Skyfluff Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I have a Micro-ATX case for my hackintosh. So far it's been great, however, when I threw a GTS 250 in the mix and realized I could no longer close the casing, I decided it was time for a change. And so I got myself a PowerMac G5 case (from the 2.5 DP model. June 2004, I believe.) Like most, I checked around online to see what others have done before me. Some amazing work has been done. Probably the most inspiring mod I found was by MrBean_Oz over at Hard Forum (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1074089). I have to admit though, I haven't seen one case mod that catered to my fancy. Most mods start out with "I'm leaving the back untouched" and then compromises are made as the project progresses, which is understandable, however, I'd like to mod a G5 without changing the external appearance (this includes getting the original power button and LED to work with my board as well). And so I'll be documenting my experience (success and failure). Hopefully all will go well. I'm doing most of the modding this weekend, so check back if you're curious. ----------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE (March 29, 2009): Alrighty. Here are some pictures of the finished product. As I said earlier, I didn't make the back ports functional (due to the time it would take and my utter lack of know-how), but I may attach the G5's connectors just to clean it up aesthetically. I also have most of the original G5 fans working, but they aren't installed in the following pictures. ----------------------------------------------------------- I mounted the motherboard on the G5's original standoffs by removing them, screwing them into the appropriate holes on the motherboard and reapplying them in the case with J-B Weld. That mobo ain't goin' nowhere! Getting the cabling under the motherboard was a bit tricky, but it worked out well, and there's no flex in the motherboard either. Power button and LED work (didn't bother with the front USB and Firewire, though I might later) ATX PSU has been modded to fit inside the G5's PSU enclosure, and the rear power port has been kept the same. The PSU fans from the G5 are hardwired to the one I installed and work great (I love those G5 fans!) For sound I installed an M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card, and for expansion ports I threw in a USB / Firewire PCIe card. Unfortunately the PCIe card isn't recognized until an OS loads, so I have two internal USB ports tucked away beside the hard drive bay for the odd time I need to get into the BIOS. For network I'm using an Apple USB Ethernet adapter. Finished product from the front. Finished product from the back. I know it isn't the most functional mod, but I did it the way I wanted to and I love how it turned out. I'm about form over function for the most part, so I'm just happy I didn't have to cut up the back of the case in the end ----------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE (April 8, 2009): I have since gotten the front panel USB and rear USB ports working. I've wired up both hard drive bay fans, as well as the rear fans in their original mounting piece, and the two front fans as well. It sure runs cool now! ----------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SticMAC™ Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 First thing you need to do is WAKE UP SUNSHINE!!! Clearly you have not searched the forum or visited dedicated websites like Aqua-mac's to see just how true to the original a MOD can be made! Then once YOU start YOUR modification, we'll all be happy to see YOU stay "pure", considering the case was not made to take PC equipment!! As far as the Back, there is no way other than fitting another Mac system board in it, to keep it original! Also just a few posts back we had a guy making curcuitboards to adapt the front panel to a PC Mainboard! So I believe, once you have fallen from your high and mighty horse, you will see conversions are easier SAID that DONE! SticMAC I have a Micro-ATX case for my hackintosh. So far it's been great, however, when I threw a GTS 250 in the mix and realized I could no longer close the casing, I decided it was time for a change. And so I got myself a PowerMac G5 case (from the 2.5 DP model. June 2004, I believe.) Like most, I checked around online to see what others have done before me. Some amazing work has been done. Probably the most inspiring mod I found was by MrBean_Oz over at Hard Forum (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1074089). I have to admit though, I haven't seen one case mod that looked good when it came to the back of the G5. Most mods start out with "I'm leaving the back untouched" and then compromises are made as the project progresses. I'd like to be the first (that I could find, anyway) to mod a G5 without changing the external appearance (this includes getting the original power button and LED to work with my board as well). And so I'll be documenting my experience (success and failure). Hopefully all will go well. I'm doing most of the modding this weekend, so check back if you're curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiretap Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I look forward to your perfect results... And next time, before you criticise others' builds, make sure they wont read your thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thath0r Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 As far as the Back, there is no way other than fitting another Mac system board in it, to keep it original! I might be wrong (or misunderstood your post then^^), but I think I saw a mod that actually left the rear untouched by doing some wire stuff from the Mainbaord to the rear. Looked sweet but also like it took a heck of a long time to build. and @SticMAC: I think you 2000-Post users here have somehow a similar behaviour: Being on the high horse, and trolling around just because a "newbie-user" didn't look something up properly. I wonder how you would've felt, if that occured to you when you were new to the forum. @WireTap: C'mon, he was maybe a bit naive, but you really should't pick on him like that. Besides, what makes you think he won't do an awesome job? @Skyfluff: Well, next time better research more carefully But go on! I'd love to see results. I haven't seen one case mod that looked good when it came to the back of the G5 No. Thats just not true. There are awesome G5 case mods, with a beautiful back! AWWWR! /Thath0r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknojunkie Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Ok first off all check this mod out. A really "pure" g5 mod and good luck with yours! wish you the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thath0r Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Well, that's kind of a pity. I'd really loved to see some pics. And I can assure you: There are G5 mods that are sooo ugly, yours wont be a special case even if you fail. (I don't assume that!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyfluff Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Well, that's kind of a pity. I'd really loved to see some pics. And I can assure you: There are G5 mods that are sooo ugly, yours wont be a special case even if you fail. (I don't assume that!) Thanks, Thath0r. I actually finished the mod in about a day. It turned out much nicer than I had originally anticipated. What I ended up doing was removing the G5's standoffs, lining them up with the mATX form factor and using JB weld to reapply them in the correct position. The original ports on the back aren't useable, of course, because they're blocked off by the back panel, so I bought an M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card to solve my audio issue, a USB / Firewire PCIe card to add some ports, and an Apple USB Ethernet Adapter for the network. It's very clean inside It might not be the most practical mod for future expansion, but I did it the way I wanted and I love how it turned out. I'll try posting some pictures tomorrow of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F27 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Im currently doing a G5 mod in which I wont be cutting the any of the case. I feel that cutting the back is not all that necessary but it just depends on each individual and what they want. Some 'no cut' mods here have been done with great success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmy10 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 THIS is how i like it! No modifications, or stupid led's, just clean and original! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thath0r Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Looks good and clean to me. Of course, to fit in USB Ports and Stuff in original G5 enclosure would've been a heck of a work, so I do see you point, man^^ Have fun with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonyjhd Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 What kind of power supply did you use to keep down in the bottom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarten12100 Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I have a Micro-ATX case for my hackintosh. So far it's been great, however, when I threw a GTS 250 in the mix and realized I could no longer close the casing, I decided it was time for a change. And so I got myself a PowerMac G5 case (from the 2.5 DP model. June 2004, I believe.) Like most, I checked around online to see what others have done before me. Some amazing work has been done. Probably the most inspiring mod I found was by MrBean_Oz over at Hard Forum (http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1074089). I have to admit though, I haven't seen one case mod that catered to my fancy. Most mods start out with "I'm leaving the back untouched" and then compromises are made as the project progresses, which is understandable, however, I'd like to mod a G5 without changing the external appearance (this includes getting the original power button and LED to work with my board as well). And so I'll be documenting my experience (success and failure). Hopefully all will go well. I'm doing most of the modding this weekend, so check back if you're curious. ----------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE (March 29, 2009): Alrighty. Here are some pictures of the finished product. As I said earlier, I didn't make the back ports functional (due to the time it would take and my utter lack of know-how), but I may attach the G5's connectors just to clean it up aesthetically. I also have most of the original G5 fans working, but they aren't installed in the following pictures. ----------------------------------------------------------- I mounted the motherboard on the G5's original standoffs by removing them, screwing them into the appropriate holes on the motherboard and reapplying them in the case with J-B Weld. That mobo ain't goin' nowhere! Getting the cabling under the motherboard was a bit tricky, but it worked out well, and there's no flex in the motherboard either. Power button and LED work (didn't bother with the front USB and Firewire, though I might later) ATX PSU has been modded to fit inside the G5's PSU enclosure, and the rear power port has been kept the same. The PSU fans from the G5 are hardwired to the one I installed and work great (I love those G5 fans!) For sound I installed an M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card, and for expansion ports I threw in a USB / Firewire PCIe card. Unfortunately the PCIe card isn't recognized until an OS loads, so I have two internal USB ports tucked away beside the hard drive bay for the odd time I need to get into the BIOS. For network I'm using an Apple USB Ethernet adapter. Finished product from the front. Finished product from the back. I know it isn't the most functional mod, but I did it the way I wanted to and I love how it turned out. I'm about form over function for the most part, so I'm just happy I didn't have to cut up the back of the case in the end ----------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE (April 8, 2009): I have since gotten the front panel USB and rear USB ports working. I've wired up both hard drive bay fans, as well as the rear fans in their original mounting piece, and the two front fans as well. It sure runs cool now! ----------------------------------------------------------- very nice and clear mod but did u got a utp male to female kabel for the etheret or using a spliter or wireless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enjoyfebruary Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Do you know what size the stock fans are? I'm talking all of them. Are they all 92mm or is the top one an 80mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1c3jack3t Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I'll give you what I know, and you should be able to search for the rest. The two rear fans are both 92MM. The HDD cooling fan with a fan guard is 80MM, I'm unsure what size the fan in the vent next to the HDD cooler is. The two fans on the PSU are both 60MM. Do you know what size the stock fans are? I'm talking all of them. Are they all 92mm or is the top one an 80mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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