[cobalt-users] Quieting a Qube 3

[Tim Dunn <tdunn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<DATA type="extraneous background">
For lack of a better place, I have my Qube3 in my stereo cabinet, 
behind some doors, hooked up to an 8-port switch and a UPS for
the Q3 and the switch.  Everything's fine, and I love the eerie
Area-51-ish green glow escaping from the outline of the doors.
</DATA>

The only problem is that the Q3's fan is very loud.  After bearing
with it for more than a year, I've finally done something about it.

The Q3 has ~2.25" fan that cools the whole case (and makes all the 
noise).  It's the one mounted on the rear blowhole.  There is no
fan atop the CPU.  The CPU (an AMD 300 in my case) has a decent-size
heat sink that is moderately warm to the touch.  /proc/cpuinfo said
it was running at 37C.  (Thanks to Claudio Terra for that tip!)

I connected a smaller ~2" fan from another system in series to the
~2.25" blowhole fan.  The 2" fan I mounted atop the CPU heat sink
(making sure to blow *out*, the second time's the charm).  Now
/proc/cpuinfo reports 35C.  Noise is basically gone, however.

tim

-- 
Sysadmin Rule #14: If it's not on fire, it's a software issue.