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Clunk
Ejected
Joined: 29 Jul 2007
Posts: 935
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 Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: Computer problems. |
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As most of you know, I host a website on a computer in my attic. Yesterday, I decided to move the computer into my kitchen as it was noisy, and interfered with my telly. I decided to replace the cooling fan on the processor, but when I took the heatsink off there was no thermal paste between the heatsink and the processor. (the thermal paste helps transfer heat between the processor and heatsink). I couldnt find mine and went to shop to get some. Coincidentally, my main computer had recently been playing up with an overheating processor and had become ridiculously noisy so I decided to replace the paste on that one as well. I re-assembled the server and it was quiet, and ran sweet as a nut. I then decided to tackle my main computer. When I took the heatsink off, the paste was dry and cracked. But the worst thing, was the amount of dust that had accumulated in the heatsink, thus stopping the air from flowing through it. I cleaned out the heatsink, and put new paste on it and the difference in both noise and computer preformance is extremely notable. So I recommend, if you have a noisy computer, strip it down and clean the inside. Also, change the thermal paste. It only costs £1.50 for a tube big enough to do one computer, and it takes 10-20 minutes to do.
You will be surprised at the difference.
As a side note, when/if you clean the inside, do not use a vacuum cleaner. Use a clean, new, dry, soft bristled paintbrush and brush the dirt onto a smooth surface. (I used my kitchen floor)
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Chepfer
Born and Bred Local
Joined: 26 Nov 2007
Posts: 575
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Location: Calne
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Clunk,
My fan is so noisy, i cleaned it (with a hoover) but it still seems veryt noisy.
This paste, where does it go between the fan and .....
I am interested !
Cheers.
C |
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rosco
Born and Bred Local
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
Posts: 328
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Location: near Calne
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Chepfer wrote: | Hi Clunk,
My fan is so noisy, i cleaned it (with a hoover) but it still seems veryt noisy.
This paste, where does it go between the fan and .....
I am interested !
Cheers.
C |
The paste goes between the heatsink and the metal plate on the CPU. Is it thermal paste, designed to conduct the heat efficiently. Failing to have it there will not so much make the fan noisy as make the CPU overheat, because a lot of the heat will not be leaving via the heatsink (although it might make the fan work harder than it needs to).
The solution I got for a computer that is always on in my home as a server is to buy a S/H laptop from eBay: it's almost always whisper quiet and consumes less electricity (and space) than a normal desktop, with the downside being it uses only laptop componets (diskdrives etc) and is more expensive. |
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Clunk
Ejected
Joined: 29 Jul 2007
Posts: 935
Status:
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: |
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| Chepfer wrote: | Hi Clunk,
My fan is so noisy, i cleaned it (with a hoover) but it still seems veryt noisy.
This paste, where does it go between the fan and .....
I am interested !
Cheers.
C |
Best thing you can do, is get a can of compressed air. Take off the heatsink, and blow it through. Heatsinks are loads of fins and they have a fan stuck to it.
Reason I said mine were noisy is that they are thermostatically controlled. They do not come on until they need to. But because the fins were clogged with dust, the air from the fan was not getting through. You need a perfect flat surface between the processor and the heatsink. This will always be impossible. So they put a thermal paste, which improves the transfer of heat from the processor and heatsink. Tubes of paste for one application are £1.50 from 3d computers. Use the whole tube. As for removal of the heatsink, it depends on the type of processor. My server is an amd duron, and requires a flat blade screwdriver and balls of steel. My main computer is a Pentium 4 775, and requires a medium phillips screwdriver.
This will sound controversial. But, when you are poking about with the paint brush, leave the computer plugged in. Does not have to be switched on, providing the power lead is connected both ends. You will generate static, and static is a very bad thing for a computer. Frequently, brush the case with the bristles, and keep your free hand on the bare metal of the case where possible. This will keep the static away. |
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