CPU cooling characteristics for the AMD Athlon II X4 (AM3)
CPU cooling characteristics for the AMD Athlon II X4 (AM3)
I'm updating an old AMD Athlon II X4 640 CPU into a Plex Server for our home media setup. Because it runs continuously as a NAS, I want to adjust the fan curve so it stays quiet when idle but speeds up under load. The stock cooler works fine, but I'd prefer a bit more silence. I'm not concerned about overheating since idle temps stay around 10-13°C and the case provides good airflow from three 120mm fans, plus two USB fans that limit speed. I don't see any options in the BIOS to tweak the curves, so I'll likely need to use software on Windows. Anyone have ideas on how to do this?
Details:
- Board: MSI 785GM-P45 AM3 ATX
- CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640 (4 cores, 3GHz)
- RAM: 2x2 1333MHz DDR3 OCX
- GPU: ATI/AMD Raedon HD 4550
- OS: Windows 8.1 Pro
- Notes: Three case fans, two USB fans via 2-pin header, fan speed controlled by cable limits
there won't be any way to connect software that can reach the fan controller on the CPU of that low-end board, unless the program is designed for that specific model.
MSI Control Center could function... https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/support/7...river&Win8 64
Navigate to BIOS setup, then go to Setting > Advanced > Hardware Monitor. Adjust the CPU Smart Fan Target to "Enabled" and set the CPU Minimum Fan Speed.