How To Muffle Out My Hdd?

*The Fifth Horseman* · 28-12-2005, 05:53 PM

I'm working on perfecting this piece of oldschool computer, and since I have done about almost everything I can, the last possible adjustment is decreasing the noise it produces when running.

I'm well on the way to it - PSU and the CPU fan are producing nearly no sound at all right now - but I have no idea what can I do with the HDD (right now it's the loudest part in the whole set).

What are the ways to silence this thing?

The Niles · 28-12-2005, 08:12 PM

Rubber isolation rings around the screws that hold it in place. Commenly available at any computerhardware store.

There are a few other things that would do something as well but as we are talking about a very old HDD probably it would cost less to simply buy a newer HDD then to try those.

*The Fifth Horseman* · 29-12-2005, 12:50 PM

Problem is that HDD's are pretty hard to get, and other two old-age ones I have are not any less noisy.

It's not that it's irritatingly loud or something - but I want to fine-tune everything as far as I go, so I want to reduce the sound as much as possible.

Quintopotere · 29-12-2005, 03:25 PM

To reduce the noise made by the HD you have to use the rubber rings mentioned by Niles and you could even put rubber insulator things between the case and the table... some shops sell even an insulator fabric to be attached in the interior side of the case...

I think that there aren't any other things you could do!

Ioncannon · 29-12-2005, 04:12 PM

hmm I knew of a case you would put the hdd in, and then it is screwed into the bigger bay drives (forgot the size). It quiets down hardrives and dosn't creat alot of heat. I think I saw it in one of my old Maximum PC mags so I will have to dig those up.

Grinder · 30-12-2005, 01:52 PM

I heard about that too, Ioncannon. The vibration of the Harddrive is damped by the rubber it is mounted on. I would get one of those and isolate the PC case with that fabric Quintopotere mentioned. I can't think of anything else that would reduce the noise. You already replaced the heatsink with a newer one, right?

*The Fifth Horseman* · 02-01-2006, 03:43 PM

I did replace the HS. As said, the CPU/PSU fans are running almost totally silent right now.

Will check the insulation rings and the mats.

See, this machine is also going to be used by my mother - and since she totally hates noisy computers, I decided that it's a challenge for me to make hers as silent as possible.