You may have a loud computer box. Whenever you turn it on, the whirring sounds of the fans, optical drive and hard drive may really annoy you. Here are 5 ways to quiet that box down.

1. Upgrade to a new hard drive

Many hard drives get louder as they get older. Your ears are not fooling you if you have an old hard drive. Getting a new one can cut the noise out quite a bit.

2. Soundproof your PC case

Foam blocks do wonders. And yes there are kits specifically for it. For those that would ask, "Doesn’t that increase heat?", not necessarily. It depends on the application.

3. Put it on the floor

Sounds obvious, but if the computer box is on the floor and not on the desk you won’t hear it as much.

4. Keep it away from the wall

Sound will bounce off the wall in your direction if your computer is directly adjacent to it. To note, if you’re forced to have it next to the wall, put some kind of foam or cloth on the wall itself and it will significantly decrease the sound-bouncing.

5. Use premium-grade case fans

Cheap case fans are loud or will become loud in short order. Spend the extra few dollars on premium fans with better bearings to keep it quiet.

If your computer is running a little bit louder than what you would like, then here are some good tips for reducing some of the noise. I really found this article interesting because the author didn’t focus on parts you would need to buy/upgrade, but instead covers several completely free and relatively painless steps you can take.

Ironically enough, I’ve found moving the computer (the first item listed) to be by far the most effective. I would be interested to hear any other ideas people have to reducing the noise on their computers. After all, it can always run a bit quieter…