Noisy Asus Pundit-R system

I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.

I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar drive
and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
bezel...).

The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The CPU
temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM. It's
incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well above
Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".

I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan, I've
tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
(though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
originally, anyway).

Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?

In message <>, dmo <>
writes
>I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.
>
>I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar drive
>and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
>bezel...).
>
>The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The CPU
>temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM. It's
>incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well above
>Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".
>
>I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan, I've
>tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
>(though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
>originally, anyway).
>
>Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
>recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?
>
>

Sounds like you know what you're doing.
Did the Q-fan make any difference? You said you'd tried it, but didn't
say if it did anything. Should make quite a difference in noise......
and quite a difference in CPU temp as well!
If not - have you plugged it into the right socket??

Isn't the pundit one of those rinky dinky micro AV type cases?
You might have a job getting a big/quiet heatsink in there.
I've used a Thermaltake SLK900 (or something) with a 92mm ultra quiet
fan and its made a huge difference. But would it fit??? Out of the quiet
types, its got a good chance - better than a circular Zalman type I'd
have thought.



--
__________________________________________________
Personal email for Gareth Jones can be sent to:
'usenet4gareth' followed by an at symbol
followed by 'uk2' followed by a dot
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__________________________________________________

In article <>, "dmo" <> wrote:
>I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.
>
>I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar drive
>and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
>bezel...).
>
>The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The CPU
>temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM. It's
>incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well above
>Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".
>
>I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan, I've
>tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
>(though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
>originally, anyway).
>
>Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
>recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?
>
>
50 celcius is kinda on the warm side for the cpu.

In article <>, "dmo" <> wrote:

> I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.
>
> I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar drive
> and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
> bezel...).
>
> The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The CPU
> temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM. It's
> incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well above
> Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".
>
> I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan, I've
> tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
> (though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
> originally, anyway).
>
> Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
> recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?

It is interesting that the cpusupport web page, doesn't have an
entry for the P4S8L motherboard in that thing. The manual refers
to using a "2.8+" GHz FSB533 processor, but it also refers to
Willemette and Northwood. Now, a Northwood processor, as
found on processorfinder.intel.com under the P4 entries, lists
a power rating of 68 watts (2.8/533/512KB). A Prescott processor,
on the other hand, draws 89 watts. The power supply in the Pundit
is only rated for 200W, and the power converter on the motherboard
is only two phase. I think what I'm saying is, the Prescott is
one hot processor to be using in a small enclosure like that.

Paul

"Gareth Jones" <> wrote
> Sounds like you know what you're doing.
> Did the Q-fan make any difference? You said you'd tried it, but didn't
> say if it did anything. Should make quite a difference in noise......
> and quite a difference in CPU temp as well!
> If not - have you plugged it into the right socket??

It made no difference to the noise or temperatures, sadly :-/
The fan only has a standard power connector to hook into the CPU fan header
on the motherboard. So it's in the right place, alright.

> Isn't the pundit one of those rinky dinky micro AV type cases?
> You might have a job getting a big/quiet heatsink in there.
> I've used a Thermaltake SLK900 (or something) with a 92mm ultra quiet
> fan and its made a huge difference. But would it fit??? Out of the quiet
> types, its got a good chance - better than a circular Zalman type I'd
> have thought.

Yup, it's a cute little thing.
http://www.asus.com/products/desktop...r/overview.htm

There is a sort of duct-thing installed on top of the CPU fan, so Im pretty
optimistic I'd get a reasonable size fan on there. I'm still puzzled at how
such a small PC can make so much noise

"dmo" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.
>
> I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar
drive
> and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
> bezel...).
>
> The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The
CPU
> temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM.
It's
> incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well
above
> Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".
>
> I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan,
I've
> tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
> (though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
> originally, anyway).
>
> Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
> recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?
>
>
Most fans that I have heard spining at 5500rpm are well above 27dba. That
must be the noise level with the fan at low speed. I have an Asus K8V MB
with Q-fan and the fan will go from max speed when hot (55c) to off when
below about 40c.
I dont use Q-fan though because I dont like the changing fan speed noise and
I have a Zalman 7000Acu HSF so I can keep it on low. Zalman makes good HSF's
but they are very big.
Seems like maybe your heat sink never gets the CPU cool enough to allow
Q-fan to slow the fan down. Are you using a "stock" HSF? You might get
away with using a fan adaptor to mount a larger fan that will cool at a
slower speed but it might not fit in your case. Seems like a better heat
sink might be needed also, but the best quiet ones are usually large.


Lou

"dmo" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I've just bought and assembled an Asus Pundit-R system.
>
> I've installed a 2.8GHz P4 (Prescott), 1 GB of RAM, a 120GB WD Caviar
drive
> and a Sony DVD-RW (whose tray will not fit through the gap in the front
> bezel...).
>
> The system works fine, but the CPU fan is driving me to distraction. The
CPU
> temp is stable at around 50 degrees, and the fan is stable at 5500RPM.
It's
> incredibly noisy, similar to the noise a desk fan would make and well
above
> Asus' website's claim of "27dBA in idle mode".
>
> I've tried everything I can in the Bios - I've enabled/disabled Q-fan,
I've
> tried increasing the fan temperature thresholds. I've updated the Bios
> (though I think the Bios I downloaded is the same as what was there
> originally, anyway).
>
> Has anyone got any suggestions for what I might be missing? Or can anyone
> recommend a replacement CPU fan (UK sourced)?
>
>

I have a Pundit system and it is almost silent. It has been from day one
too, so something is not right with yours.

My system is used as a jukebox through my Hi-Fi and is powered on for most
of the day almost every day, I have never had it make any intrusive noise at
all. Then again just using it to store and play music does not stress the
CPU too much :-), I have a 2GHz Celeron, 256Mb of PC2700, a Maxtor 120GB
drive ans an old Creative 8speed CD burner in there.

When I start the PC up the CPU fan spins up and is quite loud, but as soon
as the POST beep happens it appears to slow down and I can no longer hear it
unless I put my ear near the case. If your Pundit does not slow down at the
POST beep I would be looking to RMA it for a new one.

I can't remember if I enabled Q-fan or not, and as I'm away from it at the
moment I can't check for you.

Adam S

"Adam S" <> wrote in message

> When I start the PC up the CPU fan spins up and is quite loud, but as soon
> as the POST beep happens it appears to slow down and I can no longer hear
it
> unless I put my ear near the case. If your Pundit does not slow down at
the
> POST beep I would be looking to RMA it for a new one.

Ah, interesting.

Yes, my fan spins up to full speed on power-on, then it goes quiet again.

And then after the POST it becomes noisy again.

I think I'll give the suppliers a call, I agree with you - something isn't
quite right here.

"dmo" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Adam S" <> wrote in message
>
> > When I start the PC up the CPU fan spins up and is quite loud, but as
soon
> > as the POST beep happens it appears to slow down and I can no longer
hear
> it
> > unless I put my ear near the case. If your Pundit does not slow down at
> the
> > POST beep I would be looking to RMA it for a new one.
>
> Ah, interesting.
>
> Yes, my fan spins up to full speed on power-on, then it goes quiet again.
>
> And then after the POST it becomes noisy again.
>
> I think I'll give the suppliers a call, I agree with you - something isn't
> quite right here.
>
>

Glad to be of service. At least you know what 'should' be happening.

Adam S

dmo wrote:
>
> "Adam S" <> wrote in message
>
> > When I start the PC up the CPU fan spins up and is quite loud, but as soon
> > as the POST beep happens it appears to slow down and I can no longer hear
> it
> > unless I put my ear near the case. If your Pundit does not slow down at
> the
> > POST beep I would be looking to RMA it for a new one.
>
> Ah, interesting.
>
> Yes, my fan spins up to full speed on power-on, then it goes quiet again.
>
> And then after the POST it becomes noisy again.
>
> I think I'll give the suppliers a call, I agree with you - something isn't
> quite right here.

A 89 Watt CPU in a small box & 200 Watt PSU doesn't sound like a good
combination. When stressed, the PSU also heats up and making matters
worse.