Is it worth ripping a G5 apart for a case for a new build?

[thedrumdoctor]

I've just been given a working 2005 G5 PowerMac and of course, the case is beautiful and would make a great house for some modern furniture.

However, from what I can see, stripping it out isn't much fun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLTyA1iSyg8) but doable (though I suppose that depends on what your version of 'fun' is) and from this post: http://www.tonymacx86.com/powermac-g5/79105-beginners-journey-into-g5-case-mod-2.html there seems to be some messing with cables to make the case compatible with ATX power.

I'm not good with a soldering iron, AT ALL, so I was wondering if anybody has heard of an off-the-shelf wiring that would do this without having to start chopping and soldering?

Otherwise, I might just sell the thing on eBay.

 

[lazarus]

I've just been given a working 2005 G5 PowerMac and of course, the case is beautiful and would make a great house for some modern furniture.

However, from what I can see, stripping it out isn't much fun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLTyA1iSyg8) but doable (though I suppose that depends on what your version of 'fun' is) and from this post: http://www.tonymacx86.com/powermac-g5/79105-beginners-journey-into-g5-case-mod-2.html there seems to be some messing with cables to make the case compatible with ATX power.

I'm not good with a soldering iron, AT ALL, so I was wondering if anybody has heard of an off-the-shelf wiring that would do this without having to start chopping and soldering?

Otherwise, I might just sell the thing on eBay.

Is it worth it? That's entirely up to you. How much do you love the look of the case, compared to what you could buy to put a Hackintosh in?

There are a ton of "off the shelf" options out there. I bought the wiring harness that makes the front panel work. I bought the tray that the motherboard mounts to. You still have to be halfway handy with a dremel to cut the case, but it's doable. Does that sound fun for you? If yes, go ahead. If no, pass.

There are some good G5 approximations out there that are ready for your modern equipment. The fun of the G5 case mod is taking something beautiful from a decade ago and working with your hands to make it relevant today. Or at least that's the fun of it for me.

 

[Thij]

Indeed, it is totally up to you. You should keep in mind that, whether you create a 'simple' mod or a sophisticated one, it will take quite a lot of time. Though the process will go much faster if you buy a motherboard mounting plate and/or rear panel. Which is not the cheapest option.

Also, I do consider the disassembly a fun part of the modding process. But that's me. It can be quite tricky sometimes but there are plenty of guides on the internet. Especially on iFixit which has many G5 guides available. You should definitely check them out, they helped me a lot. Modding a G5 is a challenge, but I think the result is 100% worth it.

 

[stiligFox]

As the others have said - it's entirely up to you. I found a working PowerMac G5 that wasn't in top condition - and used that. Personally I feel if the unit is in mint condition it might be nice to save it for someone who is collecting the machines as mint ones are hard to come by; but that's just me personally.

And I'd definitely go with a Laser Hive mounting kit or something similar. I didn't have to do any soldering in my build, but did a lot of crimping to make fan wires shorter (something you can also omit if you don't mind some extraneous wire).

 

[voidfahrenheit]

I totally agree with them... this will be a long one as far as i can remember. hope this will help according to your topic...

My G5 was in a great working condition and no scratches/dent when i bought it for a $137.

i was using it for i think 6 months. bought 8x1gb ram and a ssd. edited some photos with it. used it to do research here in the forums, learning from the masters like neilhart, stiligfox, laser hive and the others that i cannot even remember now where i got the other ideas on my mod.

then one day i decided to mod it as i can't do all i want with it. first, dual booting from OSX and Windows. second, the ports. 3rd, the cooling is not great followed by the power consumption and limited on using the older osx version.

i then disassembled my G5. it was fun but hard(i followed one poster here forgot his name).

my first aim was to maintain the back of the G5. so i searched for someone who can do the soldering for the backpanel, unfortunately i failed. i was able to use PC Components with it without cutting the back. even used the original PSU cover with a generic psu from an old pc. i succeed on that part. i was even able to use the original fans with a full RPM and reducing the voltage for a silent operation.

i wasn't satisfied at all...especially seeing always the great mods from the masters.

so i decided to buy from laser hive some parts like mobo tray and back panel with fan bracket for the front. Dave helped me a lot with my mods. i maintained the front io panel. i thought what i did was really nice but i wasn't happy with it especially the cables. and i realized that matx is the best motherboard size for the G5. so i sold my eatx board and other parts.

i revised my first ever mod. planned it carefully as i want to consider good airflow as much as possible? cable management, covers, brackets and the Liquid Cooling System also.

it took me almost a year XD i can use most of the ports from the motherboard i bought especially the back io panel. i was able to use liquid cooling and proper cable management.

whenever i look at my G5...i always tell myself, it was definitely worth it.

what matters most is that you will follow your plan or what you really want to accomplish with your mod.

 

[thedrumdoctor]

That's great guys, I don't think I can be bothered with the grief of the case mods! I'd rather reserve the time for the post installation troubleshooting! Anyway, I'm sure somebody will find a use for the old G5 on eBay.