Mac mini in PC case

[Sergeant Brain]

My friend and I took my Mac mini, threw in a T7200 (no pics since theres already a ton on the web), and threw it into a case. Once I get a shuttle case I'll probably move it into there.

 

 

I'm waiting on a JAE to IDE converter (PM behappy if you want one) so right now I'm using what used to be an external firewire case that we took apart and rigged in the case.

 

I used a 250 GB 3.5 HDD that I hadn't been using since windows crashed and did a drive swap from the orginal 2.5 (waay easy to do btw, I'd advise getting a SATA to USB cable tho)

 

Here is the mini before we put it in.

 

 

 

I got the SATA cable from the link below (click the picture. and thanks zero13!). I just broke off the two slabs and it slips right on. No need to tape or superglue.

 

 

Rigged the power switch, all we did was cut and strip it and then plug into the power switch for the case. Put tape on it. Case button now turns on mini. (blurry picture, but you get the idea.)

 

 

No need for USB hubs, I bought a female USB board adapter reverser thingie (Yes thats actually what its called) off of Tiger Direct and just slap it in the case like normal. Basically it plugs the USB slap into the back of the mini.

 

 

Here's a big picture. Won't put it in the thread because of load time and all the other pictures already, but here is a link:

 

The Big Picture

 

So right now the DVD-Drive is rigged up in there using firewire until I get my JAE to IDE. There are 4 chords hanging out of the back of the case. The Mac mini, the HDD and the DVD-ROM power sources.

 

You may notice the newerTechnology external bay. I tried putting it in empty so that it would power the SATA drive with a Molex to SATA cable, but I think I hooked it up wrong. So it's in the pictures but I ended up taking it out and using a different external source. I'll figure out a different way to rig it later.

 

The cable that plugs into the monitor also hangs out. I need to find some way to hook it up like I did the USB cables. It's pretty late so my vocabulary is limited, but some of you may have an idea on what I want to do. If you know where I can find these items, please post!

 

I can't wait until I get the JAE to IDE so that I won't have that tacky firewire adapter hanging in there. Plus it will take away a hanging power chord from the back of the case.

 

Not a spectacular mod, but a mod none the less. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please let me know![/img]

[Sabr]

This is absolutely brilliant! Great work.

 

- Sb.

[nicknowsky]

F'n cool

[U.C.]

I have to ask why????? The Mac Mini is such a beautiful compact machine. You could have just used an external enclosure for the Harddrive.

[sandmanfvrga]

I have the question as to "WHY?" also. Good modding, but the Mac Mini is about compact size. Just wondering.

[ProMacUser]

Same do I, I think that work was great, but useless.

[wanamino]

See that, the text is in spanish, but the photos are great

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...x-introduccion/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...-intel-la-caja/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...atx-fuente-atx/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...el-atx-hub-usb/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...-unidad-optica/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...-optica-update/

http://www.entremaqueros.net/bitacoras/ros...timos-retoques/

[Hagar]

It's a sad testament to Apple's lineup that people have to go to such lengths to get an approximation of the machine apple should be making in the first place.. Nice casemod, for the full irony effect, we now need someone to put a mac-mini in the smallest of the Aopen mini-pc cases..

 

It's such a pity that they'd rather make iPhones & AppleTV's rather than actual useful, affordable, expandable... but that would be a pc, and Apple inc. don't make those.

[Paranoid Marvin]

With the Mac Mini being so small, you could put a mATX based Hackintosh in there too...

And with a built in KVM switch you could use both at once

 

 

Hmmm

That gives me an idea

[AppleIIGuy]

mac mini case mods are always wanted. What I really want to see it a mini in a old Apple ][ Full height 5.25 Floppy drive.

 

Flipping up the latch would turn it on. and the cd/dvd would pop out of the slot.....

[hackintom]

Damn, You've killed a mac mini

Just a reminder: there is a trick to take out of the mini a sata cable, in order that you can connect it to a sata hub.

So, you get 5 external SATA ports for HDD or else, with a closed, nice, non revamped/pimped mac mini.

 

I guess that's your best option (flexibility, clean, etc).

 

Just my 2 cents...

[Danyel]

It's a sad testament to Apple's lineup that people have to go to such lengths to get an approximation of the machine apple should be making in the first place.. Nice casemod, for the full irony effect, we now need someone to put a mac-mini in the smallest of the Aopen mini-pc cases..

 

It's such a pity that they'd rather make iPhones & AppleTV's rather than actual useful, affordable, expandable... but that would be a pc, and Apple inc. don't make those.

 

I would think that more people would try to 'imitate' Apple's style (i.e. PC Cases looking more "Apple-like" than the other way around...)

 

Here's a photo of my OSx86 PC...

 

My OSx86 PC

 

--danyel

[Headrush69]

mac mini case mods are always wanted. What I really want to see it a mini in a old Apple ][ Full height 5.25 Floppy drive.

 

Flipping up the latch would turn it on. and the cd/dvd would pop out of the slot.....

Neat Idea.

Having the Floppy latch up when it is on would take from the look though I think.

[naquaada]

I also ask why. The Mac Mini has a really cool case, the small size is fantastic. Only problem that you can't connect much more hardware into the case, it gets more C64-like with a lot of cables.

I planned to build a DTV hack into a MacMini-case (there are storage devices which look like), but I think I will use a simple external aluminium harddisk case for this, they are cheaper.