quiet pc's?

[Leon Goldstein]

Ken Moffat wrote:

>Anyone recommend a very quiet pc that would run as a home server and 
>internet access computer in a pinch? Something I could leave running all 
>the time without driving the wife crazy? And it must, of course, be 
>cheap!  I don't ask much....
>I'm wondering about the VIA chips or maybe I should just spend the $$ on 
>quiet fans.
>
>  
>
Ken: What sort of CPU power are you looking for?  I've mentioned in 
earlier threads my Compaq Presario 5151, originally equiped with AMD 
K6-2 @ 350 mHz but subsequently upgraded to K6-III+ @ 500 mHz and a 
Promise ATA 100 PCI card.
The Compaq has VIA chips, and it is limited to a maximum of 384 MB of 
ram.  It is quiet, and that is because it has a passive CPU heatsink.  
(With the overclocked K6-III+, the base of the heat sink got hot during 
a kernel recompile, but the top of the fins remained cool to the touch, 
so it has adequate heat dissipation.)

I've seen similar boxes on sale cheap at pawn shops, but you need to 
check the boards, since Compaq used a variety; some have SiS chipsets 
and onboard video, others VIA chipsets and onboard ATI Mach 64 video.  I 
highly recommend the VIA chipset version over the SiS.

-- 
Leon A. Goldstein

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