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

[XSMac]

Wow, that "work log" is great:

 

 

That looks easy for a four PCI slot board (microATX?). But I don't understand how you dealt with using a full size, seven PCI slot, ATX board:

 

 

Well I sort of "made a mistake" in that choice because there wasn't a mATX Intel 975 w/ Wireless on Board and silent cooling for NB and SB available when I assembled my rig... so I made a few choices: opted out of one of the PCI Express slots (the orange one) and 2 of the small PCI slots which I'm not predicting to use anyway... If I was to buy components today I probably would've tryed to buy a mATX from an online retailer... But when you are in a rush...

 

For the adjustments an alu board bolted to the bottom of the G5 enclosure gave me just enough flexiblity to be able to slide everythng in... My first guess was that I would have serious trouble with the ports... which I did! So I bought a PCB and searched for ports that would fit most of the G5's exits on the back panel... desoldering them and establish a connection to a new PCB... Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge there aren't any stores here (Portugal) I can buy theses ports from... just serials and nothing else so I quit this idea and wen't for the "full" unwired version: Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, printer, Internet (soon to be) and sound connection... let's see how I'll evaluate my options later on...

[bofors]

Well I sort of "made a mistake" in that choice because there wasn't a mATX Intel 975 w/ Wireless on Board and silent cooling for NB and SB available when I assembled my rig... If I was to buy components today I probably would've tryed to buy a mATX from an online retailer... But when you are in a rush...

 

The probem is that the the Asus P5W DH is not availble in an mATX format, and if I were to build now that is the board I would use.

 

... so I made a few choices: opted out of one of the PCI Express slots (the orange one) and 2 of the small PCI slots which I'm not predicting to use anyway...

 

So you attached the four PCI slots on the left, none on the right (all PCI-E)?

 

 

Somebody needs to design, build and sell some kind G5 case mod kit for about $100 that solves the major problems enountered when installing an ATX (or even mATX) board in a G5 case. Apple must have sold a few million G5's and these cases are just too nice to throw out with the PPC "trash".

[XSMac]

So you are attached the four PCI slots on the left, none on the right (all PCI-E)?

 

 

Just to state things correctly I have 3 PCI and 1 PCI-E x16 slots fully available.

 

 

Does anyone have an answer to the USB/Firewire connection issue?

[kada]

Great idea... I thought I was done with modding, but this project would be tempting. Mhh...

 

Anyways I've seen a fake G5 ATX case... looked really cheap, plastic etc.

[CZ*DarkLight]

kada: Screw those cheap sucking cases. Material what is made it from is weak, whole case looks crappy, and inside... Classic ATX terrible look. No thinking about buy instead of orig. G5

[ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ]

Wow, that "work log" is great:

 

 

That looks easy for a four PCI slot board (microATX?). But I don't understand how you dealt with using a full size, seven PCI slot, ATX board:

 

 

 

At the moment it is not going to well. Ive got to cut the shelf, move the hdd rack forward on the shelf, move the fans forward. My dvd drive only just clears the motherboard, theres like 2mm in it. Im thinking of just saving for the base mac pro, it would save me a lot of headaches.

[bofors]

Somebody needs to design, build and sell some kind G5 case mod kit for about $100 that solves the major problems enountered when installing an ATX (or even mATX) board in a G5 case. Apple must have sold a few million G5's and these cases are just too nice to throw out with the PPC "trash".

 

I just wrote MNPCTech.com about this idea.

 

Dear MNPC,

I think you should seriously consider designing,
building and selling a kit to retrofit Apple PowerMac
G5 cases.   In case you are not familiar, these are
high end aluminum cases that would probably go for
about $400+ if sold as new ATX cases.  They are higher
quality than Lian Li or Silverstone.

Over the last three years, Apple has sold a few
million of these cases with G5 PowerMacs that are now
obsolute.  However, the demand for the use of these
cases in new builds is high and will remain high for
years, in part because Apple decided to stick with the
same exterior case design in the new Mac Pro.  These
cases are not going to be tossed out with the trash.

People can easily pick up used PowerMac G5 cases on
eBay for about $150.  But a number of problems are
encountered using these cases with ATX components. 
The principle issue is people do not what cut the case
up to expose the IO ports.   Other issues include PSU
mounting and a rack for at least two more hard drives.

See these threads for details:

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=4525

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1074089&page=1&pp=20

I writing you because I actually want such a product. 
Specifically, I want to be able to buy a used PowerMac
G5 case and some retrofit kit that I can install to
cleanly adapt them for use with ATX components.

I think someone could sell thousands of such kits.

Cheers,
~[bofors]

 

I also notice that they sell "Modder's mesh":

 

 

http://www.mnpctech.com/moddersmesh.html

 

They also sell "brush chrome" file: http://www.mnpctech.com/BrushedChromeFilm.html

 

I could see this stuff being potentially useful we dealing when modding the back of a G5 case.

[osxgus]

I also wrote them and told them that I knew tons of people intrested in a "ATX kit" for the G5 case (i do!). Everyone else who is intrested should write them so that they understand that a every G5 modder will come to them, and that there IS a demand for them.

 

Cheers,

osxG

[CZ*DarkLight]

It is a nice idea guys, anyway, each modder done his G5 project with other result, and I think that atx kit is not too great idea, beucase then will not be G5 mod so unique. Uniqueness of this mod is just right in this - many people dont want to spend lot of time and work on that, so they just put their idea out. But small number of US are so interested in it, so we will solve these problems ourselves and make it on our own, with no kits etc. including backpanel. I am making backpanel right now, not just cut it and put there atx layout, that sux. And I am really pleased to do that, when I imagine to buy kit and just screw inside finished backpanel with cables for connect to ATX case, then I dont feel like modder in fact. So, my opinion is - forget ATX G5 kits. But, what will you do is your thing

 

howgh

[bofors]

I am going to expand on the "kit" idea a little bit. Here is what I really want: Somewhere to buy ATX modified G5 cases with a PSU at a reasonable price. I really do want want to spend any time trying to get a case off of eBay, dealing with sketchy sellers, nor designing the mod or getting the tools, etc. The advantage of having a company do this is huge. They invest the time to figure out how to do it "right" and have the custom parts need to do it "right" fabricated.

 

Really, the only problem for a company is the supply of used Power G5 cases appears somewhat limited. I mean, there are not hundreds for sale on eBay and dealing with individual eBay sellers takes time (as I stated above). So, the idea of a "kit" is another way a company to do this whereas they would not have to deal with eBay sellers and could just sell the parts they have had built to do this "right."

 

I think a company like MMPC should do both. Sell the ATX retro-fitted cases and also the kits.

[bofors]

Here is the response I got from MMPC:

 

Hi [Bofors],

I've been aware of this.

At this time, the demand for our existing products is greater than our production capabilities. We've got ideas for several more unique products like this for PC builders, but many issues to solve before we can expand production any further. We call it growing pains.

Hopefully we do address something like this in the future.

Thank you, 
...
Mnpctech.com

 

Seems like they agree about the demand issue, but otherwise this seems like a "firm maybe".

[Orea]

Pretty sweet, but over here in the uk, there are some very close rip-offs made of the case,

 

mines only a very cheap jeantech case, and i bought it from pcworld for £10

 

Bayliss

 

 

[bofors]

Part the G5 mod kit that I think is needed would include something like this Lian Li hard drive rack:

 

 

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/ind...97f1a17c6a30d76

[Dafut]

After al lot of PM's about my mod I'll post some more resent pictures:

 

 

 

 

I forgot to connect the CCFL's under the mirror to the powersupply. The 'D' and the 't' are glowing but that's because of the light fall in the room.

There is new hardware in it, a P5W DH Deluxe, OCZ Platinum PC8000 and a Core 2 Duo E6600. But at the moment the motherboard is on RMA because it died. (might because of a voltmod :censored2: ) But I'll have a new one at the end of this week :censored2: .

[bofors]

Here is another hard drive rack, this one is the ThermalTake "iCage", that could be useful in a G5 case mod:

 

 

http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-icage-module.html

 

I am not sure if this BTX adapter kit for ThermalTake cases is useful for a G5 mod, but we sure could use something like it. Here is the rear plate:

 

 

http://www.xoxide.com/thermaltake-a9358-btx-upgrade-kit.html

[ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ]

After a period of bordom and anger (dual boot just wont work what ever i do) i have regained interest in my powermac g5 case . I am currently mounting my mobo on the original stand offs, pulled off and re situated. I am gonna have to cut the shelf to shape to allow my mobo in. I will shift the hdd cage forward, re drill the shelp for that and put spaces so it can be secured on the case wall. I may have to trim the bottom of the plastic too. I am currently sticking with just 4 pci slots and no ports for now (im lazy). Then when i have the dinero for a mac pro, i will get a mac pro.

 

 

 

Heres what i mean about the shelf and hdd rack. (Note that is not the mobo i plan to put in)

[FabricioGS]

The probem is that the the Asus P5W DH is not availble in an mATX format, and if I were to build now that is the board I would use.

 

You forgot to mention that this board uses a heat pipe system and it would probably have problems because you need to install the board upside down and the gravity won't help.

 

Anyway, I would give it a try if I could find one of those here in Brazil at a good price.

 

PS: Great topic!

[Dafut]

You forgot to mention that this board uses a heat pipe system and it would probably have problems because you need to install the board upside down and the gravity won't help.

 

Anyway, I would give it a try if I could find one of those here in Brazil at a good price.

 

PS: Great topic!

 

I have a P5W DH in my G5 case upside down and I have no cooling problems at all. The heatpipe works perfect, so that's not a problem.

[ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ]

Tribesman: can you possibly share the secret of the working front panel. I have lost all my bookmarks and cant find the site that told me.

[boo50]

some days ago i get G5 case too.

 

how are you fasten MB?

[osxgus]

G5's ugly ripoff sister is here..

 

http://www.qtec.info/products/product.htm?artnr=14451

 

damn.. that's just plain baaad

[novaris]

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=146385

 

 

Dear tribesman, got some questions regarding yr mod proj.

 

 

 

 

what did u connect to the front switch pins?

 

 

for the original G5 8pin molex, did u connect the power cable from the PSU that was originally meant for the motherboard?

 

 

 

i just got my g5 casing and i am using a dfi Venus motheboard/

 

thanks man,,

 

 

does anyone have a diagram detailing the position of the mobo standoffs?

 

my plan is to mount an alu panel consisting of the original apple standoffs positions to that i can mount it then using ATX mounts to place my atx m/b

[Harvey]

I know this thread is pretty dead at the moment but i was wondering if any1 with an ASRock 939 Daul SATA2 motherboard has managed to fit it? Also could some1 make a basic tutorial on how to make everything fit?

Cheers Harvey

[guyin916]

one thing i don't understand about this topic is that it is a sticky with 7 pages... i read a few different postings, but damn.. is the project even done? can we keep at least the first post of this topic updated so i and others don't have to make these sort of postings? O:-)

[ѕӎѳѳ₮ңӌ]

one thing i don't understand about this topic is that it is a sticky with 7 pages... i read a few different postings, but damn.. is the project even done? can we keep at least the first post of this topic updated so i and others don't have to make these sort of postings? O:-)

 

 

There are a few that have been completed, but they havent posted how in detail. One chap is very close, Darklight, and i expect he will post in detail upon completion. Maybe the mods could update the first post to reflect the whole topic.