PC fan upgrade question (Major) and Server question (minor)

Ok so the BIG thing I wanna ask, is My Cpu is great, I love it. But the only problem I really have with it is the case fan and cpu fan are a little loud for my taste. Does anyone know what sites are safe to buy these fans from? Bestbuy as usual has crap and expensive crap at that, there's always Newegg but im starting to see lower prices elsewhere. Only problem is I trust newegg a lot, but never heard of some of these other sites.

So any really good sites for fans? Also what sound range am I looking for for quiet? Never been too good at sound.

For a second question, this goes to any1 who knows the requirements to run a Minecraft Server. I can run one but I don't want my Power PC running 24/7, so I want a dedicated server hopefully between 100/200$ if thats possible. Should I get a Desktop PC or a netbook? The Server interface I use is command based and has no GUI so I am assuming I need practically no graphics card, and the only thing i need to worry about is the processor.

Also, it needs to be windows based for personal reasons.

Also, I also assume its not safe to run a pc or netbook 24/7, so how long should it run? What's the risk of it burning up if its just running a command program?

Thank you in advance.

the lower the dba the lower the sound level will be, anything under 30 dba you probably won't hear unless you stick your head inside your case.

Lots of people run there PCs 24/7, the only problem is higher power/electric bill, but that's about it. Of course you could wear components out faster, but that's not much of an issue, since your components will generally become outdated and get replaced before they fail anyway (overclocking excepted).

Elder, are you hard of hearing? At 30dBA it would drive me out of the house. I will admit that I have rather sensitive hearing, but it is not that sensitive. The loudest fan I have in my system is 17dBA (four of them) and they are almost too loud, it often gives me a headache. Newegg no longer carries the model of Cooler Master I purchased back then the new ones are 19dBA each and move less than 70CFM.

To the OP, the two considerations for fans are dBA and CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute). As a rule any fan with less than 20dBA is considered a “Silent” fan. Remember that the more fans you install in your system the more noise they will generate. If you don’t put some vibration buffers in place a single fan can be a very noisy thing. Lets not forget filters, more air will always mean more dust.

As for really good sites for fans; I would advise sticking with Newegg. There are a lot of very good reasons why they are the largest online retailer. But if you want to shop around check out pricewatch.

As for a server, it should run 24/7 so that it is always available to you or any computer on your network. Almost any old PC will work. If you are looking for specific specifications I would advise checking out Microsoft’s Windows Server page for whatever version you are thinking of using.

LOL - I have a pair of 120mm 43dba fans in my case, along with 3 19dba 230mm fans. The big fans I can't hear at all, the other ones I can hear but they don't bother me...... guess I just like wind tunnels ( and amazing airflow cooling for my OC projects).

Anyhow, in the avg home pc a 30dba fan will hardly be heard above the CPU fan (assuming stock cooler) and other system noise, so unless you have the case up on the desk by your ear when using the PC I wouldn't think you would notice it much...... but I've been called weird too.

My computer is about one foot from where I sit while my wife's computers is about twelve feet away; I can hear both clearly. I can hear the different fans in my wifes computer running at different speeds from my chair, which really suck.
I really wish my computer case supported 230mm fans, I have five 120mm fans, all rated at 15bDA and 96CFM or more. But my two HD4850s running at full load will only reach around 67c so I guess it's worth it. I never have reached 70c on the video cards.

Ok cool.
Did a little research on my computer case, and i found out I have room for SIX other case fans. Go figure lol. I figure a couple more in addition to a new one to replace the current should be great. By my logic, more fans = less heat = no high speed fans (since they go at low rates or high rates i think) meaning low sound. or does multiple fans running at low still mean more noise?


Also is there any way they should be placed? I have these for options.
1 front or rear (rear is the one i have and is being replaced) 2 top and 2 side.
Front and rear are 120mm while the top and sides can be 120 or 140mm.
What is the best way to arrange these, and they should all be facing so wind is blowing out the computer right? I dont plan on getting fans for ALL, but im guessing 2 more wouldnt be bad.

General rule of thumb is front, side, and bottom fans should draw cool air in --- top and rear fans should vent hot air out.

So i should have

120mm rear (out)
140mm top out
140mm side (in)

is that optimal without using all my fan slots?
I wanna take advantage of my 140mm slots since i heard larger fans move air better without having to move faster or louder or something.

I always put a fan in the rear blowing out as first priority, then in most cases, a fan drawing cool air in at the front. After that it really depends on how hot your GPU & CPU are, if you have a gaming grade video card and/or you overclock your CPU, then you might want to have a side fan (cool air in) as well as a top fan (hot air out). Every situation is a little different, but that is what seems to work the best in my experience.

I don't know the specific requirements for a Minecraft server, but I would assume they are relatively low. Most server-side programs like that are relatively simple. As you noted, they just have a command line interface, so there are no graphics routines to worry about, and no sound either. Basically, the server just keeps track of where the various objects, NPCs, players, etc., are and how they interact. It then sends info to the clients to tell the clients what is happening and the clients take care of all the graphics, sounds, inputs, etc.
A few years ago, I ran a TFC server. It ran just fine on an old Athlon 2400+ based computer with no sound card (or on-board) and just an old PCI 2D video card. (With no monitor either - once it was set up). I now use basically that same setup to run a Ventrilo server.

Generally, the only problem with running a server 24/7 is the small threat of outside virus/hacking attacks, but running behind a router, using a good AV program, and only enabling needed ports should keep it relatively safe.
In order to minimize power usage and wear & tear, you can set it to power down the hard drive and video when idle.

Ok. I have an old desktop i can use and prolly disconnect everything but the computer when set up. Sounds good.

Yeah, I forgot to mention, the Ventrilo server has no monitor, no mouse, and no keyboard attached. You may have to set it in the BIOS to not stop on keyboard errors.