CPU Fan Switching or throttling

[Preston]

Im looking to throttle or auto control the CPU fan on my home pc, its a mini itx board for media applications and is running on a stripped down version of XP Pro, the fan is quite loud sometimes and is not required o be on all the time.

All i really need is a windows based program which cuts the fan when the cpu temp is 45 or below...any higher and the fan will turn on to reduce temperature.

 

Does anyone know of a suitable prog?

 

Epia500 Mini-ITX board

533MHz Via C3 CPU

VIA 8601A North Bridge

VT8231 South Bridge

Integrated Trident Blade 3D graphics core

VT1612A AC97 Codec

VIA VT1621 TV-Out Controller

512MB RAM

20GB IDE HD

CDRW/DVD combo drive

[Mintsoft]

Im looking to throttle or auto control the CPU fan on my home pc, its a mini itx board for media applications and is running on a stripped down version of XP Pro, the fan is quite loud sometimes and is not required o be on all the time.

All i really need is a windows based program which cuts the fan when the cpu temp is 45 or below...any higher and the fan will turn on to reduce temperature.

 

Does anyone know of a suitable prog?

 

Epia500 Mini-ITX board

533MHz Via C3 CPU

VIA 8601A North Bridge

VT8231 South Bridge

Integrated Trident Blade 3D graphics core

VT1612A AC97 Codec

VIA VT1621 TV-Out Controller

512MB RAM

20GB IDE HD

CDRW/DVD combo drive

 

I didn't think this was possible without something specialist from the motherboard manufacturer. I was under the impression that the voltage to the fan wasn't able to be controlled by software unless something bespoke was made for that mobo etc, although I may be wrong. You could always buy an external fan controller and do it manually?

 

-Rob

[Preston]

i was afraid of that well thats what i will have to do, wire in an in-line variable resistor and do it manually.

 

Cheers

 

Gus

[Geoff]

You can do this with hardware.

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/06/15/fighting_fan_noise_pollution/

[E1uSiV3]

I would also recommend putting a larger lower speed fan on there with a duct to reduce noise, or even the possibility to change out the heatsink to something more substantial so it can be passively cooled

[Geoff]

Zalman do good stuff for what E1uSiV3 is suggesting.

 

http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/eng_index.asp

[Preston]

Thanks for that, unfortunately the PC is contained in a rather unorthodox "case" leaving very little room for a larger heatsink or fan, i will link an image later when i am home and you will see just what i mean.

If i can find a heatsink which has a larger surface area as opposed to being taller i may be able to use that option, whereas a larger fan is out of the question im afraid.

[Preston]

This is what im up against.....see the obscure case makes it harder to find a sloution!

 

See attached photo

 

Also you may notice the lack of fan on the heatsink there, that was me experimenting with no fan....never worked

[eduabncs]

8O

 

Now that photo gives new meaning to 'taking the biscut!'.

 

I'll get my coat.........!

[eduabncs]

8O

 

Now that photo gives meaning to 'taking the biscut!'.

 

I'll get my coat.........!

[Ric_]

you could also try adding some holes in the top

 

also check out some of the Zalman heatsinks - they are meant to be the best and they look pretty cool (they also make Via specific ones).

[john]

Thats a good mod, I am going to make a Censornet machine for a local primary out of a Mini-ITX machine next week, so perhapse I can save £60 and use that biscuit tin I have under my desk from Crimbo for the case

[Preston]

hehe, i like my strange cases i would rather not put holes in the perspex so ill try get hold of a suitable heatsink and hope for the best,

 

Next project is an incar mini system with media center. Thats going to be fun!

[Geoff]

Also consider watercooling. Makes no noise at all other than the occasional swish from the pump.