>>This server sounds like a darn vacuum cleaner, pretty much.

>I cannot help you with the Compaq, but the DELL servers are very loud as well. Look in the BIOS. There is a "noise reduction" option for the DELLs. There must be something similar for the Compaqs. (BTW, why do they even "have" that option in the BIOS is beyond me. Maybe a computer room with a lof of loud fans "sounds" impressive..)

>>This server sounds like a darn vacuum cleaner, pretty much.

>I cannot help you with the Compaq, but the DELL servers are very loud as well. Look in the BIOS. There is a "noise reduction" option for the DELLs. There must be something similar for the Compaqs. (BTW, why do they even "have" that option in the BIOS is beyond me. Maybe a computer room with a lof of loud fans "sounds" impressive..)

Thanks, good idea, I will check it out next time I bring the server back up (I'm installing an external tape auto-load 6-pack now, not as simple a task as I hoped, it came with no SCSI controller, and now the tape drive is causing bootup errors (-: Very fast, though, I will say that about this server.

Perhaps the BIOS noise reduction causes less cooling, and the manufacturer does not want to be legally liable by setting the default "quiet" in case of server overheating. I have full AC everywhere, but I know some people that keep servers in areas without much AC - that may be the logic here by Compaq and Dell for the high cooling default.

We have a special limited gov't 3rd-party contract for Compaqs, so I cannot just call the normal Compaq tech support line for help, otherwise I would do that. I have to go through several layers of bureacracy to get this kind of server help, since none of our in-house server people are familiar with this new noisy model, I have the first one.