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Fan Noise HELP NEEDED PLEASE

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AznDanBSU

New Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2003
WOW!! I just bought a new P4 3.0 Ghz CPU and installed it into my AsusP4P800 mobo. I booted up and was Amazed at the amount of noise coming from the Processor's Fan! (24 C room temp....) I admit that I am completely new to Intel's Fan/Heatsink/CPU combos, but it seems that this is way too much noise....drowns out all other fans, CD-RW drive, and HDD. Are the stock fan systems on the p4s really supposed to be this loud? Can i buy some alternative fan to put on top of the processor? Or is it too late now that i've applied the thermal paste that came w/ the processor....sorry that these are such amateurish questions....first time building a system that i'm going to try to overclock....all the other Systems i've built have been Athlons and i've just installed and never played around much.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know that the best system to overlock is a 2.4c right now anyways, but i wanted to try a 3.0 because less people have done them.....might have bitten off more than i can chew, but I wont be able to figure that out unless i can figure this fan system out.

TIA to whoever replies with some useful info.
 
1) what size is the fan?

2)how quiet do you want?

3)how much flow do you want?

we need to know before we can help you
 
I am pretty sure it is a 60 mm fan. The fan is the stock fan that would come with any Pentium IV 3ghz Processor. I want a decent amount of flow, but I have two 80mm outs in the back and have a side fan and an intake in the front. I just want something that will get the job done with as little noise as possible

Also, I'm assuming since your response didnt laugh at me, that it IS possible for me to replace the fan/heatsink that is currently on my processor. (Or at least the fan). Man i wish i knew more about this stuff....sorry to bother you pros with so many rookie questions
 
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yes you can replace the heatsink, i don't know about the fan on the stock intel heatsink, but if you want quiet go for what squirtle632 said.
 
Is the noise like what a normal fan would make? If it was making odd rattles I'd get worried :/

No need to feel worried about n00b questions, we'd be happy to help. Many people do in fact replace their stock heatsinks right from the word go, as there are far better third-party made ones out there. The thermal goo should be easy to clean off with cotton buds + isopropyl alcohol, so no worries there. For an Intel you could look at some of the bigger Thermalright heatsinks like the SLK800U or similar - they use the mounting holes through the motherboard though.
 
Thanks L337.....The noise IS what a normal fan would make, but it just sounds like it's a plane trying to take off and fly away. It starts out decently quiet but whenever i load anything (Including applications as simple as minesweeper or Notepad) it goes crazy. I do want to definitely replace this hs/fan, but I have a few concerns. First, I probably (that's NOT definitely) want to get one that is Intel certified, as I got a free 3 yr warranty on the processor from the place i bought it from but the warranty is only good as long as I keep an intel certified hs/fan on it. (Warranty didnt say Anything about o/cing though!!) It wouldnt bother me too much if i had to void that warranty as it WAS free, but if there are two sets that will both work just as well, and one is intel certified (Or whatever the terminology might be) then i'd probably go with the intel cert. one.

Also, you said something about mounting holes on the motherboard........lost me completely because once again, my lack of experience shows.......are there good fan sets that will assemble and attach to my mobo the same as the one I got with my CPU? Are they expensive? Where Can i get them? sorry, i'm just completely new at this, and i dont wanna make a 400 Dollar mistake out of ignorance or unwillingness to ask questions....TIA
 
AznDanBSU,

The fan on your HSF probably has some serious "run-out" issues and is harmonically unbalanced - particularly at higher speeds (i.e. - when you're running apps). This is not an uncommon problem with "cheap" fans (as many HSF fans are). Measure the square outer frame size of the fan in mm's then get yourself a better fan with a built-in tachometer. The fan you now have on your HSF is most likely a tachometer fan. It is probably a standard 60mm x 60mm fan, I would guess. Go out to one of your favorite online shops and pick out a new one with the best combination of CFM and low noise (i.e. - 25 - 30 cfm, noise level 30 - 35 dba). Make sure you get one with the built-in tach sensor and a mini 3 pin connector so it can be plugged into the CPU Fan header on your Mobo. Also pick a fan that has a good MTBF rating - at least 50,000 hours, but 100,000 hours would be much better - if you can find one. That's about it - hope this helps.
 
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Hi n00b :) I almost never use that word as an offense - simply a description - so don't take me the wrong way. :cool:

The noise IS what a normal fan would make, but it just sounds like it's a plane trying to take off and fly away. It starts out decently quiet but whenever i load anything (Including applications as simple as minesweeper or Notepad) it goes crazy.
When the CPU's idle, it needs less cooling, but when you start using even small amounts of CPU speed its heat production increases greatly. The fan speeds up to account for this and cool the CPU accordingly. Your fan must be a high RPM 60mm fan - a very high noise to airflow ratio. If you could Google the fan model number (probably on the side that's screwed down to the heatsink) you could find its decibel rating, which sounds like it could be around 45db from what you've described; and its airflow rating (CFM) which will be the minimum airflow you should get for your new heatsink fan.

First, I probably (that's NOT definitely) want to get one that is Intel certified, as I got a free 3 yr warranty on the processor from the place i bought it from but the warranty is only good as long as I keep an intel certified hs/fan on it. (Warranty didnt say Anything about o/cing though!!)
I ahven't heard of ANY heatsink being "Intel certified"; I don't know if that really exists. It probably doesn't matter - any retail HSF properly applied will be more effective than the stock HSF, and there is no way they can tell unless you tell them. Then again, most warranties are declared voided if you overclock, and Intel's slant on things might be that no one would change their heatsink unless they were overclocking. But, like I said, as long as you don't tell them they'll never know. :)

Also, you said something about mounting holes on the motherboard........lost me completely because once again, my lack of experience shows.......are there good fan sets that will assemble and attach to my mobo the same as the one I got with my CPU? Are they expensive? Where Can i get them?
Every heatsink that's designed for a Pentium 4 (which will be stated in the description at any online store or retail box) will attach to your motherboard in the exact same way as your stock heatsink. Good heatsinks range from $20 to $60 to the top end. A good place to start looking is at the Heatsink Factory. Just remember that your processor is a Socket 478, so don't go buying any Socket 370 or A heatsinks.

If you want to get the best heatsink there is (open to debate), you can shell out the $45 for a ThermalRight SLK-900U, plus $12 for a nice quiet Enermax Adjustable 92mm fan. Of course, if you're not going to be overclocking, any heatsink that will fit an 80mm fan will work great.

i dont wanna make a 400 Dollar mistake out of ignorance or unwillingness to ask questions
You can be sure that you won't damage your CPU with heat - P4's drop their speed when they get too hot, and shut down at critical temperature. The one thing you want to watch out for is chipping the CPU core when you're putting the heatsink on. If you follow the installation instructions that come with the HSF though, you should be just fine.

I hope I've answered all your questions. If not, just ask more and answers you shall recieve. :D
 
"You can be sure that you won't damage your CPU with heat - P4's drop their speed when they get too hot, and shut down at critical temperature. The one thing you want to watch out for is chipping the CPU core when you're putting the heatsink on. If you follow the installation instructions that come with the HSF though, you should be just fine."
P4s have heatspreaders, so you can't chip the core.
 
My stock P4 fan wasn't that loud at all. Maybe it's your NorthBridge fan whining away or does the Asus you a passive sink?

Anyway I have a Zalman 7000 AlCu for my 2.4c and I am very happy with it. I'd say I got a 4-6C drop in temps with it.
 
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