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aquamac forums :: OSX 86 Forums :: OSX 86 Hackintosh Mods :: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
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blackknight
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Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Thread Started on Oct 29, 2008, 4:30am »
Hey guys, I figured I'd finally start a gallery thread on Mac Pro and G5 case conversions. I guess I'll start with mine:

Mac Pro case with full-ATX Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P motherboard
Phenom x4 9950 Black Edition overclocked to 3.0Ghz watercooled
4x2GB Corsair Dominator PC8500 DDR2 RAM
Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970) 2GB Graphics Card watercooled
2x WD VelociRaptor 300GB 16MB Cache HDD (RAID 0)
4x WD Caviar Green 2TB 32MB Cache HDDs
2x WD Caviar Black 1TB 32MB Cache HDDs in external enclosure
LG Blu-Ray burner
Custom water cooling setup with external Triple 120 radiator
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Enjoy the pics of mine and please post yours if you have them.

BlackKnight

*Edited for new pics*
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #1 on Nov 23, 2008, 7:12am »
You have made a really lovely job of this - kudos to you! I think it may be the first Mac Pro with water cooling to retain the plastic fan shroud and memory cage.

What do you have planned for the back panel?

I have been off the radar lately, working on the worlds smallest mac - the Advent 4312 with built in Airport, built in 3G, 250 GIG HD, and 10" screen laptop (Christmas present for some one -have finally sorted it, just need to take the ram to 2 x 1 gigs now for the ultimate mobile experience.
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Hackintosh Core 2 Quad, G5 2 Gig Dualie PCI-X, FW800, FW400, Quicksilver, DA. & a load of other stuff I've forgotten about......

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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #2 on Nov 23, 2008, 11:38pm »
Blackknight.. How bout a few pics from more of a distance. I want to see the full scope of your layout :)
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New Build:
CPU: w3520 (stock cooling)
Mobo: EVGA e760 Classified
GPU: XFX 5870
RAM: Corsair Dominator 3x2gb 1600mhz
SSD (system): OCZ Vertex 120gb
HDD (storage): WD Green 2tb
PSU: Silverstone Strider 1000w Plus
Chassis: Silverstone FT02-B w/o window

Anyone know how to get retail/vanilla/lightly modded 10.6.2 running on the system listed above? PM me please :)
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #3 on Nov 24, 2008, 7:45pm »
Hey guys, thanks for the comments on the build. I'm quite pleased with how it came out.

@dark4181, I posted another pic at the bottom which shows a little bit wider of a shot, but I'll take some more and get them up for ya. I really wish I had a better digi-cam than my iPhone for these shots.

@Aqua, I haven't really figured out what I can do about the back panel. I mean I made a pretty clean cut, but it just looks unfinished. Most of the time I don't worry about it as it's the back and nobody sees back there but the wall behind my entertainment center, but I would like it to look a little better. The problem is that if I put a border around it, I won't be able to plug in the mini-plug connector for the front speakers as it is about as close as I can get to the edge. I have to jam the cable in as it is right now. I plan on getting an Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater HD when they come out which has HDMI sound, and at that time I won't need the analog sound from on-board. At that time I can consider putting a border around the hole.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #4 on Nov 24, 2008, 7:48pm »
Also, I had to add another fan to the top of the radiator due to the lack of moving air above the ram cage. Basically my hard drives and northbridge were getting quite warm due to most of the air from the front fan being blocked by the radiator. Now I get better airflow through the radiator and my hard drives and northbridge run almost 8 degrees C lower than before. The downside is that now I have to cut the panel between the fan shroud and memory cage a little to make room for the fan. It won't look bad, just not as stock. Well, maybe it will. We'll see.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #5 on Dec 8, 2008, 10:32am »

Nov 24, 2008, 7:45pm, blackknight wrote:
The problem is that if I put a border around it, I won't be able to plug in the mini-plug connector for the front speakers as it is about as close as I can get to the edge. I have to jam the cable in as it is right now. I plan on getting an Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater HD when they come out which has HDMI sound, and at that time I won't need the analog sound from on-board. At that time I can consider putting a border around the hole.


I know that feeling! My DS2R had that issue.. I ended up stripping down a stereo jack so it would fit in. luckly the DFI boards use a daughter card for there sound. If I were you I'd take a close look at Aqua's MacPro v1 he did a very tidy job on the back of that.. you'll see he had to cut the back out right upto the first expantion slot. but having placed a border round it, it looks great.

J.
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DFI LT-X48-T2R (MIPS MCH1033 + MIPS MCH1149)
OCZ DDR2 Reaper PC2-8500 (2x2GB) (Antec SpotCool Fan)
Nvidia BFG 9800GTX OC 512MB 830/1240
(Thermalright T-Rad˛ 2 x Noctua NF-B9 92mm)
Mac Pro Case ATX (3 x Noctua NF-S12 120mm)
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #6 on Dec 8, 2008, 6:14pm »
Well, I just got HDMI sound working on my 3870x2 with my Yamaha receiver and Sony TV (a known problem that requires a DVI-Doctor) and now am not using the analog sound. I plan on getting a 4000 series ATI card and it has 7.1 PCM out which will be all that I need. I'll also be living at home soon where my Dad has a bit more power tools that I can use to make a better frame, so I'll attempt that soon.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #7 on Dec 31, 2008, 4:20pm »
I copied the posts you guys made here to this thread
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #8 on Jan 2, 2009, 6:48pm »
Cool. Thanks for keeping this thread for pictures of Hack Pro pictures.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #9 on Jan 3, 2009, 3:12am »

Jan 2, 2009, 6:48pm, blackknight wrote:
Cool. Thanks for keeping this thread for pictures of Hack Pro pictures.
No prob, now let's see more of these mod pics. I want to see more wonderful ideas that you guys come up with.
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #10 on Jan 30, 2009, 6:21am »
Hey guys, I just edited my original post for new pictures. I was unhappy with the airflow through my Black Ice GTS 240 radiator, because it wasn't enough to cool the hard drives and northbridge, so I busted out my older Black Ice Pro III triple radiator. I knew I couldn't mount it inside due to it's size, so I looked for ways to mount it externally. At first I thought I would try to mount it on the bottom, but that would require cutting large holes in the bottom of the case AND raising the whole case by about 2 inches somehow. This idea would have looked terrible as I haven't found anything that would do the case's looks justice. I then though about mounting it on top using the "roof" that I've found available on the net, but this would still not look very good and probably wouldn't get much airflow. I then thought about how to mount it on the back. This is where it gets interesting.

I had seen several custom cases on the net that used threaded rod with spacers to mount the radiator vertically, but they usually were mounted to a standard 120mm exhaust fan hole. Without having one of those, I was stumped. Then I looked at the fan mounting holes on the radiator, then at the back of the case (i'm talking about the many, many small holes), and noticed that they were about the same size. I took a 6-32 screw (same as the mounting screw for the rad fans) and tried to thread it into one of the holes. PERFECT!!! I found that I could use these holes without permanently damaging the case. I went to the local hardware store and bought some threaded rod in 6-32 and some nuts to go with. I then used a screw to "tap" some threads into the holes that would line up to a 120mm fan and then used the nuts to mount a fan on the other end of them. I then mounted the radiator to the fans.

Next was getting the tubing into the case from the rad. I had already cut out the Airport antenna bracket, so I ran the tubing up from the opening there. Voila, much better airflow and watercooling. My HDD temps have dropped from 42 C down to 32 C and so did my northbridge. I'm quite happy with the result.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #11 on Feb 20, 2009, 7:41am »
Hey, just edited my original post again after getting a new DFI LP DK 790FXB-M2RSH motherboard. It was quite a pain in the ass to install, but worth it in the end. Some of you might have seen the topic that I had on here about the power switch not working on the DFI board, but then saw that it was missing. I found out what the problem was and removed the topic. I found out that the pins on the motherboard were bent when trying to connect the wires going to the switch. Once I straightened them out and hooked it up again it now works.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #12 on Mar 2, 2009, 1:03am »
BlackNight, good work.. I've been eyeing up something like this.. you've given me food for thought.. what Pump and Res are you using? is that 1/2" tubing? have you thought about using two 90" angle pipes and some tubing brackets to smarten up the finish underneath?

J.
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Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 @ 4.5Ghz 457x9.5 @ 1.45v (D-Tek FuZion™ v2)
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OCZ DDR2 Reaper PC2-8500 (2x2GB) (Antec SpotCool Fan)
Nvidia BFG 9800GTX OC 512MB 830/1240
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Mac Pro Case ATX (3 x Noctua NF-S12 120mm)
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #13 on Mar 2, 2009, 5:43am »
I'm using a Laing DDC pump with a Danger Den acrylic top and a Black Ice Pro III radiator, though I don't recommend this radiator due to the need for high CFM fans. I will eventually replace the radiator with a Feser triple rad which should be much quieter. I am using 1/2" tubing. I'm not sure I want to use 90" bends due to the constriction they cause, though you could probably use them and make it look a bit cleaner if you still get good flow.
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Hackintosh: OS X 10.6.7 & Windows 7 Ult. SP1 // Mac Pro case converted to Full-ATX // Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-UD5P Phenom x4 9950 (OC 3.0 GHz on H2O) // 4x2GB DDR2-1066 Corsair Domintator // 2x300GB Velociraptors (RAID0) (INT) // 4x2TB WD20EARS (INT) // 2x1TB WD1001FALS (EXT) // Radeon HD 6950 (unlocked to 6970 and H2O) // LG BD-RW
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Re: Mac Pro/G5 Case Conversion Gallery Thread
« Reply #14 on Mar 30, 2009, 7:13pm »

Mar 2, 2009, 5:43am, blackknight wrote:
I'm using a Laing DDC pump with a Danger Den acrylic top and a Black Ice Pro III radiator, though I don't recommend this radiator due to the need for high CFM fans. I will eventually replace the radiator with a Feser triple rad which should be much quieter. I am using 1/2" tubing. I'm not sure I want to use 90" bends due to the constriction they cause, though you could probably use them and make it look a bit cleaner if you still get good flow.


I'll upload my HackPro soon guys.. Its looking prety clean! I just bought two more Apple side doors.. ;-) working on something a little cool! *cool being the word*

J.

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Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 @ 4.5Ghz 457x9.5 @ 1.45v (D-Tek FuZion™ v2)
DFI LT-X48-T2R (MIPS MCH1033 + MIPS MCH1149)
OCZ DDR2 Reaper PC2-8500 (2x2GB) (Antec SpotCool Fan)
Nvidia BFG 9800GTX OC 512MB 830/1240
(Thermalright T-Rad˛ 2 x Noctua NF-B9 92mm)
Mac Pro Case ATX (3 x Noctua NF-S12 120mm)
ThermoChill PA120.3 ( 3 x Noctua NF-P12 120mm)
Corsair TX 850W ATX SLI PSU
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