A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening

Room Acoustics Forum by Rives Audio

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I thought maybe there would be some knowledge here that could be extrapolated to sound dampening within a computer chassis. A lot can be done to silence a PC before applying any sound absorption techniques - use of low heat output components, passive cooling, (larger) low RPM fans, elastomer fan and component mounts. But some noise sources such as hard drives can't be silenced completely. And several cooling fans are inevitable. With any of these items, if you're putting together a high performance workstation you're left with fewer quiet choices than if you were assembling, say, an HTPC with lower performance needs.
I'm asking in the context of building a general purpose workstation, rather than an HTPC system or a music computer in my listening room. It will, however, run 24x7 in an office alcove adjacent to my listening room. My current system is far too loud, so I'm doing all I can to silence the new rig, despite my desire to increase the performance several fold.
Space is obviously a constraint. No 4" fiberglass batting, nor even 2" foam. Maybe 1" in a few spots, but 1/2" would be a more likely max for most of the interior of the case.
The frequence range is likely a consideration and perhaps makes the job easier. Hard drives have two sound components - one a very high-pitched whine of the spinning disk platters, the other a much lower "physical" chattering of the head assembly. That's likely to be the only lower frequency sound encountered. The rest would be fan noise and perhaps some air flow noise.
Thoughts? Any particular type of foam? Would using mass be better - say something on the lines of Dynamat sheets used in automotive soundproofing. Would the overall treatment be ineffective unless all internal surfaces could be covered, or would the treatment of a limited amount of the interior surface area be better than none?

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Topic - A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - J.Mac 19:23:16 03/03/06 (6)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - RickeyM 19:24:12 05/01/06 (0)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - pburke 14:18:29 03/29/06 (0)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - chris_w 11:07:03 03/10/06 (0)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - Dawnrazor 08:22:30 03/10/06 (0)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - Inmate51 13:03:46 03/05/06 (0)

Re: A bit off topic: Computer noise dampening - David Aiken 01:50:03 03/04/06 (0)

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