Fanless E2160?

[AmberClad]

I just read an article over at THG about tests simulating HSF fan failures, and apparently the E2160 was able to pass all the benchmarks without slowdowns/shutdowns with no fan.

Anyways, suppose you wanted to build a silent HTPC -- passively cooled PSU and Gigabyte heatpipe video card, etc. Could you use a E2610 in there with no fan indefinitely? Or would that degrade things over time? The other problem I can think of it is the motherboard might complain, and refuse to boot with no CPU fan connected.

Thoughts?

 

[21stHermit]

Amber,

You must be dislexis, that was the E2160, NOT E6120!!!

Should be possible to go fanless on the E2160.

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: 21stHermit
Amber,

You must be dislexis, that was the E2160, NOT E6120!!!

Should be possible to go fanless on the E2160.

Ack, right you are. I just fixed it. Thanks for catching my brain fart :thumbsup:.

But what about the problem with the motherboard not detecting anything connected to the CPU fan pinout? Would it actually boot? In those THG tests, they disconnected the fan after the system was already up and running. I wouldn't want to have to go into the case every day and connect and disconnect things.

 

[nanaki333]

you can go into the bios and tell it to ignore it. my water pump doesn't connect anything to the motherboard, nor does the water block (obviously). just have to tell the bios to ignore it and it shouldn't bark at you.

 

[SlicedBread27]

Another option is to buy a fan that is already rated as "Silent" and hook up a resistor to it to slow it down even further. You shouldn't be able to hear a 120mm fan running at ~500RPM inside a case.

 

[nanaki333]

not many HTPC cases allow for much clearance for fans. i had to get a 1U fan for my HIPHER system. anything taller wouldn't let me close it up.

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: nanaki333
not many HTPC cases allow for much clearance for fans.

Yep, you beat me to it. I have similar clearance issues on my SFF. Radial/flower-style HSFs generally work because they're quite short, but they also have small and noisy fans.

(Note to Intel: Give us a 6XXX level CPU that can go fanless, and I'll be really impressed )

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: AmberClad(Note to Intel: Give us a 6XXX level CPU that can go fanless, and I'll be really impressed )

Based on what I've learned in the past month of reading and posting, mostly here, the E6xxx is already there. Simply pick a ~2GHz E6xxx and under-volt it. Shouldn't have to under-clock it to have it work. One E21xx user got his to work below 1.0V. No reason a E6xxx can't work at 1V too.

The E2xxx, E4xxx, and E6xxx are fundamentally the same mirco-architecture with more/less cache.

Help me understand, just why does one need lots of cache for a HTC PC? Would you game on it?

Hermit

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: 21stHermit
Help me understand, just why does one need lots of cache for a HTC PC? Would you game on it?

Bah, I meant a stock speed, non-underclocked E6XXX . And not necessarily just for an HTPC. It'd be nice to have for any system. Even with the quietest fans, you still have to give it a good regular cleaning to get rid of the dust build-up.

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
Bah, I meant a stock speed, non-underclocked E6XXX

I didn't say under-clock, I said under-volt.

Under-volting is identical in concept to over-clocking at stock voltage. You are simply finding the built-in margin of the chip. This requires trial and error, not "possible" on a production line. But, very easy for an enthuasist like you. Under-volting can provide significant power reductions, easily possible to halve the power with a few 0.1V reduction.

And not necessarily just for an HTPC. It'd be nice to have for any system. Even with the quietest fans, you still have to give it a good regular cleaning to get rid of the dust build-up.

Maybe where you live, not here in Hermitville. After 2-years of use I have insignificant dust inside my PC's.

 

[Acanthus]

You can undervolt an E2160 at stock speed pretty significantly.

This will dramatically lower the heat output at both idle and load. (under 15w load if you get a chip thatll go under 1.1v).

 

[nanaki333]

Originally posted by: AmberClad

Originally posted by: nanaki333
not many HTPC cases allow for much clearance for fans.

Yep, you beat me to it. I have similar clearance issues on my SFF. Radial/flower-style HSFs generally work because they're quite short, but they also have small and noisy fans.

(Note to Intel: Give us a 6XXX level CPU that can go fanless, and I'll be really impressed )

oh hell yeah! my HTPC is an x2 4200 65W. i was going to try to see how that thing fairs without a fan on the heatsink, but i'm just not that brave.

i'd LOVE a c2d in there. my friend's E4300 can watch HD perfectly fine at even stock speeds.

 

[AmberClad]

Originally posted by: 21stHermit
Maybe where you live, not here in Hermitville. After 2-years of use I have insignificant dust inside my PC's.

Does Hermitville = cleanroom/fab by any chance :laugh:? *sigh* It only takes a couple months before I get dust bunnies growing on my fans .

I'll look into that under-volting tip. Essentially gradually reducing the voltage to find the lowest stable voltage, it sounds like?

 

[Acanthus]

I just did a test with my E4300 based rig.

passed an hour of prime large FFTs at 1.025v and this is on a very old stepping.

Stock fan was spinning at 1000rpm and load temp was 47C.

I bet you could easily go passive with a better than stock cooler.

Edit: and halfway decent case airflow of course.

Even the best heatsink is pretty useless without any air moving across it.

 

[lopri]

Agree with others. C2D's run very cool at low frequencies. (~2.5GHz) You should be able to undervolt and go fanless, unless your HTPC is in a rack without any ventilation.

 

[Accord99]

With the right cooler, the entire dual-core C2D lineup can be run passively. I can run an E6600 overclocked to 3.2GHz/1.35v with a fanless Ninja A without throttling under dual Prime95. The only fan in the system is a 900 rpm 120mm fan.

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: Accord99
I can run an E6600 overclocked to 3.2GHz/1.35v with a fanless Ninja A without throttling under dual Prime95. The only fan in the system is a 900 rpm 120mm fan.

I'm impressed, since I'm a little thin on coolers, what's a "Ninja A"?

Thanks
Hermit

 

[Accord99]

Originally posted by: 21stHermit
I'm impressed, since I'm a little thin on coolers, what's a "Ninja A"?
Thanks
Hermit

The famous Scythe Ninja, one of the first big tower heatsinks. A still very capable heatsink, one of the better ones for passive cooling though not as good as newer competitors with a fan.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article251-page1.html

The original Ninja didn't come with a fan, the Ninja A included a 120mm fan and the current Ninja B changed the Socket 775 clips to match Intel's push-pin system. This change was considered to be a poor move since it doesn't maintain the same pressure as the old setup.

 

[Binky]

I think you guys all missed the fact that the OP is asking for no fan on the cpu AND no case airflow. Ok, so the no airflow thing is implied when you read the comment about dust.

I've run overclocked and fanless 4300 and a 6420 in the same system...but they both had a case fan drawing air through the heatsink. Entirely possible but you need some airflow. A heatsink can't draw heat away without some airflow. A small amount of airflow can do wonders. Now, if the OP is asking about a large heatsink (e.g. Ninja) in a relatively open environment (huge case, cabinet, etc.), then maybe it would be possible. But tiny case + no airflow = really not likley.

The right case with a single low-speed case fan can work without a cpu fan.

 

[Zap]

I've been running my A64 x2 3800+ overclocked to 2.4GHz since 12/2005 passively with the original Ninja. Only have a 120mm case fan behind it, running at really low RPMs. Now, an HTPC with very little clearance for a larger heatsink... dunno if it can be done. Except for using a Ninja in conjunction with a case fan right behind it (which is almost cheating) IMO there's no good and easy way to run stuff passive. Even a Panaflo 80L case undervolted to 7v so that for all intents and purposes it is completely silent once inside a case. Still, any direct airflow however little makes a big cooling difference.

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: Accord99
The famous Scythe Ninja, one of the first big tower heatsinks. A still very capable heatsink, one of the better ones for passive cooling though not as good as newer competitors with a fan.

Is this an antique? I went to NewEgg and searched Scythe and their was no Ninja.

Ninja B changed the Socket 775 clips to match Intel's push-pin system. This change was considered to be a poor move since it doesn't maintain the same pressure as the old setup.

Have to agree with this statement. I'm only considering HSF's with a backing plate and screws.

Thanks
Hermit

 

[Accord99]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16835185038

Guess Newegg just listed it under its model number and not by its name.

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
Does Hermitville = cleanroom/fab by any chance :laugh:? *sigh* It only takes a couple months before I get dust bunnies growing on my fans .

Hermitville is a mining claim surrounded by NF & BLM lands, no neighbors. I suspect it's more about duty cycle than anything else. Inasmuch as I'm solar electric, nothing runs unless absolutely needed. Everything with a ghost load has a wall switch. My total electric "budget" is roughly 3000 WHrs per day . . . give that a try some day!!!

I'll look into that under-volting tip. Essentially gradually reducing the voltage to find the lowest stable voltage, it sounds like?

Exactly.