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DISCLAIMER: I DO OWN A LEGIT COPY OF MAC OS X AND THOSE WHO SAY THIS IS ILLEGAL IT IS NOT, ALL THE HARDWARE IS RETAIL FROM ORIGINAL.

This forum is posted in another category too.

 

Hi, I am thinking of making a Mac Pro for a summer project this year (Yes a Real Mac Pro not PC), but I have to check if everything is compatible with the parts and such. If so let me know what y'all think about this idea, I'm trying to build this mac with low budget maybe not that low but maybe a couple hundreds off the retail price. Here are some links for the parts if y'all agree.

 

I DON'T CARE IF IT COSTS THE SAME ITS A SUMMER PROJECT...WAIT HOLDON SCROLL DOWN AND LOOK AT THE DETAILS MY PRICE FOR THE $5000 PRO IS REDUCED BY $2000 AMAZED NOW

*Note the reason I posted this forum is to ask if the Logic board (motherboard) would fit the mac enclosure (case).

 

These are apple retail parts.

Mac Pro Enclosure: http://www.dvwarehouse.com/Apple-Case-for-...EW-p-35381.html [THIS INCLUDES ALL CASE PARTS AND WIRES INSIDE MAYBE NO POWERSUPPLY]

Logic Board: http://www.dvwarehouse.com/Logic-Board,-Ma...8x-p-35359.html [APPLE RETAIL BOARD]

Processors: If any of yall are kind enough to find me a cheap mac processor that is compatible with this mother board thanks :(.

Power Supply: http://www.mac-pro.com/s.nl/it.A/id.5316/....p;category=6223

Memory Riser: One of these please tell me which one correct 1. http://www.mac-pro.com/s.nl/it.A/id.4700/.f 2. http://www.mac-pro.com/s.nl/it.A/id.5284/.f

 

EDIT: Found Cheaper Retail Parts

Logic Board: http://www.applepalace.com/scripts/prodVie...?idproduct=8563

Processors: http://www.applepalace.com/scripts/prodVie...?idproduct=8585

 

ThirdParty And Spares.

Graphics Card: http://nvidia.com

Hard Drive: 2 320GB 7200-rpm sata

Optic Drive: 16x superdrive

Ram: 4GB Mac Pro ram

___________________________________________

[TOTAL PRICE]

Mac Pro Case: $199.00

Logic Board: $767.28

Processor: $1,296.68

Ram Riser: $89.00

Ram: ThirdParty

Graphics: FREE ATI^_^

Power Supply: $247.77

Hard Drive: ThirdParty

=====================

Total: $2599.33

Price less than the:

Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors

2GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory

320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive

16x double-layer SuperDrive

Original Price: $4,299.00

For The:

Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors

4GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory

2x 320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive

16x double-layer SuperDrive [WOW]

___________________________________________

 

And thats about it. If I'm leaving something out please tell. Any suggestions? If this is correct or not thanks alot.

 

EDIT 6/25/08: I will provide pictures and details after the parts come in and back from vacation break.

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https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/111945-building-mac-pro/
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If you want the video card to be compatible out of the box, you will have to get the Apple version of that as well. A standard one, even though the hardware is basically the same, does not have the Mac ROM on it.

 

yes sir I was thinking of getting the 8800 gt

Low budget? I'm guessing that with two compatible Xeon processors, compatible heatsinks (something tells me Apple of all brands wouldn't allow stock) around 4GB of fully buffered memory, a Mac compatible graphic card, and the rest, + shipping, you'll probably squeak in at a questionably tiny amount below just buying a new Mac Pro, and well above just buying a refurbished Mac Pro directly from Apple, and just upgrading it.

Low budget? I'm guessing that with two compatible Xeon processors, compatible heatsinks (something tells me Apple of all brands wouldn't allow stock) around 4GB of fully buffered memory, a Mac compatible graphic card, and the rest, + shipping, you'll probably squeak in at a questionably tiny amount below just buying a new Mac Pro, and well above just buying a refurbished Mac Pro directly from Apple, and just upgrading it.

Well I don't have the money to buy all at once but would like a working mac in a couple of months and buy other parts later, and it is for a summer project.

If you want the video card to be compatible out of the box, you will have to get the Apple version of that as well. A standard one, even though the hardware is basically the same, does not have the Mac ROM on it.
A good choice is maybe the new ATI 3870 for Mac.

 

The PSU is gonna be tricky too, it's not a standard Power supply is it?

 

Why don't you just use a normal (not Apple) motherboard and build a hack?

Yep the PSU is different and so is their motherboard, it doesn't fit the case if I just buy a normal board (If I do I have to do major modding on the case). And yes everything is Apple retail product except all the third party hardware we can use like the HD, optic drive, ram and graphics card from another source (much cheaper but quality work :).

 

Luckily for me I have a family member that works at the AMD/ATI corp building so I could ask him to try to get some free graphics card for me or maybe discounted it will probably save me a couple of hundreds :).

 

EDIT: And BTW using a normal motherboard means you have to use a patched leopard, and I'm aiming for a fully working mac without any hacks

You need the CPU heatsinks- they run about $100.

 

Not sure why all the screaming about you don't care what it costs- your first line is that you're concerned about a low budget and want to build for "a few hundred off the retail price". And you're not comparing the same machines- the Apple model you spec'd has two processors, and no "third party (free?) parts."

 

Keep things realistic. There's no need to kick and scream when difficulties and the actual expenses involved are pointed out.

Oh thats just there for people who don't read the forum so they can see in big red letters, lols. And I get the graphics free b/c I know a guy that works at AMD/ATI corp building so he will give me one or two cards.

 

And actually if you don't know this I'm making the machine out of apple retail parts so its basically a mac pro with some thirdparty ram and harddrive added in, whats the differences anyways since people buy mac pro they usually upgrade rams and hd so its basically what I'm doing :dev:.

Well thanks for posting all the links, I've been thinking about doing this myself, or maybe just with a mac mini.

No Prob

 

t-tran... learn to save and kill your impulse to buy. Seriously, I am all for you doing a summer project like this, but you are going about it in the wrong way.

??

  • 2 months later...

did you ever complete this project? I am interested in this type of approach. I guess, my main question is, would I have no problem with all the hardware since it is apple hardware (for the most part) with running os x? Or would I still have to patch everything which would take away the point of doing this?

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