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I have an old Dell Dimension 8200 desktop tower that (in the rear) has a power supply fan at the top and directly below is the CPU fan which is part of the green shroud that directs air to the CPU.
The tower itself doesn't have any vents in the front or sides. The only vents are in the back where the excess hot air is blown from the back. Currently my tower is on the floor but it's placed with plenty of room from the wall and no wires are blocking the rear vents. Unfortunately, the computer isn't by a window or anything so outside ventilation is essentially nonexistent.
I've recently replaced the CPU fan because after about 8 years of use, it died on me which is pretty impressive. I just bought an external fan (which is powered by USB) that I'm hoping to help further cool this machine down.
With this current layout and situation, where do you think I should place this external fan to optimize the airflow around the tower? I've seen diagrams where you would put the fan in the front, but with no vents in the front, I'm not sure how to go about doing this.
Those Dell "clam-cases" really stunk for internal cooling in fact I have two of them (Dell Dimension 4500 and Dell Optiplex G260).
The front of those cases really have no vents though on the inside bottom front there are holes but wouldn't really do much good for a fan there if you were able to mount one. You'd have to take the case apart to be able to access that (again if possible) as it's tight inside with those cables to the front USB, Power switch and Hard drive cable in that area especially intrusive when you close it.
I'd go with a PCI slotted fan though not the best cooling but the easiest way in your scenario.
Let me add: There are other places to purchase these, the link above is only a quick photo reference. Some plug directly into the PCI slot which powers the fan and others that take up a slot space that plug (using a male molex connector) into a female molex connector of the power supply.
No my computer isn't overheating. However, the room does get decently warm although I try to provide some adequate ventilation. I'm not quite sure how the computer gets cool air in since there aren't any vents in the front or sides. The vents in the rear I'm assuming are only for the exhaust.
NJGuy, regarding the case i have right now, would it be smart to try to get some air flow in the back some how? Or better yet, how would I get better air flow to the machine?
The air enters in the front of those machines. The fans exhaust the air out the back. If the machine is still running OK after all these years, it isn't broken. Don't fix what isn't broken.
The air enters in the front of those machines. The fans exhaust the air out the back. If the machine is still running OK after all these years, it isn't broken. Don't fix what isn't broken.
If air enters it's so very limited. I know as I have two such computers in my stock.
These are not those black cases that have the slide off side panel.
Last edited by njguy; 09-22-2010 at 03:40 PM..
Reason: Added a sentence
No my computer isn't overheating. However, the room does get decently warm although I try to provide some adequate ventilation. I'm not quite sure how the computer gets cool air in since there aren't any vents in the front or sides. The vents in the rear I'm assuming are only for the exhaust.
NJGuy, regarding the case i have right now, would it be smart to try to get some air flow in the back some how? Or better yet, how would I get better air flow to the machine?
Other than cutting a hole on the side panel to then mount a fan, that computer is a tough one to do otherwise. Like has been said, if it doesn't overheat nor broken don't fix it.
All these computers do is mostly exhaust.
The ventilation inside those cases isn't that good.
If I find a online photo of a case mod to such a case I'll add it to this post.
And you really cannot transfer that motherboard (I say motherboard because it's so VERY proprietary) to a different type case just in case you were thinking this without extreme modding not worth doing by far IMO.
The other "negative" thing (no offense intended) is that your particular motherboard has RDRAM modules which gets real HOT!!!!! (in compared to regular DDR RAM) and doesn't help matters.
In fact I had once found the exact same computer you have and decided to discard it as I didn't need it and the unwanted heat.
computer cases are not air tight, very far from it, believe me when I say your case has no problem taking in outside air.
But the OP's case it's not as good.
Again I should know.
The OP is complaining that the heated air coming out of the CPU exhaust fan is heating his room. The ones I have like it (now just dormant) aren't as bad because those mobos use DDR RAM, but the mobo the OP has runs with RDRAM which runs quite hot therefore the interior of his case is hotter. I had one of the same model and threw it out last year, so I know the difference in exhaust temps.
The OP is complaining that the heated air coming out of the CPU exhaust fan is heating his room. The ones I have like it (now just dormant) aren't as bad because those mobos use DDR RAM, but the mobo the OP has runs with RDRAM which runs quite hot therefore the interior of his case is hotter. I had one of the same model and threw it out last year, so I know the difference in exhaust temps.
How should you know better than anyone else that is familiar with these cases?
It's common sense that hot air is going to be coming out of the case, short of the interior components being clogged with dust I've never run into any cooling problems with them RD, DDR, or otherwise, the stock setup works just fine when kept clean, I see no need for an exterior fan.
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