So I need one at the bottom of the case, one on the video card, one on the power, and one on the processor if not overclocked. That's another thing what is this whole deal about overclocking the processor? I have heard of it but don't know exactly what it is. Another question, I have installed a CD-ROM and CD-RW drive before but never a DVD drive. A friend of my said it is different than installing just a CD or CD-RW. What's so different? ------------------ Arkansas' Biggest Rocket Fan!
I would put one on the harddrive as well. Overclocking is a way to speed up the processor. It is hard to fully explain, but basically you can speed up a processor by overclocking it. If, for example, you have an 800 mhz processor, then you could overclock it to rate at 850 mhz. The problem is the faster you overclock a processor the hotter it gets, and therefore you could burn up the processor. In any case, you won't get as much mileage out of your processor by overclocking it. I would recommend overclocking a processor if you are willing to upgrade the processor every year or year and a half. Don't buy the best processor if would decide to do this. Instead, buy a lower cost model that you can overclock to about the same speed as the latest and greatest models. Then the price will likely equal itself out. NOTE: If you take this as a model, you MUST make sure your motherboard is highly, highly upgradeable, which is not an easy task. I personally don't overclock by processor, so I bought a good processor to begin with. When I upgrade my system, I usually get all new stuff anyway because it is very hard to make a system that is REALLY upgradeable in even a year and a half. DVDs I am not really sure what your friend is talking about. The software instalation is different but the hardware should be the same. ------------------ I am an invisible man.
Let's try it again : 1) If your case supports it, put a fan at the bottom front of the case. There should be mounting holes for you to do so. Make sure the size of the holes matches the size of the fan you'll be getting. 2) Your video card, if it needs one, will already have one more than likely. The only reason you really need to put a fan on the video card's chipset is if you're overclocking the card. If the card's chipset runs that hot without overclocking, the manufacturer will already have put a fan on it. So technically, you probably won't have to get another fan for the video card. 3) There is already a fan on the power supply, you shouldn't need to go get one. We just mentioned it because it's a fan and you asked where there are fans in an pc. 4) Any fan you get other than the one on the front-bottom of the case is just "additional peace-of-mind", especially if you're not overclocking and you're not running a hot-ass AMD chip. I've never put a fan on my hard drive, even with some of the overclocked machines that I've thrown together. But if you want to do it, they make them. Try not to overclock your machine if this is your first build. Wait until you have a stable machine, then if you want to destroy...errr...play around with overclocking, you can do so. ------------------ Yugo grills, Yugo mills, Check out the oil my Yugo spills...
There should be no difference. Think of it as another IDE device you connect to a 40-pin cable just like a CD drive or a hard drive. ------------------ Yugo grills, Yugo mills, Check out the oil my Yugo spills...
All modern CPU's could use a fan on them. The graphics card usually comes with a fan (if it's necessary; especially on higher-end cards). The power supply has its own fan, so no need to buy one for it. Many people add fans to their cases or over their CPUs to cool them further especially if they're overlocking the CPU's. I have a pretty big fan on my CPU, on the lower front end of my case, and another on the back of the case blowing onto the CPU. If the motherboard you have has thermal/temperature headers, you can usually hook one of these up to the CPU to see how hot it gets. In most cases this is just an added benefit and isn't required. Just make sure you have good cool air coming in at the bottom, the warm air getting pumped out the top, and that your CPU is getting cooled. Having extra fans can't really hurt, but it can make things noiser. Many self-built PC's experience Windows crashes from improperly mounted fans and/or improper cooling. People then blame the motherboard or CPU as being the problem. kbm, Do you suggest thermal compound between the fan and CPU for Intel processors? I know I always put some between the contact point of my fan and CPU on AMD processors. ------------------ Yugo grills, Yugo mills, Check out the oil my Yugo spills...
