How to fit PC in a G5 PowerMac enclosure :> Options

[ѕӎѳѳҭңӌ]

I did think about doing that! The cases construction is of 2 pieces: front & top and bottom & back. I thought about replacing the rear and bottom part of the case. However the aluminium does not like being bent. The anodizing cracks along the plain of bending and looks messy! I dont have access to do custom anodizing to this quality! Then there's the question of creating the threads for the side screws to scew into. If I get time and money in the summer months I may consider this but for now the current option looks ok and it always leaves the "gold" option open!!

[nervouschimp]

I did think about doing that! The cases construction is of 2 pieces: front & top and bottom & back. I thought about replacing the rear and bottom part of the case. However the aluminium does not like being bent. The anodizing cracks along the plain of bending and looks messy! I dont have access to do custom anodizing to this quality! Then there's the question of creating the threads for the side screws to scew into. If I get time and money in the summer months I may consider this but for now the current option looks ok and it always leaves the "gold" option open!!

Cool, look forward to the photos.

I am really confused about my Q6600 temps. Some claim they get idle temps down in the 30s on air and over-clocked up over 3ghz. Either they are using an inaccurate temp software, or my cooling situation is only average. Intel list these chips as running safe up to 71c, but I'm not aware of an accurate temp monitoring software for osx86 to test my peak heat levels.

On another note, I feel bad because I had my boss test his new mac pro 8-core against my hack-G5, and he only scored 160 vs my 217. That's just crazy. Maybe we should run geekbench instead for more accurate results. Isn't 160 low for an octo-mac?

[Baudouin]

smoothy boothy, looks cool.... but.... if you wanna perforate, and you have access to a machine shop, why not go for the gold, and cut out the entire back mesh section from where it meets the solid top and bottom planes, make a whole replacement perforated back piece, bend it to match the rounded corners, and have tabs that match up with the internal fasteners that run around the sides? That would be awesome.

I have tried one, it is very difficult and I was not so happy of the result. Maybe I wil do it again without the mistakes, miscalculations from the first time. I will post some pics tomorow after my night shift.

[nervouschimp]

I am glad I followed my suspicions on the Q6600 heat issues. I am on a xigmatek exposed heat-pipe cooler, and it really is a different beast. I took it off, cleaned off all the arctic silver from the cpu and sink, and then I put a tiny drop of thermal compound on each pipe right where they meet with the cores following the arctic silver diagram of where the cores are on a core 2 quad. So basically 2 tiny drops per pipe for a total of 6 itty bitty droplets.

My idle temps dropped down into the 30s after reseating the xigmatek!

So, with my temps in check, I went up to 3.6hz, and so far so good!

[ѕӎѳѳҭңӌ]

I am glad I followed my suspicions on the Q6600 heat issues. I am on a xigmatek exposed heat-pipe cooler, and it really is a different beast. I took it off, cleaned off all the arctic silver from the cpu and sink, and then I put a tiny drop of thermal compound on each pipe right where they meet with the cores following the arctic silver diagram of where the cores are on a core 2 quad. So basically 2 tiny drops per pipe for a total of 6 itty bitty droplets.

My idle temps dropped down into the 30s after reseating the xigmatek!

So, with my temps in check, I went up to 3.6hz, and so far so good!

Do you think you can get more? I'm thinking of getting that CPU, but I dunno whether to wait for the new intel stuff. I will be water cooling mine too so I'm hoping for the holy Grail of 4ghz!!

[nervouschimp]

I wouldn't want to go higher than 3.6. Right now I'm at 1600fsb, and with a divider my ram is running at its rated 1066. X38 unofficially supports 1600fsb so everything is running within spec exept for the q6600, but my v-core is just barely over spec, and I think I could run it here for years.

[Baudouin]

I wouldn't want to go higher than 3.6. Right now I'm at 1600fsb, and with a divider my ram is running at its rated 1066. X38 unofficially supports 1600fsb so everything is running within spec exept for the q6600, but my v-core is just barely over spec, and I think I could run it here for years.

Which figures are you using ?

My Q6600 is overclocked @ 3.27 GHz with watercooling.

Those are the figures I used in the BIOS :

CPU Clock Rate : 9x (max that can be used)
CPU Host Frequency (MHz) : 365
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) : 100
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) : 2.50
Memory Frequency (MHz) 800 : 913

Normal Overvoltage for all : DDR2, PCI-E, MCH, FSB; CPU Voltage
and Normal CPU Vcore : 1.3000V

[nervouschimp]

asus p5e ws pro with q6600
clock: 9x400
ram divider: 3:2 = 1066 (8gigs gskill)
auto voltage for all
vcore: 1.4

temperature monitor app actually works with my board/cpu, but reads all 4 cores in the 30s... seems low for 3.6.... not sure I trust it.

[Baudouin]

Thanks nervouschimp. I will try to push the Vcore to 1.4V and upgrade the clock frequency as high as I can.

[nervouschimp]

I updated the wiring diagram a little bit for myself to try and make it as simple as I could. If anyone has any tips or suggestions to add to this to streamline it even more, let me know and I will update it.

olinboy1, I connected my G5 front panel audio last night according to your diagram, and it works..... but.... I've got noise on my audio lines. Is it possible that by connecting to the ground pin on the mobo header we are actually creating a ground loop here? Might we be double-grounded? I will try it tonight without the ground and see if it cleans up my audio... if not, I've got RF interference on my cable, so I will test further and get back to you.

[nervouschimp]

ok, did some messing around with the front panel.... and the ground is def needed for proper audio, it works without the ground, but there are issues, and audio artifacts. My board actually has a feedback problem that many users have encountered.... but I fixed it! After grounding the com wire to just about every open ground pin on my board, I was ready to RMA the board when I decided to inspect the audio from the rear-out for the high-pitched squeal. Under the audio prefs I set my output to line out instead of headphones, and plugged my cans into the back. No squeal! So, I immediately switched back to the front panel, and the feedback on the front panel was gone too.... weirdness but I am happy now.

[teknojunkie]

nice so you have the full front panel working, glad you got it fixed.

[nervouschimp]

nice so you have the full front panel working, glad you got it fixed.

yep, fully working.

So far my only issues are that the machine will not wake from sleep, and sometimes hangs on shutdown. Restart has been working everytime.

[teknojunkie]

I do not know why sleep doesnt work well you can try the Kalyway 10.5.2 dvd with sleep kernel and all that. Im looking for bare silent cpu fans with no LED lights on them I like the Zalman but they have lights on them

[nervouschimp]

I do not know why sleep doesnt work well you can try the Kalyway 10.5.2 dvd with sleep kernel and all that. Im looking for bare silent cpu fans with no LED lights on them I like the Zalman but they have lights on them

I'm just bummed that I'll prolly have to run a modified kernel. I may try that.

I can highly recommend the xigmatek HDT-S1283, it has mixed reviews, but I think it's because if you don't do the thermal paste just right with this cooler, then it is not very effective, but if you do get it right, it rocks.

[teknojunkie]

thanks well you can you run 2 different kernels just at different times like press F8 and vanilla for that kernel and the vice versa with sleep.

will check the link out for the fan

[Harloe]

Wish I had the money and knowledge to create something like this! nervouschimp I see you have cables running into the back I/O plate for USB, FireWire, Ethernet etc. I just wanna know what those cables are and where I can find some? I want to do as little modification to the case as possible (not confident in metalwork or using a dremel) So I DON'T want to cut anything

Anyone got some insight of how I could build a cheap Hack in a G5 case with NOT cutting the case at all!

Thanks

[ѕӎѳѳҭңӌ]

Wish I had the money and knowledge to create something like this! nervouschimp I see you have cables running into the back I/O plate for USB, FireWire, Ethernet etc. I just wanna know what those cables are and where I can find some? I want to do as little modification to the case as possible (not confident in metalwork or using a dremel) So I DON'T want to cut anything

Anyone got some insight of how I could build a cheap Hack in a G5 case with NOT cutting the case at all!

Thanks

Well unless you already have a g5 case, with us living in the uk nothing is cheap especially g5 cases!! and what nervouschimp has done isnt the easy way either!

I would do what nervouschimp has done, with cheaper comp parts. I got my motherboard tray from www.kustompcs.co.uk, its never instock so you have to request it. I'm not sure about the 'booster' cables nc has used but im sure google will bring something up!

[Harloe]

I just don't know whether to go with this or just build another PC and put OSx86 on it for fun. Or I could do with others have done and just save up money, and build a MacPro! It'd work out cheaper.

Ahhh the choices =[ I'm confused by reading all the wiring posts too.. Don't really have a clue there lol

[ѕӎѳѳҭңӌ]

I just don't know whether to go with this or just build another PC and put OSx86 on it for fun. Or I could do with others have done and just save up money, and build a MacPro! It'd work out cheaper.

Ahhh the choices =[ I'm confused by reading all the wiring posts too.. Don't really have a clue there lol

lol, im leaving that till last! basically the wiring diagrams will correspond to what your motherboard manual says about the corresponding headers (usb, firewire etc). before i owned macs i just wanted this case for my comp anyway because its such a nice case. i take it you dont have a case yet....