need recommendation to upgrade comp so quiet as possible

[rocadelpunk]

some links would be nice too if anybody knows.

my current desktop

t-bird 1.2 @ 1.33
i think it's just a volcano 2 on it now
some pos casei with bunch of fans
antec 400some watt power supply
abit kt7-e mobo
ata 100 raid card 2 slots or wahtever
120 gig wd se
40 gig ibm 60gxp
---------------

for cheapest amount of money, I want a good lookin case (maybe that chieftec one in hotdeals), I don't really care about window b/c i'm not gonna be spending money on mods. I just want a sturdy aluminum case, that can store lots of hardrives 3-4 preferably, (maybe just get a thing to convert 5 1/2 to 3 1/2 bay)

the mobo is socket a, but it only has 2 ide slots, do you think it'd be worthwhile to upgrade to new mobo with 2ide and 2 raid? Right now I have the pci ide raid card with 2 hardrives on it, and dvd and cd writer on own ide channel, but I plan to eventually add another 120gig.

this comp is gonna be used for light gaming if at that... mostly filesharing, mp3 storage, surfing, power point, things like that. I'd just take my laptop to college, but I have a feeling I'll need more storage than the 60gigs. I have about 20-30gigs in mp3's, and that's just 1/3-1/2 cds.

I want the comp to be as silent as possible though b/c of roomates and don't want the comp to raise temperature of room so much.

I was thinking:

case: 60-100 bucks
hsf: 20-40
fan: 5-10?
cdrw: 20-40

definitely want a new case no matter what, my old one is fugly...

preferably just have the hsf running and power supply fans.

 

[QuantumSlip]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=11-125-211&depa=1
Chieftec Aluminum Full-Tower Case, $75 shipped

Coolermaster Aero7
Avalible soon, first site I could find it is excaliberPC, est. $20 shipped

Pick up a couple Panaflos L1A, approx, 7-8 bucks each.

CD-RW? do you mean the drive? just get the liteon from newegg, approx. 47 bucks

 

[BG4533]

For a heatsink pick up a Thermalright SK7 or SLK800 and a Panaflo L1A from SVC. It will cost about $20 for the SK7 and $35 for the SLK-800. If you are looking for a bunch of Panaflo L1As, head over to All Electronics. they are $4.50. The best way to get a CD-RW is to browse the hot deals forum. Many people are getting quality Lite-on rebadged drives for very cheap. Around Christmas time I got a Lite-On 48x burner and Microsoft Optical mouse for $30 from Staples. My roomate last year had a computer that was louder than a vacuum, it could be heard outside our door for a few feet. I won't say what I wanted to do to him, but at least you are being thoughtful.

Brian

 

[rocadelpunk]

yah i know all about hot deals. don't plan to pay more than 20 bucks for cdrw. but my 16x plexy could use an upgrade.

i figure with the fans out there...if i only have hsf and psu...i can remain around 25dba...I also don't really want any fans in college dorm b/c all the freakin dust balls :0.

 

[mechBgon]

What BD4533 said ^

Also get a quiet fluid-bearing hard drive. The system's as quiet as its loudest part, is what it boils down to.

You might want to think twice about your plan to do file-sharing at school. I suppose that is unwelcome advice, but take it from me... if you're gonna be paying back college loans for ten years, you definitely want to leave with a degree in your hand.

 

[BG4533]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
yah i know all about hot deals. don't plan to pay more than 20 bucks for cdrw. but my 16x plexy could use an upgrade.

i figure with the fans out there...if i only have hsf and psu...i can remain around 25dba...I also don't really want any fans in college dorm b/c all the freakin dust balls :0.

As for dustballs, without filters, they are going to get into your computer either way. As long as their is air exiting your case from your PSU fan, air will be entering it. If your dorm is anywhere near as dusty as mine you will have a complete case of dust in a few weeks. I suggest you get filters. Everyone has different ideas of what to use. Just do a search here for dust or filters.

Also, about file sharing. Watch out, and at least learn what your school will let you get away with before you start anything to major. I go to Ohio State and 4 people just had their computer confiscated for running a file sharing network that made up over 10% of everything that went across our network. Many others schools are cracking down as well.

Brian

 

[whovous]

The Antec Sonata is very quiet, but it is not aluminum and takes some work to find in your price range. Once I replaced my no-name with the Sonata I found out that I had a lot of other noise sources as well.

If your video card has a fan, chances are good that it is very small, very fast, and very high pitched. My GeForce3 got real annoying once I got the quiet Antec PS, so I yanked the fan and replaced it with the older version (model 17, I think) passive cooling Zalman for about $15 or so. No fan equals no noise. If you do not overclock, it should get you where you want to go.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
yah i know all about hot deals. don't plan to pay more than 20 bucks for cdrw. but my 16x plexy could use an upgrade.

i figure with the fans out there...if i only have hsf and psu...i can remain around 25dba...I also don't really want any fans in college dorm b/c all the freakin dust balls :0.

You may consider a mod to seal up the PC and use a filtered intake.