To Cool or Not to Cool

So, I installed that fan today, and it doesn't work. Well, it work - it lights up blue and spins, but it doesn't do a damn thing for my heat problem. The problem is that it's an intake fan that sits in the PCI slot right under my video card. It blows air in toward the video card and then the video card blows air out toward the fan and it just kind of stagnates. The problem is the CPU anyway. I looked it up at AMD's web site (yes, I'm cheap) and it's supposed to run at around 23C, but mine runs at 66C (around 153 F). That's just too hot and the computer constantly reboots.

It all started when I bought Fable for my dad as a Christmas present. My computer (barely) met the recommended specs, but my integrated video (GeForce FX) wasn't compatible with video shaders. So I bought this card (a Geforce 6200) and now nv_4.disp causes Windows to crash. ( I only use Windows to play games and on my 166 because I can't get Vector Linux to recognize my WiFi card) For a long time I blamed the Geforce driver, and I went through a lot of different versions.

I was using dial up at the time, so it took forever to download the relative small (30 MB) driver files. I even ended up accidently uninstalling the Nforce GART driver. That was a huge mistake. But I eventually realized it was a heat issue. A few months ago I got an exhaust fan, but it really doesn't help much if at all. So now I have this new fan that I've been needing since Christmas, but it doesn't help. I think maybe if I switch the wires going into the fan it'll spin the other way and become an exhaust fan, but I don't know if it works like that. And I already tried disassembling the fan and flipping it around.

The underlying problem is that I have an HP and the case is very poorly designed. It's not particularly small, but the components are crammed in there so tightly that there is no room for additional fans. I put an exhaust fan on the back, but I'd really like an intake fan or two. (I'd need to keep the exhaust fan for an intake to be effective, so I can't just flip it around) I don't think the case is very aerodynamically efficient either, because the single fan really should do what I need. Either I get another new fan, or a water cooling system, but I'm poor and I'd probably screw it up anyway and get water all over my motherboard, hard drive, and new video card. (and the pretty blue fan)

So I decided to remedy my problem by doing one of the following (listed in order of difficulty): Removing the video card and fans and cutting my loses. Installing a blow hole in the top of the case, if I can find the room. Cutting a hole and installing a fan in the left and/or right side panel, provided the right panel can be removed and it wouldn't interfere with the mobo. Remounting the hard drive at a different location (either above the DVD drive or off to the side), cutting a hole in the front cover (after figuring out how to remove it), cutting a hole in the front of the case itself, and installing a fan to create a cross breeze. I'll get to work on one of those things as soon as I get my hands on a Dremel and something to cut through the aluminum case.