OT: CPU Fan noise reduction

[Colin McGregor]

On 8/18/08, Marc Lanctot <lanctot-yfeSBMgouQgsA/PxXw9srA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I often have the problem that my machine (HP Pavilion a1620n, P4
> dual-core 3.0 GHz) gets quite noisy. I'm using the fan that first came
> with the machine. By process of elimination << stabbing a pen into each
> fan :) >> I've found that it's my CPU fan that is going wild. I've
> removed it and dusted it off time and again but it doesn't seem to help.
>
> My BIOS gives me:
>
>    CPU Temp 56 C
>    CPU Fan Speed ~ 3200 RPM
>    System Fan Speed ~ 1600 RPM
>
> So I have two questions.
>
> I'm running Ubuntu 8.04. I would like to know if there exists a software
> which can read the temperature and CPU fan revs. Can any software
> actually do this? (Is there some mechanism that passes this info onto
> the OS)
>
> I think I need to replace the thing. A bit of Googling has given me a
> few recommendations, but I'd still like to know if anybody has been in
> my situation before; what fan + heat sink did you buy to replace it, and
> based on that would you recommend that fan + heat sink, and where could
> I go to buy it? (I'd prefer in person than online)

I ran into this issue with my MythTV box, the CPU fan being far louder
than I was happy with. What I found out was that the better CPU fans
print the noise level in dBA (with lower being better) on the package.
The CPU fan I got would not help you, it was a Thermaltake TR2-R1,
which is for selected AMD CPUs... This fan produces 16 dBA, compared
to 34 dBA for a stock AMD fan. Basically I have been happy with this
CPU fan, about the worst that could be said for it is that it made me
aware of how loud the power supply fan was ... which I ended up
replacing later ...

As for where to go, I bought the Thermaltake fan at the Tiger Direct
shop in Etobicoke (they have a few locations around the GTA). Tiger
Direct is on many things not the cheapest shop around, on the other
hand there is something to be said for the large selection of parts
laid out in supermarket style shelves so you can easily compare
details like noise levels.

> Thanks,
> Marc

Colin McGregor
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