My webserver is incredibly loud. It’s because there are probably four fans in the case

, all humming away trying to keep the fancy leading edge processor chip cool. This same chip literally popped and sent out a wisp of smoke the first time I turned on the computer because it didn’t have the CPU fan fitted properly.

With the webserver now in the closet of my bedroom office, the noise is still intense. Imagine sitting near the engines on a jet airplane, 24 hours a day (well, it just arrived via FedEx, so it’s been maybe 18 hours).

I set out to find how best to quiet this server, and found plenty of ideas. I’m looking for cheap and easy, so high end acoustical insulation and submerging my server in non-conductive mineral oil like a NASA showoff are off the list. Asthetics are an issue, which is why encasing my server in a giant wooden box is no good, and having the computer coverless with everything exposed is not desirable. Cost is an issue, and quiet components can be expensive.

I think the best solution, culled from the articles, is to reduce the amount of fans (keeping an eye on CPU health by using software that reports the temperature) and perhaps using some carpet padding to insulate sound from the inside.