Silencing an iMac - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

macmanmike6100 · 07-05-2003, 11:24 PM

I have very successfully silenced my CRT iMac!

If you know anything about the <a href="http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/faq/technical_performance.html">"fifth-gen" iMacs</a>, you know that they were revolutionary in that they did not contain a cooling fan, instead relying on convection currents. All iMacs afterward followed suit.

However, my comp was still whirring...I eventually pinned this to the internal 10GB ATA Maxtor. Having a 60GB FireWire (IEEE1384) external, I moved it all using <a href="http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/7032">Carbon Copy Cloner</a> because I only used the internal for user and system storage, keeping apps on the external. You have to use this prog to move a system from int to ext, because permissions must be preserved.

So now, I turned on the "Spin down disks (when possible)" option in the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences. Vi—la, after restarting from the external, the internal will eventually spindown and no more whir!

This is an OS X solution, but this would be even easier in OS 9 because you don't need CCC.

Take this thread where you will, techies!

[Special thanks to JuanValdes for the correction]

juanvaldes · 07-05-2003, 11:45 PM

Wasn't it the second gen (aka E+) that went to convection cooling?

cheerios · 07-05-2003, 11:45 PM

mac: 'minds me of my efforts to add a fan to the blueberry iMac I had for awhile!

had to get creative, poor thing was in dire straights, but she served me well, up till she suffocated in a fire.

ah well, better her than me!

glad you found a way to quiet yours down. may I suggest swapping out the hDD for something quieter? It's really not all that traumatic to open them up. just be firm but gentle w/ the casing, and you're golden.

dunno what HDD is in my iMac (flat panel, this time), but she's quiet as a kitten, far as I can tell!

great tip, though, love the idea!!

macmanmike6100 · 07-06-2003, 01:26 AM

thanks, cheerios. Yeah I've opened 'er up twice already, for RAM and an Airport card; not as bad as some of the Macs I've worked with (Power Mac 8550...ugh). For the time being, it's just easier to leave the external there, but once I get a few paychecks, I might consider getting a new internal b/c they're just so cheap these days.

Juan, you're very correct my friend. <a href="http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/faq/technical_performance.html">There are 11 iMac revisions</a>, and obviously I'm not thinking straight. I was wrong on another count: I have a slot-loading Indigo "Summer 2001" iMac. As much as an evangelist I am, sleep deprivation has the same effects on me as anybody :-)

In other news, I'm still in disbelief that the iMac first revolutionized the industry in 1998! Oh how time flies...

darkure · 07-06-2003, 12:55 PM

Seagate is a master at quiet hard drives but they are not the cheapest around.

07-05-2003, 11:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
macmanmike6100 High Honorary Junkie Location: Tri-state.	Silencing an iMac I have very successfully silenced my CRT iMac! If you know anything about the <a href="http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/faq/technical_performance.html">"fifth-gen" iMacs</a>, you know that they were revolutionary in that they did not contain a cooling fan, instead relying on convection currents. All iMacs afterward followed suit. However, my comp was still whirring...I eventually pinned this to the internal 10GB ATA Maxtor. Having a 60GB FireWire (IEEE1384) external, I moved it all using <a href="http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/7032">Carbon Copy Cloner</a> because I only used the internal for user and system storage, keeping apps on the external. You have to use this prog to move a system from int to ext, because permissions must be preserved. So now, I turned on the "Spin down disks (when possible)" option in the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences. Vi—la, after restarting from the external, the internal will eventually spindown and no more whir! This is an OS X solution, but this would be even easier in OS 9 because you don't need CCC. Take this thread where you will, techies! [Special thanks to JuanValdes for the correction] Last edited by macmanmike6100; 07-06-2003 at 01:33 AM..

07-06-2003, 01:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
macmanmike6100 High Honorary Junkie Location: Tri-state.	thanks, cheerios. Yeah I've opened 'er up twice already, for RAM and an Airport card; not as bad as some of the Macs I've worked with (Power Mac 8550...ugh). For the time being, it's just easier to leave the external there, but once I get a few paychecks, I might consider getting a new internal b/c they're just so cheap these days. Juan, you're very correct my friend. <a href="http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/faq/technical_performance.html">There are 11 iMac revisions</a>, and obviously I'm not thinking straight. I was wrong on another count: I have a slot-loading Indigo "Summer 2001" iMac. As much as an evangelist I am, sleep deprivation has the same effects on me as anybody :-) In other news, I'm still in disbelief that the iMac first revolutionized the industry in 1998! Oh how time flies... Last edited by macmanmike6100; 07-06-2003 at 01:33 AM..

07-06-2003, 12:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
darkure Addict Location: Dodging the ice pick	Seagate is a master at quiet hard drives but they are not the cheapest around. __________________ COYW

07-05-2003, 11:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
juanvaldes Banned Location: shittown, CA	Wasn't it the second gen (aka E+) that went to convection cooling?

07-05-2003, 11:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
cheerios Banned Location: 'bout 2 feet from my iMac	mac: 'minds me of my efforts to add a fan to the blueberry iMac I had for awhile! had to get creative, poor thing was in dire straights, but she served me well, up till she suffocated in a fire. ah well, better her than me! glad you found a way to quiet yours down. may I suggest swapping out the hDD for something quieter? It's really not all that traumatic to open them up. just be firm but gentle w/ the casing, and you're golden. dunno what HDD is in my iMac (flat panel, this time), but she's quiet as a kitten, far as I can tell! great tip, though, love the idea!!