You mentioned space and noise as the problems with your previous rig.

SilentPCReview.com will be your friend for the next couple weeks. If you haven't headed over there you should, it is a decent resource to start building a silent PC.

You will probably run into a couple of the same things I have as it relates to computer noise:

1. Case Fan noise and vibration.
2. CPU Fan noise and vibration.
3. Power supply fan noise and vibration.
4. Hard Drive noise and vibration.

Noticing a trend here. It was really great when I replaced whatever was making the most noise just to hear the next noise maker down.

Unfortunately, just picking up a small cases won't necessarily make everything quieter then a bigger case.


If space were an issue, and money and a drop-in fit for graphics cards aren't, you could pick up 1.5U rack mount cases. There are a couple companies out there making cabled horizontal riser cards for PCI-express. I haven't lined up all the spec sheets, but I imagine you could stick a FlexATX power supply in a 1.5U case with one of those riser cards and some "minor" modifications.

IStarUSA makes some 2U and 3U rack mount cases that use standard ATX power supplies (http://www.istarusa.com/pdf/Datashee.../D4-300-FS.pdf and http://www.istarusa.com/pdf/Datashee.../D4-200-FS.pdf). Looks like NewEgg has a similar model for about $90.00 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811165082). When I looked at these, the 80mm fans scared me off, but with good fans and fanbus you could run probably get away with it. They are, after all, the same size fan used in a number of desktop machines.

Using five 2U racks you would need about ( 20.8", 19", (1.75 in/U * 10U) = 17.5") = (L, W, D) of space for your computers.


Anyone come across a 1U CPU waterblock for AM2 with 3/8" fittings?