Mac Pro Hackintosh! PLEASE HELP!

[craigarc303]

Okay so I have decided that I want to build a hackintosh. I was first looking around to mod a g5 but I came across the Mac Pro case as well. I was comparing pros and cons of each case. I want to build this hackintosh with the least amount of cutting/welding possible. I don't own a dremal so I really just want to mod a case without it.

I heard if you buy a mATX motherboard, it will fit right in the Mac Pro case without any modding and the stand offs should line up the same. Is this true? If that is the case, then I want to buy a mATX motherboard and mount it without using a 3rd party motherboard tray and for the back I/o I would like to run small extenders to the back of the case from the motherboard and glue/mount it that way.

Does anyone see what my vision is and could anyone help me or at least tell me if everything I just said is even possible?

Thanks so much. Craig

 

[chaosdesigns]

I could be wrong, but I haven't heard that the motherboard standoffs are in the same location as an mATX board. I believe that they are proprietary to Apple.

 

[craigarc303]

Hmm, Well is it easier to mount a mATX board to a Mac Pro without a mobo tray?

I'm really just looking for any way to mount a mobo to a Mac Pro or a PowerMac G5 without the use of a dremal or a mobo tray. It can be a ATX mobo or mATX mobo. It doesn't matter. Is there any other cutting tool I could use besides a dremal? I'm new to modding so any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks. Craig

 

[eelhead]

No cutting anything you can pop the standoffs off the case get a mATX board, some JB weld and glue the standoffs in place for the motherboard. With this method you do not need a mobo tray.


Look at my build thread and you can see, also here http://www.tonymacx86.com/case-mods/77206-inserting-motherboard-tray-into-g5.html it shows how to remove the standoffs easy. Then after just glue them into place.

 

[craigarc303]

So I can just glue the standoffs to the g5/Mac Pro and mount the motherboard like that ? And use glue like jb weld an it will hold it in place just fine?

 

[craigarc303]

Does it matter if it is a mATX or an ATX motherboard if I'm going to mount it like that?

 

[chaosdesigns]

Yes, it matters. An ATX board will go too high and you will have to cut the top shelf. An mATX board will fit below the top shelf and the slots will line up correctly.

 

[eelhead]

So I can just glue the standoffs to the g5/Mac Pro and mount the motherboard like that ? And use glue like jb weld an it will hold it in place just fine?

Yes, if you look in my build pics you will see I attached the standoffs to my mobo and then put dabs of JB weld at the end of each one than set it in place with the rear IO ports on the case letting it all dry like that. After an over night sit the JB Weld was dried enough that I can remove the mobo and do any work I needed to do. JUst make sure if your linning up with the PCI opening that you use a GPU or what not to make sure it is al lined up correctly.

 

[kiwisincebirth]

I want to build this hackintosh with the least amount of cutting/welding possible. I don't own a dremal so I really just want to mod a case without it.

Craig, An mATX is your best choice as it has 4 card slots, which G5 and MacPro will both support without issue. The other ISSUE is going to be the motherboard IO ports will not line up the apple ports there are several solutions.

In many G5 mods the solution is to replace the back of the case with a ATX back plate (mountain mods is common). This means cutting away the existing IO and fan ports and bolting on the new back plate. This requires significant cutting so is not for you.

A second approach is to make extension cables for each of the rear ports, that connect to the motherboard ports. This means NO Cutting, but you would need to read a post of two about how this is done. Depending on how you do it, can mean a lot more work doing other things.

The approach I went for was to just cut away the just enough of the rear of the case to expose all the ports as a single hole, you do need to do some cutting, but I think it simplifies the rest of the build. I like you didn't own a Dremel when I started, but there not hard to use, and really a basic tool of the trade, for case modification.

 

[craigarc303]

Thanks for all the great feedback! I am really happy I decided to make a thread. It really has helped. I think I will buy a mATX motherboard and mount it in a G5 case using JB Weld and standoffs and I will cut out one long rectangle to have all the ports exposed much like kiwisincebirth's picture and eelhead's build at first. I have a question in regard to that as well. What standoffs/screws do I use? The ones that come with the G5? What if my G5 doesn't come with standoffs or screws.. is there any where I can buy standoffs/screws? What do you guys recommend?

Thanks!
Craig