My son asked what was inside a computer the other day and I've always thought the best way of really understanding something is to build that item from scratch... so I said we can build a computer together and then you can see everything that goes into one, just pick out a computer case that you like to start with. Well, he said the best looking computer case was an Apple Mac!...... I didn't see that one coming. Ok.. So now I have to mod an 'Apple Macintosh G4 Mirror Drive Door' case to take a PC. They call it a Hackintosh, I call it a HackinWhiteWash...... cos its gonna be very, very white..... These are the components to fit at the moment (ideas mostly from Custom PC mag): Intel Core i5 750. Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2. 8GB Corsair XMS3 PC3 1333MHz Dual channel kit. Sesonic X-650 Modular '80 Gold'. Samsung SpinPoint F3 - 1TB SATA II. Gelid Solutions Tranquillo CPU cooler. Powercolor ATI Radeon HD 5850 PCS+ 1024MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card. 2 x Sharkoon 120mm SE Quiet Fans. This is the Apple G4 MDD case, got it from Ebay £15.00... It had stopped working so they sold it as spares..... when i took the plastic outer panels off i can see why it had stopped working, all the air inlet areas had been clogged up with dirt, fluff and dust. After clearing out all the clutter from inside the case I was left with enough room for a mATX board with a bit of space left around it. Fair does to Apple, they do put together a good case. The build quality is the best of any mass manufacturer, the amount of left over steel that I had after hacking the case apart was fantastic. The case has been modded for a 120mm fan on the base and one 120mm at the back and I put a place for another at the front-top area... but I will only install that one if i cant get enough cooling. One of the best things about the Apple Mac G4 case is that the motherboard is attached to the side door and the computer can still run with the motherboard door open. I thought Id stick with this format and install the PC motherboard onto the door instead of inside the case like on a normal PC. So I hacked an old steel bodied computer case apart, took the motherboard panel out and welded that into the Apple side door. So now it takes a PC motherboard. Welded some steelwork in to hold an ATX power supply unit in the bottom of the case. Modded the front of the case so it will take a slimline DVD drive from a notebook. The drive unit will be place into the case on a hinge... this will allow the case side door to close otherwise the graphics card would hit..... I can sense your thinking its getting silly now.... So do i and i still haven't completely worked out how it'll go..... Im jus kinda guessing I'll have it sorted later on... Done a few other mods on the case for better airflow, ect. So this is it as it stands at the moment... The basic metal case is painted and I am just figuring out the running of the wiring. Its all starting to get a bit tight in this little case.... I am aiming to get good airflow from the front of the case over the CPU and straight out the back of the case. The air from the bottom fan will add to this whilst cooling other components on its way up and out. Well, that's it for the moment...... still got a bit to do tho. I'll try and get the side panels stripped and then painted in glossy white. Have to sort out a new front panel... one that doesn't obstruct airflow. And of course... sort out the DVD drive problem... Cheers for everything.
cheers guys.... Time to start on the optical drive problem. I bought an LG slimline/notebook DVD unit to fit, but at the moment it still touches the graphics card as the chassis door closes. You can see on the photo it only just touches. This where I'd like the DVD unit to be situated in relationship to the Motherboard when the door has been closed. The angled cut out in the back of the DVD unit helps it to sit snugly around the Memory sticks. So I've looked at putting the DVD drive unit on a hinged platform so it lifts up as the chassis door closes allowing the Graphics card to pass then the platform clips back down afterwards. Picked up a stainless steel notebook optical drive caddy from an Alienware Clevo notebook for use as a platform. Looks nice in its standard polished guise so I wont paint it white. The hinge that I have is stainless as well so that assembly should look ok after TIG welding it this weekend. Cheers guys..
Do you have any pictures of modding the motherboard tray? My dad is in need of a computer and this looks like a good project for us. Simple and elegant. +rep
Hiya llamafur, The main Apple g4 chassis case is steel so its easy to cut, modify, weld and then put the plastic panels back on afterwards. I don't have any photos of the motherboard panel after i had cut it and before i had primed it, sorry. But it was a simple case of cutting out a motherboard sized section out of the Apple case and welding in a new PC case section. Here are some photos that may help tho. Just before i cut a section out. And after i had cut and welded/tacked the new panel in position. The 2 main reasons why people choose not to Hack the Apple G4 MDD case is that the optical drives are situated only half way up the case and can obstruct PC components and the MDD motherboard is massively different to a PC in the way the expansion slots/graphic cards, ect are situated... its all upside down.... So you will need a new back to the case to take a PC motherboard. A basic G4 MDD case:- So most people choose the other type of Apple g4 case, the Quicksilver because the optical drives are situated further up the case and may not obstruct the PC components as much. Only slight modification to the back of the case for the graphic card and you only have to put the motherboard risers in new positions for a PC motherboard instead of cutting and welding, ect. Its a lot simpler. A basic Apple g4 Quicksilver case:- This is a nicely modded early G4. http://www.overclock.net/case-mod-work-logs/660371-complete-macbane-old-powermac-g4-becomes.html This is simpler mod on a Quicksilver:- http://ninjatosh.wordpress.com/hacking-the-powermac-g4-quicksilver-case/ Hope this has been of some help, best of luck with everything.
Thanks Dachre! I think our school has a few of the quicksilver macs in storage. I'll have to ask my friends in IT if I can have the cases.
Nice work, I have observed a few of the various mac cases and always thought they looked rather nice compared to even some 'exotic' PC cases- nice to see a mod done in that respect using PC gubbins.
Hey SuicideNeil, thats the same sorts of thoughts that I've been having on the Mac G4 case's. I have a 'CoolerMaster Stacker' as my main computer at home and it has a large and industrial look about it.... where as the Mac G4 case looks a bit more 'Organic' because of its rounded and curvy body. Just hope the new front panel will match the style of the Mac when its designed and made. Onto the Optical drive caddy which is the main stumbling block we've had with this G4 MDD. I placed the AlienWare stainless caddy onto a stainless platform base which has a hinge. I cut a large hole into the platform base to allow air from the bottom case fan to pass through. Think that's about it for making things on the inside of the computer case now. I've taken all the components out of the case to cut holes into the sides so we can thread the cables through, so the nest step will be for us to assemble and test. Then on to painting the plastic panels and then build a nice, new front panel..... Cheers guys.
