Reduce the noise of your computer

Air flow
But the installation of fans isn’t the end of the story. Air flow within a computer case is very important ­if air does not circulate properly the fans just end up moving hot air around. There are two key steps to improving air flow: correct positioning of fans and removal of obstructions. Ideally, in addition to the fan contained within the power supply unit, a computer should have three fans. One at the front of the case to draw in air from the outside and blow it towards the processor, one on top of the processor to suck hot air away, and one fan to move the hot air to exit vents in the side of the case. The second step is to tie up any loose cables that may be trailing across the motherboard and pin them up out of the way so they do not restrict the movement of air.

Processor speed
Another way to reduce the noise produced by fans is to lower the speed of the processor, as less heat will be generated and therefore less cooling will be required. This should be attempted only by confident PC users, and with great care.

Enter the PC’s Bios by restarting the computer and pressing Del or F2 during the start-up process. (Note that these are the commonest keys, but your PC may require a different key press ­ look out for a message as it starts up.) Now head to the section relating to processor or CPU settings. There are two settings used to control the operating speed of the processor ­ FSB (or Front Side Bus) and the multiplier. Try reducing the FSB slightly to see what difference it makes to fan noise but be sure to remember the original settings. A similar option is available in Speedfan, which is discussed in the walkthrough below.

When adjusting processor settings, it is very important not to be tempted to try to increase the speed ­ here we are aiming for cool, quiet computing, not overclocking. Using settings other than those recommended by the motherboard and processor manufacturer could result in damage and is likely to invalidate any warranty that may be in place so be very, very careful.

Not-so-good vibrations
In addition to the various noise-dampening techniques we have mentioned so far, it is worth bearing in mind that any vibrations generated by the computer will not only be amplified within the case, but will also be transferred to hard surfaces and further amplified.

There are various solutions to this ­ the first is to try to place your computer case on a carpeted floor, as this will soak up vibrations effectively. If this is not possible, ensure that rubber feet are fitted to the bottom of the case, or even try standing it on a scrap of carpet or a carpet tile.

It makes sense that unwanted computer noise originates from moving parts. Some of this movement, such as cooling fans and the movement of drive mechanics, is unavoidable ­ but loose mounting screws holding moving parts in place can also lead to irritating rattles. Ensure that all drives are secured correctly and that screws are fully tightened. Another way to help eliminate noise of this nature is to install rubber washers which will noticeably dampen noise by allowing components to move slightly without causing vibrations. Just as it is possible to line computer cases with soundproofing material, the same technique can be used to cover drives and reduce noise pollution.

The movement of hard disks and optical drives can also be reduced through the uses of anti-vibration drive bays. Vibration reduction can be built into the case itself, and if you’re in the market for a case upgrade, the Antec Sonata III is worth a look. The efficient power supply operates quietly while three internal fans not only offer excellent cooling, but their speed can be controlled to quieten things even further. It is also worth investigating quiet power supply units as the fans normally used to cool these can be quite noisy. Quieter units are more expensive that standard versions, but there is a fairly wide selection to choose from at the websites we have mentioned already.