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

TribesMan

By TribesMan,
in Mods and Overclocking

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schmiede
schmiede
Posted
Posted

To make my Intel G5, I purchased the Mac (fried by the previous owner) complete with all the hardware, and completely gutted it, leaving only the shelf platform at top of the case. To remove the annoying aluminum standoffs, I used a grinder and just knocked them off. I did try the hacksaw approach but found it was too time consuming.

 

Once I had a clean slate to work with, I used a sabre saw to cut the back off a spare PC case. Note; if you do this find an old PC case that is made from sturdy sheet metal and take all safety precautions.

 

I now had the back for a standard ATX PC case ready to "graft" into the back of the G5. I trimmed the sheet metal to accomodate the flip handle used to open the case.

 

Using the motherboard platform from the old PC case and placing it inside the G5 case where I wanted to mount the motherboard, I fitted the ATX back I had cut from the PC to match the motherboard, and from the inside of the G5 case, traced around it with a sharpie marker. Once I had the outline I used the outline to cut out the back of the G5 case leaving enough border to affix the PC sheetmetal back using sheet metal screws through the existing perforations in the back of the G5 case.

 

Now I was ready to put it together. First using a generous amount of "liquid nails adhesive", I placed the motherboard platform into the case. It worked great! I let the liquid nails cure over night, and I then fitted the PC ATX back to the motherboard platform and the back of the G5 case from the inside.

 

Once I had it in position, I used self tapping 8 x 1/2 Truss washer lath screws through the existing holes on the outside of the case to affix the ATX back to the G5 case. It worked like a charm. Once the back was affixed, I used the grinder to knock off the sharp screw ends.

 

I slipped the 915 GAVL motherboard in to make sure everything fit. It fit perfectly.

 

The next challenge was the power supply. Long story short, I ordered a 430W low profile ATX power supply from New Egg, and shoved it into the narrow space at the top of the case where the hard drive bays had been. I moved it to the back of the case more or less where you would expect a power supply to be, and using the power supply as a template cut a rectangular hole in the back of the case just large enough for the supply. Once again, I left enough G5 case around the hole to be able to mount the power supply. It worked out really well. I was able to use the exsiting perforation in the G5 aluminum case, and the standard holes in the back of the power supply with standard PC screws to firmly mount the power supply to the case.

 

I did have to cut a rectangular hole in the upper aluminum shelf partitionto allow power, and drive cables to be routed down to the motherboard, but that was an easy modification.

 

I replaced the G5 front panel hardware with hardware from the old PC (using the original aluminum Mac power button), and ran internal USB 2.0, and Fire Wire extensions to the slots used for the front panel Mac USB and Fire Wire ports.

 

The installation left plenty of room for drives, so I overdid it and put in five (including the HP DVD DL "superdrive").

 

The system configuation is as follows:

 

Drive one: 320MB Kalway OSX Leopard 10.5.2 + VMware Fusion

Drive two: 320MB Win XP Pro

Drive Three:500MB Time Machine

Drive Four: Not yet in use

Drive Five: DVD RW +/- DL (ATA)

 

Intel 915GAVL motherboard

Intel Northridge Pentium Extreme processor @ 3.8 GHZ (RUNS HOT!)

Coolit Freezone CPU cooling system

Nvidia 8500 GT 512K (with patched kext)

Old Linksys PCI Wireless G adapter (4320)

Generic PCI Fire Wire Card with internal port

Generic PCI USB Card with internal ports

USB bluetooth on internal port

 

The machine looks and runs great, and will now accomodate any ATX motherboard.

 

Next Project: Dual quad G5.

post-118584-1230850357_thumb.jpg

post-118584-1230850380_thumb.jpg

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schmiede
schmiede
Posted
Posted

I considered that, but didn't want to risk "puckering" the sides of the case. Believe me - the industrial hand grinder made short work of the standoffs. If you have found you can take them off with pliers without deforming the sheet metal - I may give that a try next time.

 

The real fun was mounting the Coolit Freezone refrigeration system. It's supposed to mount to the rear case fan vent, but the unit is HUGE and I ended up drilling an exhaust grid in the bottom of the case and mounting the Freezone to exhaust out the bottom.

 

http://www.coolitsystems.com/index.php?opt...=3&Itemid=5

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MrBean
MrBean
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Posted
I considered that, but didn't want to risk "puckering" the sides of the case. Believe me - the industrial hand grinder made short work of the standoffs. If you have found you can take them off with pliers without deforming the sheet metal - I may give that a try next time.

 

You won't - I used the same method, just grip with pliers, and gently tilt standoffs to the side - they come out fairly easily. Between 30-60 seconds - and it doesn't leave the stubs....

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  • 3 weeks later...
Powertrip
Powertrip
Posted
Posted

Taking the plunge, I have the x86 components from another build and just got a salvaged G5 enclosure that the university trashed...

 

Now I've searched through PSU modding threads but have not found an answer to this so please don't think I'm just jumping on the silver spooner bandwagon, but how long, or is it even necessary to leave the PSUs to dissipate any charge before opening them up and working on them? I can use a DVOM and have worked with audio wiring harnesses before but power makes me nervous :)

 

Thanks in advance!

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  • 2 weeks later...
verdee
verdee
Posted
Posted

My MB has 10 pin (9 actual connections) usb headers. Do I nedd to use a 10 pin plug and double wire, or can I just use the 5 pin plug listed here?

 

just follow the pinout.

 

as I explained, I am using 2 molex connectors to isolate the the 2 currents that the fans require... each fan has 2 +voltage lines (the outer wires on the connectors).

 

I sent both +12v lines to one molex, and then both +5v to another molex, but you can arrange things however you want, as long as you power the outer lines, and ground the 2 inner lines.

 

on a standard molex from your power supply, the yellow wire is +12v, and the red is +5v, and the 2 inner wires are grounds.

 

as far as a photo of the fans and or front panel connected to my mother board.... that is not really going to help you... all mobos are different..... also I have not connected my fans to my motherboard... they are connected directly to the power supply...

 

what you you need to do is order some parts that will make the front panel wiring easier for you

 

go to frontx.com and order:

 

part # CPX502

 

cpx502p2.gif

 

part # CPX501

 

cpx501p2.gif

 

part # CPX075-9 amount 6

 

cpx075_9p2.gif

 

part # C212 amount 6

 

c212p2.gif

 

this will give you a firewire bundle with standard header, a usb bundle with standard header, and 6 loose wires that you should label and match up the audio and power switch/led headers on your motherboard.

 

frontx has color coded pinouts for both their firewire jumpers and usb... just print those out and use them to wire up your front panel by comparing it to the pinout I posted already.

 

easy as pie.... any one can do it....

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teknojunkie
teknojunkie
Posted
Posted
My MB has 10 pin (9 actual connections) usb headers. Do I nedd to use a 10 pin plug and double wire, or can I just use the 5 pin plug listed here?

 

yes you can use the 5 pin wire

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MossDeb
MossDeb
Posted
Posted

In all this mods I've never seen one using the original G5/Mac Pro PSU, and I wonder why:

 

- is it not possible?

- possible, but too much work?

- thus the PSU output different voltages from the ones required by an ATX mobo?

 

I have a chance of getting my hands on a fully working G5 for the lowest price and I'm wondering how much of it I can use while modding it to a MacIntel.. I know, I know!! It is almost a crime to vandalize a perfectly working G5 mobo just to get the I/O.. but that's what's needed.

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ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
Posted
Posted
In all this mods I've never seen one using the original G5/Mac Pro PSU, and I wonder why:

 

- is it not possible?

- possible, but too much work?

- thus the PSU output different voltages from the ones required by an ATX mobo?

 

I have a chance of getting my hands on a fully working G5 for the lowest price and I'm wondering how much of it I can use while modding it to a MacIntel.. I know, I know!! It is almost a crime to vandalize a perfectly working G5 mobo just to get the I/O.. but that's what's needed.

 

if you go right back to like page 10ish i did mention why i wasnt going to use my psu.... basically you can get all of the wires out of it for ATX except for 4 wires. its not to say you cant get them from somewhere but im not that good with psu's (i have fried more than i have fixed) and i didnt want to be damaging my hardware so i left it.

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Baudouin
Baudouin
Posted
Posted

NO, NO man it would really be a crime to kill a working mobo. We can switch the mobo's ; I send you a dead mobo and you send me the working one, I will pay for the shipping costs. Just show the back of the case so I know wich model you need. :)

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ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
Posted
Posted
It is normal, the ethernet connector inside have inductors you probably need remove them since that original ethernet connector in your motherboard already have a similar circuit, in others words you need takeout the conector, make internal jumps and then put it back.

has anybody managed to do this yet? or can anybody give a sort of how to?

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ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ
Posted
Posted
I don't get it. Why did so many of you don't use the HDD storage solutions with the cooling fan next to it? Also these cuts in the case on the back...I need to photograph my case. I really haven't changed to much. U will see...

 

well just to let you know.... we aren't all cutting holes in the back of our cases. i am using one of the hdd fans, the small flat one, but i have no room for the other one, otherwise that one would be in there also!

 

:P just gotta say that im loving safari 4!!!!! :(

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ntsmkfob
ntsmkfob
Posted
Posted

I've left the top compartment as original, except dropped the fan voltages to 5V. But the fans are still the noisiest ones in the case, and I can hear the disk chattering quite clearly cos there's no sound insulation for it. The CPU and case fan are pretty quiet ( used one of the case back fans instead of both). I have the ATX PSU inside the G5 PSU case with the original fans, again at 5V.

 

As there is a lot of space inside, I'm thinking of fitting the spare HDD case from my P180 to cut down the drive noise and to let me disconnect one or both fans in the top compartment. The CPU runs from about 31 deg to 50 depending on load, so the interior can stand a bit more heat.

 

I cut the back to take an ATX tray cut down to 4 slots, and used a mATX motherboard (P5E-VM HDMI). I've got a GA-EP35-DS4 mobo that I could use instead. Perhaps the next case that comes along ...

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