Jump to content

[Discussion] Fit a PC in a G5 PowerMac Enclosure!


TribesMan
 Share

1,074 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

radioshackjunk.jpg

 

I dropped by radio shack today in preparation of my upcoming G5-ATX mod. Definitely covered on supplies. I am absolutely not taking a dremel to the case. I found mine brand new on ebay for $160. It's mint. Anyway, most of the ports on ATX mobos are ancient legacy connectors.

 

My plan is to mount a full-size ATX board at the front of the case, and run jumpers to the rear-IO and expansion bays. The PSU will be situated at the lower-rear, and in a vertical orientation, with the heat-sinks facing the rear exhaust fans.

 

My goal is full functionality without any external mods. I don't anticipate the need to take a dremel to any part of my G5 enclosure.

 

I plan on using the front panel pinout from the G5 service manual, but I will reverse the power+ and led, as it seems that apple's design has the firewire and power+ somehow bridged in a way that is dangerous to standard motherboards..... it sort of makes since (to me) that that swapping the power and led would be a kind of work around, and sounds like that has worked for some.

 

On order next will be a Lian Li motherboard tray.

 

P.S.

Where the hell do I find those optical drive standoffs? My case did not come with any.

 

 

Nice, What tools did you get and how are you gonna use all your pci, pci e slots if it is a full atx and no dremel?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Offer:

 

Just bought two complete used G5 empty cases on e-bay for €115.00 in Ratingen, Germany! My problem is this, I live in Basil, Switzerland so they won't send them here! (EU regulations, customs etc.)

 

 

So if there is any body in Germany, France (EU) that wants them, or would like to share one and can go get them let me know?

I'm really not bothered, they want to be paid by bank transfer or at collection.

 

If you would like, I will e-mail them and tell them that my "friend" will pick them up or pay extra €15.00 to have it shipped then they are yours!(or to share)

 

PM me if you are interested, I'm including the description in german if you need to know more!

 

SticMAN

 

2x Leergehäuse Apple Powermac G5

(sie bieten hier auf beide zusammen ! )

 

Wie der Name schon sagt, handelt es sich bei diesen Gehäusen um leere Gehäuse,

es befinden sich inwendig nur ein paar schwarze Kabel, Plastikbefestigungen

und die Plexiglasdeckel, die Alu-Aussendeckel sind ebenfalls dabei.

 

Die Gehäuse sind zwar gebraucht, aber noch gut in Schuss, ein wenig Staub,

minimale Kratzer, wenige Schlieren, die sich wegreinigen lassen.

Beide Gehäuse kommen sehr sicher verpackt in den originalen

Apple Ersatzteil-Verpackungen.

Es wird keinerlei Garantie übernommen.

 

KEINE LIEFERUNG AUSSERHALB EUROPÄISCHE UNION.

EU-Versandkosten auf Anfrage.

Innerhalb Deutschland moderate 15€ versicherter UPS Versand.

(Versand weder mit Post, noch mit Hermes, noch mit Fleurop).

Abholung ist auch möglich.

Die Lieferung erfolgt incl. ordentlicher Rechnung mit ausgewiesener MWST.

Diese MWST ist im Steigerpreis enthalten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was working on the front port last night and ran into a problem. there is no explicit v-ground listed on the g5 service pinout for the firewire cable, only chassis ground fw (shield ground?), but the usb cable does have both usb v-ground and chassis ground.

 

So it looks like I must use pin 2 (listed as V-GND) to ground the firewire.

 

Now, if I do that, that leaves me with where to ground the power button.

 

Can the power button and the firewire share the same ground?

 

Is this why people have had trouble with their firewire ports? Because they are using pin 2 for PWR BTTN ground, and are left with no V-GND for firewire? I really don't think the chassis ground cable alone is enough for a healthy firewire connection?

 

Am I right?

 

found on the net:

 

"In order to understand the issue, it is necessary to understand just a little bit of how FireWire operates.

 

FireWire allows the attachment of external devices to host computers through a cable which is composed of the following wiring components:

 

Serial Data Pairs, of which there are two, giving a total of 4 wires.

Power, which is generally somewhere between 8 to 24 volts DC.

Ground, which is a lead that provides a current return for the Power line.

Shield, which helps prevent the emission of Radio Frequency Interference from the FireWire cable."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I just figured out something.... the apple pinout diagram is correct, but it assumes that you are looking into the end of the front panel cable connector. The apple diagram is correct only if you have unplugged the cable and are staring into the bottom of the plug.

G5frontpinout.jpg

This is why some find the apple front pinout to be backwards..... because it is ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally got my cases now where to begin and how do I connect the front panel to the motherboard

n554566894_614272_7612.jpg

n554566894_614273_7834.jpg

n554566894_614274_8051.jpg

n554566894_614275_8277.jpg

n554566894_614276_8498.jpg

n554566894_614278_8951.jpg

n554566894_614279_9179.jpg

n554566894_614280_9411.jpg

n554566894_614282_9862.jpg

n554566894_614283_86.jpg

The one above is the Front Panel Connector and more below

n554566894_614284_307.jpg

n554566894_614285_535.jpg

n554566894_614286_769.jpg

Above Hard Drive Area

n554566894_614287_992.jpg

n554566894_614289_1447.jpg

Cd Drive Tray thingy

n554566894_614290_1677.jpg

The Back

n554566894_614291_1908.jpg

That is the port on the motherboard for the Front Panel Board Power thing more pictures underneath

n554566894_614292_2147.jpg

Usb For Front Panel

n554566894_614293_2382.jpg

Above For Audio

n554566894_614295_2854.jpg

How Motherboards Gonna be place but with a Motherboard Tray

n554566894_614296_3095.jpg

Another Angle

n554566894_614302_4306.jpg

In progress

 

Ok so Basically Right Now I want to know How to connect the Front 3 Ports and Power Button

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't know you could just use the IO ports that are already built into the case instead of cutting them, I'd like to know how to do that!

 

Anyway to explain how to do that to a noob like me? I have no idea how any of the motherboard/IO parts work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't know you could just use the IO ports that are already built into the case instead of cutting them, I'd like to know how to do that!

 

Anyway to explain how to do that to a noob like me? I have no idea how any of the motherboard/IO parts work.

 

Well You can buy a cose enough motherboard to do that but the easier way is if you know how solder, then you can desolder move and tweak them to fit into them. But I suggest cutting the back and getting a MotherBoard Tray so if you ever want to change it then you can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

on the front ports:

I'm working on that right now... haven't had time to test my new wiring.... but one thing is certain... there are not enough grounds.... the firewire really needs a voltage return, so I am without a ground for the power switch atm.

 

on the back ports:

you can buy panel mount cables for firewire, usb, lan and audio, etc... and epoxy their ABS housing to the back-plane instead of using the included screws. many of the cables can be found at frontx.com. because most atx motherboards load up the rear with legacy ports, just de-solder those, and they'll be out of your way. find a board with lots of internal headers for usb, firewire, and just run a panel mount cat6 patch cable from the rear lan to the appropriate port on the G5 backplane. make some custom port caps to neatly cap the unused ports, like modem etc.... like they do with cars... they just neatly cap off the sections of the dash for options that you did not elect for at the time of purchase, and it looks better than an empty hole, and no-one will think twice about it....

or:

just use the common method of slapping an atx tray on the back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well You can buy a cose enough motherboard to do that but the easier way is if you know how solder, then you can desolder move and tweak them to fit into them. But I suggest cutting the back and getting a MotherBoard Tray so if you ever want to change it then you can.

 

Yeah actually I might just get a dremel and carefully cut out the back (just enough to get a plate in there), I don't like the idea of soldering (I wouldn't know what I was doing).

 

But, has anyone gotten the front I/O powers to work (and if so - how?).

 

I'll probably use an ASROCK 1333 D667 motherboard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

guess not, you getting progress on your case done though?

 

Trying to figure out all the wiring first here is some pics of the power wire of the front panel and fans

 

Here is the Front Panel Wire

n554566894_620116_964.jpg

 

Power And Led Button Wire From Two angles. Three Wires

n554566894_620121_2265.jpg

n554566894_620122_2529.jpg

 

Alot Of fans, Trying to Use all of them

n554566894_620123_2799.jpg

 

Connector of one of them any ideas people, Habit of bitting nails nasty huh? And Front View Of it

n554566894_620124_3071.jpg

n554566894_620125_3416.jpg

 

The BiG one

n554566894_620126_3684.jpg

Connector For It front and back again any ideas?

n554566894_620127_3943.jpg

n554566894_620128_4209.jpg

The Fan With the speaker also can I make this one have the apple chime when I start it up huh again any ideas lol more angles too

n554566894_620129_4477.jpg

n554566894_620130_4749.jpg

n554566894_620131_5012.jpg

 

And Thanks Really need your guys help on this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you're better off just buying atx spec fans and building some brackets for them, rather than figuring out the wiring on the apple fans. that would be a major pain. not to mention getting the temp and rmp sensors to work right, don't forget that, cuz if the apple fans run at 100% all the time, they'll be hella loud, and probably burn out kinda fast

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In this thread , the author show how to connect the HD's fan. I have to look for the comment . Here we are post 43 to 47 on page 3, you will find the answer. ;)
Yea I saw that but I dont really know which wires connect to which wires on Mob, Im basically looking for a diagram of each pin on the fan so I can match them up with the one on the mobo
you're better off just buying atx spec fans and building some brackets for them, rather than figuring out the wiring on the apple fans. that would be a major pain. not to mention getting the temp and rmp sensors to work right, don't forget that, cuz if the apple fans run at 100% all the time, they'll be hella loud, and probably burn out kinda fast
Yea I know I want it to be as original as the powermac G5 case I dont care really if its loud and I will find a way to get th sensors to work
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So for the wiring of the Front Panel I can just use the wires on my other pcs front panel wires or where i can buy the wires like

 

Usb on G5 front panel = usb internal wire

 

Firewire on G5 front panel = Wire to connect to motherboard

 

Power and Led Wires = Wires for them to connect to motherboard

 

thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok, i have taken the standoff's out of the case and can no longer find them so do i epoxy the mobo tray to the side of the case or putty epoxy it raised about 1/8-1/4 inch. i also detached the mobo tray from the backing it came. i am going to epoxy the tray and rivet the backing to the mac case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found this pinout...
OK, guys that is a photo of my custom front cable there based on the official pinout diagram....I finally got around to testing my new cable. i just used the G5 front panel to boot up an old shuttle, and my initial suspicions were just confirmed:1. THE FIREWIRE AND PWR BUTTON ARE SOMEHOW BRIDGED ON THE APPLE FRONT PCB!2. You DO NOT need to run a ground cable for the power button header on your MOBO, it is somehow grounded through the firewire voltage return.3. Pin 1 is FW + voltage, and pin 2 must be used for the FW voltage return (true ground, not chassis ground)4. if you have installed your usb and firewire correctly, then you need only a power+ and a pwrLED cable connected to the front panel header on your atx motherboard in order to power up your machine.5. The PWRLED wire and PWRBTTN are reversed. I connected the LED wire to my power button+ header on the mobo, and my power button to my power LED header on my mother board and then pressed the g5 power button and my machine powered right up... I have revised the diagram I posted earlier. it is updated with my current findings.I have not fully tested the firewire and usb connections yet, so stay tuned for the final word....G5frontpinout.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

another update:

 

with power on/off working great i started testing the front USB port.

 

usb devices that i plugged in would be initially be detected but just not work. the best solution seemed to be the reversal of the data+ and data- cables.... and it worked perfectly..... so on my setup, i have followed the USB pinout, except at the motherboard end i have flipped the data + and data -

 

coming right along......

 

now onto the firewire......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...