragon DDR
      • Storage:
      • Raptors
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      • 8800GTX
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    For that motherboard and processor I used a Thermalright SLK 900 hsf with a 92mm Silenx fan on top for cooling duties. I have to say Silenx is probably the best fan I've ever used in my setups: lousy PSUs but excellent fans. One of those set on top of your hsf will do an excellent job of pushing air about in near silence and go a little way to cooling the circuitry and components around the CPU area. It'll also be a good idea to fit an Arctic Cooling hsf on your 9800XT which'll not only keep your card cooler than stock but actively exhaust any hot air rather than just recirculate it round the case.

    You should also do as sawyen says and have a look to see how well the hsf is applied to the cpu - a slightly thinner layer of compound will knock a degree or two off the temps. If you have windowed panel, take it out or swap it for steel or aluminium mesh panel (even a basic one will reduce your temps nicely). And lastly, you might want to seal off any unused bays (if you have any) to help your airflow.

  4. #4
    Homestarr Mod
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    80-120mm adapter with a nice 120mm fan volt modded down will increase the cfm cool your system and run quietly for around £10 all in

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    lazy student nvening's Avatar
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    Try cooking oil



    Im guessing oil does not conduct electricity.
    (\__/)
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    • BenW's system
      • Motherboard:
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    Cooking oil will work as long as the hard drive isn't in there

    I'd try looking in the BIOS to see if you can adjust the temp it alerts at. Raise it to 70C for the CPU

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    Overheating!!

    Would it be possible to drill or cut some holes in the rear part of the desk, as it seems to be causing a restriction, have had to recently repair a pc where the owner had it pushed up against the wall, causing the psu to overheat and blow taking the processor with it!

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    I think it's the graphics card causing most of the trouble.
    The PC has never started beeping at any other times, it's only when I play games.

    I could adjust the alarm threshold in bios, but it's not the actual motherboards alarm, it's the Cooldrive and gawd knows how you adjust that. I'd rather keep the temperature down though to be honest.

    I don't have any clear panels, it's an all Alluminium case.

    I don't think I'm quite ready for the oil option

    Water cooling I have considered, but I'm seriously worried about the thought of a leak or something going wrong. I couldn't afford a whole new PC so I'd be well and truly buggered.

    There is a bit of space behind the PC so it's not right up against a wall, and although modding the desk sounds good, this fitted bedroom cost £3000 and I really really don't want to be drilling into it.

    Will an Arctic Cooling Fan make a lot of difference to my ASUS Radeon 9800XT?

    Here's a lil pic of where my PC is housed, taken on my phone so apologies for the dodgy quality:

  9. #9
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    If the CPU is going beyond 60C then that is probably the cause of the alarm. Try using prime95 to torture test the CPU and see if the same thing occurs. That way you can rule out the graphics card.


    Try reseating the CPU heatsink. I had a problem with a CPU overheating and this fixed the problem.

  10. #10
    lazy student nvening's Avatar
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    Cutting holes in the back of the desk may help but taking it out would be best
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  11. #11
    Ah, Mrs. Peel! mike_w's Avatar
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    Just as a test, you could try sticking the computer on the floor, and see if that helps at all. If it does, then you know its location is the problem.
    "Well, there was your Uncle Tiberius who died wrapped in cabbage leaves but we assumed that was a freak accident."

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike_w
    Just as a test, you could try sticking the computer on the floor, and see if that helps at all. If it does, then you know its location is the problem.
    Ouch, that is so easier said than done, the cabling is not exactly straight forward hehe.

  13. #13
    Senior Member sawyen's Avatar
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    • sawyen's system
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    how difficult is pulling ur CPU out of that hole? I'm guessing 8/10 its that tiny CPU cabinet ur having thats causing all the problems.
    Me want Ultrabook


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    ok, if I went for a water cooling sollution? How much will that set me back and what should I be looking for?
    Most importantly, having never worked with water cooling, are the kits easy to install and maintain?

  15. #15
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    If you're absolutely adamant that you want your computer there a water cooling may be the ideal solution, mainly cause you can move your cooling to a much more suitable place. As for the technical aspects of it, fitting a water block is pretty much like fitting a HSF unit however much care should be taken over the water connection points.
    On the cost front, I think you'll be struggling to get an effective system for less than about 200£ (ie the Zalman Reserator 1 plus & a decent pump). If you're up to doing it ghetto stye then you're into how resourceful & involved in the engineering side of things you wish to get, but I still reckon doing it much less than 200£ is hard.

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    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
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    Try place a 12cm fan just on top of your case, pulling those hot air out of the back of the case, that should help (I used it before)
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
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