Can you be a bit more descriptive of exactly what constitutes "the plastic on the back"?

There is a plastic cover over the back of the computer that is all black. It is almost completely vented. It is direclty above the expansion slots, and borders the ports area on the top and side.

From your description and the X600 panning view in the system configurator it's the heat exhaust grille for the processor fans. Have you opened the case to look at how the grille is secured to the chassis? If pressing on it stops the noise then you could try wedging a small piece of paper, tape or foam - anything to prevent it from vibrating. If both systems do it you might give tech support a call for suggestions as an alternative. 

I have the exact same issue - it is really amazing how quiet this system (with 7! fans) really is when that plastic on the back ISN'T vibrating ... but when it gets going, it can be quite loud. I've tried wedging stuff all over the place and haven't yet managed to keep it from making noise. I have made it louder sometimes, though. Their's got to be a magic sweetspot I haven't found yet :-)

I guess taking it off completely might do the trick :-\

8 fans if you have SLI enabled...

2 power supply fans
2 CPU fans
1 hard drive fan
1 PCI card fan (the only fan the Gen-5 didn't have)
1 fan on each video card

I don't think there is any cpu out there that runs hotter than yours...
so heat's just gonna be an issue for those high-clock speed monsters.

Message Edited by CTskydiver on 10-21-2005 09:57 AM

Message Edited by CTskydiver on 10-21-2005 10:00 AM

so the xps 600 has 7 fans.....I guess they decided to fix heat buildup that are in the xps 3, 4, 5's.....the case temps are high...my case temp is around 120 f.....I am making an fan assembly to mount on top of the vents on the top of the case..this shpuld help pull hot air out and cooler air in and that should also allow the processor to run cooler because the processor fan will then be pulling cooler air through the heat sink and then out of the case...they should of put a little more though in their cooling...special with the nVidia cards and the prescott processors...both will run pretty hot.......since the fan shroud assembly with new fans and the heat sink was replaced the system does run quiter......but the temps did not change ......

Message Edited by dmc200 on 10-21-2005 11:00 AM

DMC that was great lol nice one.

my fans are now quite...but if dell resolved this last year...then why are Gen 4's and 5's having the same problem...the hoover sound is gone...the case temps are still high.....I see with the 600 they use both fans in the shroud to pull air acrose the heat sink plus they added another fan to the system...the 600.....gen 3, 4, 5's are still basicaly the same case.........so they fixed the problem in the 600 with 2 fans on processor and another in the case.....I am building a case scoop so to say...it will fasten down over the vents in the top of the case.....there will be two fans probably around the size of the pwr supply fans that will be mounted in this scoop..these fans will pull hot air out thru the top of the case and should also help pull cooler air in thru the front....tthese fans will have their own dc pwr supply that will be mounted in the scoop so it wont have to use any pwr from computer then it will plug into its own 115 vac outlet..the scoop will be as wide as the case and around 4 inches longer than the vent on top of the case..this will allow room to install the very small 120 vac step down to 12 or 24 vdc transformer...I have made a prototype scoop with out any fans ( looking for the right fans and pwr transformer) it can be mounted with no tools...but to open the scoop after its mounted you will need a small phillips screw driver.....my prototype is made out of .040 aluminum and was made using a sheetmetal break...my idea calls for it to be made from molded plastic....and the color will match the case's..the height of the case scoop (or hood scoop) is 2.25 inches....I would like to get it down to either 1.75 inches or at least 2 inches.....the height will depend on the fans......the fan controls will me made into the scoop and can be controlled  by a 1 turn potentiometer wich I have tons of them in my office...I would also like to have a digital temp display built on it....with  2 temp probes  to measure case tewmps from two locations...and the scoop will have a selector switch to switch from one probe to the other......I am not sure of the costs...the one I put on my machine will have all the above....but depending on the costs...I may just have one temp probe and digital readoutwith a simple on an off switch....if it works and looks good I may see if I can sell it..molded plastic would look better but the one I made out of 040 and I may even try to make it out of .050 aluminum ..it will be more rigid...the most important thing though is finding super quite fans than can pull some rpms..our egineer at work seems to think my idea would work and believes I should keep it simple with just and on/off switch with a dig.tmp readout...myself I like the idea of control of the whole rpm scale....wich a potentiometer will give me....I love doing stuff like this and thats why I do it for a living except on a bigger scale (plc's..electrical component cabinets..motor conto systemsl....instrumentation)

Message Edited by Georgia_Rebel on 10-21-2005 08:19 PM