Budget Mac Pro Gigabyte GA-Z370m-D3H, Gigabyte RX-570 8GB, i7 8700

[Yowie]

Yowie's Build: GA-Z370m-D3H - RX 570 - i7-8700

Components

Gigabyte Z370M D3H micro ATX Motherboard
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BQ9XQPP/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
Not sold by Newegg

Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB), PC4-21300 (2666MHz) DDR4 Memory
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0134EW7G8/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4YU7E33056

Intel i7-8700 Processor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079G3DFGR/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117826

Gigabyte Radeon™ RX 570 Gaming 8G Graphics Card (GV-RX570GAMING-8GD)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y3RT952/?tag=tonymacx86com-20 Amazon don't sell 8GB version
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814932073


Cooling

Original 2x 120mm case fans

Deepcool Gammaxx L120 AIO RGB CPU Cooler
Not sold by Amazon
Not sold by Newegg
http://www.deepcool.com/product/LiquidCooler/2018-11/209_10014.shtml


Samsung970 EVO, NVMe M.2 (PCIe) 250GB SSD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN5FJZQ/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAG8T7CK7879


Western Digital WD 240GB SSD, WD Green 3D NAND, M.2 (SATA)Windows 10 OS
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9B2VB7/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZX76J1690&Description=Western Digital WD 240GB SSD, &cm_re=Western_Digital_WD_240GB_SSD,--0D9-001A-000A4--Product


Power Supply

Corsair 600W SF600 High Performance SFX Power Supply, 80 PLUS Gold, Fully Modular
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CGI5M24/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6ZP3X94603&Description=Corsair 600W SF600&cm_re=Corsair_600W_SF600--17-139-155--Product

WiFi & Bluetooth

Broadcom BCM94331CD 802.11a/b/g WiFi card + Bluetooth 4.0
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CYQ6RYG/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
Not sold by Newegg

BCM94360CD/BCM94331CD to PCI-e 1X Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00THN281U/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
Not sold by Newegg

Already Owned

Case

Mac Pro 1,1 2006

Drive

Seagate 4TB 3.5” Hard Drive Storage

LG DVD RW HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH24NS90



Comments

I wanted to upgrade my Mac Mini 2012 server but didn't want to spend to buy a Mac Pro. I bought and dead Mac Pro 1,1 2006 off Gumtree for $50 and that was the start of the project. My aim was to keep it as stock looking as possible as i love the aesthetic of these cases. My goal was Mac Pro performance for under $1200. This I believe I have achieved.

Installation

Bios
Loaded optimized defaults.

Changes from default.

1. Peripherals → USB Configuration → XHCI Hand-off : Enabled
2. Chipset → Vt-d : Disabled

Install was completed on Intel® UHD Graphics 630 as i had not purchased the RX570 as yet.

Boot USB was created using terminal command
"sudo "/Applications/Install macOS Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume /Volumes/INSTALLER"

Bootloader was installed with Clover Boot Loader

EFI partition Config.plist was replaced with Coffeelake version from this website.
https://github.com/corpnewt/Hackintosh-Guide/tree/master/Configs

KEXTs Installed.

WhateverGreen.kext
Lilu.kext
IntelMausiEthernet.kext
FakeSMC_ACPISensors.kext
FakeSMC_CPUSensors.kext
FakeSMC_GPUSensors.kext
FakeSMC_LPCSensors.kext
FakeSMC_SMMSensors.kext
FakeSMC.kext
AppleHDA.kext
AppleALC.kext


MacOS was installed with no issues during installation.

After install Issues

Pink Screen
Soundcard
Sleep with any USB device plugged in.

I used the information from this website to fix the pinkscreen fantastic description and easy to follow..
https://www.mathewinkson.com/2013/0...ix-the-picture-quality-of-an-external-monitor

Audio was fixed by adding

1. Comment: Rename HDAS to HDEF
2. Find* [HEX]: 48444153
3. Replace [HEX]: 48444546

and adding the following Kexts.

AppleHDA.kext
AppleALC.kext

Video Upgrade

I purchased a Gigabyte RX 570 Gaming 8GB ex-mining card that was remanufactured by Gigabyte and installed it into the system and the only thing i changed was the default card in the Bios. It just worked straight off.

I have been using the system now for a couple of weeks and it has now replaced my Mac Mini.
The only thing i cannot get to work is the USB sleep as every-time the system sleeps it just restarts Darkwake, for now i have just stopped sleep when monitor turns off setting until i can find a solution as i don't want to unplug the USB devices every-time.

Benchmarks.


Cinebench
CPU Consistently around 1420
GPU Consistently around 140fps

Cooling
CPU has never throttled under high load running Cinebench 10x in a row the CPU never got above 60c and drops to around 30c straight after tests.

Blackmagic Disk Speed

Write 1450 to 1500MB/s
Read 2900 to 3000MB/s

 

[cbphx]

Looks great! I'm in the middle of doing a Mac Pro 3,1 case mod, and wondering how you did the backplate adapter? I'm going for a similar look with mine and debating figuring out how to 3D print something or if I can get something like you used and not a whole rear panel kit.

 

[Yowie]

Looks great! I'm in the middle of doing a Mac Pro 3,1 case mod, and wondering how you did the backplate adapter? I'm going for a similar look with mine and debating figuring out how to 3D print something or if I can get something like you used and not a whole rear panel kit.

The old standoffs can be removed really easily with a pair of pliers i just cleaned up the bases and attached them to a mATX motherboard put a dob of epoxy glue on the bottom each post and installed the motherboard using a couple of PCIe cards to ensure correct alignment. Once the glue dried i removed the motherboard and applied a bit more glue around each post. I tried an extra post i put in and they are heaps harder to remove than the original ones. For the opening i just use some 20mm x 12mm x 1.6mm Aluminium angle as a filler between the IO and the back of the case, 20mm was exactly the gap. I didn't want to loose the look of the case and wanted to use the original 120mm aluminium fan grill to mount the water cooling on. Very happy with the look and performance.

 

[johanp]

Looks like you are even using the original fans for the front? Would you care to talk a bit more on how you achieved that, any issues, hurdles etc? Much appreciated, thank you! Great build! Love the stock look!

 

[Yowie]

Looks like you are even using the original fans for the front? Would you care to talk a bit more on how you achieved that, any issues, hurdles etc? Much appreciated, thank you! Great build! Love the stock look!

LOL.. I cheated, they are not compatible with normal motherboard PWM controllers so I just used a small PWM controller of ebay $2.35 au and supplied 12v from a molex connector off the power supply. See on the back a small knob that controls the fan speed I just leave it at minimum and the fans run totally silent and shutdown and sleep with the power supply.

 

[johanp]

Hi Yowie, thanks for the reply. I’m a newbie so have some follow up questions if you dont mind?

1) PWM stands for Power Managment/-er or?

2) What kind of PWM controller should I search for if I want to follow your nice build?

3) Wouldn’t this approach allow to power more parts and keep the stock PSU entirely using Apple compatible Molex connectors then? As this one for example?

This product is no longer available.

This product is no longer available.

www.alibaba.com

Again, thank you!

 

[johanp]

Pulse Width Modulated

 

[johanp]

Seems like a very clever solution apart from the fans running at constant speed, I guess that works as long as the CPU cooler is controlled by the MN?

 

[Yowie]

Seems like a very clever solution apart from the fans running at constant speed, I guess that works as long as the CPU cooler is controlled by the MN?

That was my thoughts. The days I was testing at the lowest speed they had no issues keeping the case at ambient temperature. The CPU cooler is connected to the motherboard and has no problems modulating for load changes. These cases are basically just one big heat sink, I am very impressed with them.

The computer is silent as well which is a huge + & draws very little power at idle about 48w.

I looked at the apple power supply and it was too much work and they are very power hungry so I opted for the Corsair small form factor 600w that fitted inside the original power supply cage and I made a lead so it uses the original power socket on the case. The fan on that power supply with my setup hardly ever spins.

 

[marianko]

Hi, can i ask you how you removed that piece of alluminum that is on the bottom? I am unable to do so not metter how Hard i try.