[VWapple]

I just got an old G3 333 with 512 MB RAM and OS 10.3.9 to use as an itunes server and for printer sharing. I was under the impression that these computers are supposed to be very quiet due to the convection cooling and lack of a fan. This doesn't seem to be the case with mine. It is quite loud, almost like a whining and blowing noise. Frankly it sounds a LOT like a fan. Is there something wrong or should I consider "quiet" to be a relative term as this may have been quiet for 99 or 2000. Although I'm not too sure, considering I used to have an old Gateway pc from 97 that I remember being quieter than this..

[centerchannel68]

333's don't have convection cooling. They have a 92mm fan. You're thinking of 2nd gen iMacs.

[ickystay]

I get an annoying whine from my hard drive (a 40 gig pulled from a eMac). Of course, if a cd or dvd is in the drive, it sounds louder than most fans. Very quiet otherwise.

Edit: Ha! 1 minute from clarity!

[beetleboy]

My G3 iMac DV 400 originally came with a 10 gig hard drive. It was very loud. However, several years later I replaced it with a 120 gig that's virtually silent. I love it. My G4 isnt' so quiet. The fan can get loud at times.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by beetleboy 

My G3 iMac DV 400 originally came with a 10 gig hard drive. It was very loud. However, several years later I replaced it with a 120 gig that's virtually silent. I love it. My G4 isnt' so quiet. The fan can get loud at times.

That's not what he has. You have a 2nd generation iMac, without a fan. He has a 333, which is a 1st generation rev D iMac. It has a fan. Thank you come again.

[beetleboy]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

That's not what he has. You have a 2nd generation iMac, without a fan. He has a 333, which is a 1st generation rev D iMac. It has a fan. Thank you come again.

I know his unit has a fan. I was referring to the hard drive noise, which on the old models was quite common. THANK YOU, COME AGAIN.

[VWapple]

Well now that I know I have a fan.. it still sounds awfully loud. Should I be able to hear this thing across the room?

[centerchannel68]

Yeah, they're pretty loud. Chances are yours is probably dusty also. If you take the iMac apart you can spray off the fan with some compressed air, or replace it with a newer one, though I will warn you if you want to do it the right way (not just splicing the wires together but replacing the fan and it's cord), it involves taking apart the whole iMac, removing the EFI shielding around the CRT, and removing the logic board. It's kinda a PITA. So... you might be better off just cleaning it, or splicing the wires of the new one.

[VWapple]

interesting.. how much of an improvement should I see just from cleaning it?

[centerchannel68]

Depends how much is caked on the fan blades.