Hard disk
Hard disk has following construction. There is an engine for disks rotating mounted on a massive aluminium chassis. Speed of rotation of hard disk engine is between 3600-15000 rpm. The hard disks represent aluminium or ceramic plates which are covered with polymeric ferromagnetic. There is special positional driver for controlling the heads, which provides heads motion with high speed and precision. There is a controller board mounted from bellow, on the chassis.
The nature of hard disk noise is obvious, it is transfer of engines vibration to the computer cabinet and high-frequency whistle of the heads. You make sure of that if you dismount hard disk and put it on a piece of foam-rubber. I make a reservation that if several coolers operate to the max in your computer, it will be difficult to hear something.
Means of reducing the hard disk noise.
I know three such means. The first one consists in buying a new and low-noise hard disk. Recommended manufacturers are Seagate and Samsung. You may also mount a laptop hard disk, but you’ll lose speed and reliability; at the same time silence will be provided.
Second means consists in updating the fittings of the hard disk. You should isolate hard disk chassis from the computer cabinet to prevent vibration transfer. You may buy Zalman ZM-2HC2 gimmickry but it is inferior to home-made model.
Third means is the most successful. It consists in making a special noise absorbing and sealed box. There is only one difficulty here but it is serious. This box, besides noise absorption, has characteristics of thermos… The main difficulty of this construction consists in heat rejection from hard disk. It is proved that hard disk is condemned to death after operating for 2 hours in such thermos without cooling. But I don’t want to run ahead because this is the subject of other articles. Two modded devices of such type are already in operation; keep up with our publications: Silencing a hard drive and A noiseless hard drive in one day
Noise absorbing materials
I saw more than once that people paste computer cabinets over with noise absorbing materials. Different materials from construction market are used: carpeting, linoleum, penoplen, etc. I tried pasting it over with felt once… I think the situation here is the same as with hard disk. In my opinion, it is useless to paste the cabinet over, except for the cheapest cabinets which cost 25 dollars; they rattle less after such pasting.
Water cooling
Water cooling is a good thing if you are an advanced overlocker and like extreme, if you are an expert in hardware and electronics, and if you don’t leave your computer switched on. For all the rest I consider this means unacceptable. System of Water Cooling (SWC) needs regular preventive maintenance, level control and water changing. Conveyance and other manipulations with such computer become more complicated. There is danger of processor failure; and even tiny hole in the hose may cause electric injury… It’s your decision to choose the means; I haven’t used water for cooling for a long time. Moreover the cost of a good SWC will certainly distress you. You may find more information about SWC in the article about the construction of SWC.
That’s all what I managed to recall about first steps to noiseless computer. Following these simple instructions you can reduce computer noise. I guarantee that you’ll be pleased by the result. At least, in the beginning… If you have already completed such modding and the results don’t satisfy you, I think you’ll appreciate the following series of articles at their true value. Fanless computers.
Download Speedfan.
I wish everyone good modding SilentMods.com
