mATX P55 build advice

[MistySarah]

I've an old G4 case (and all its innards, cockroach still fires up) that I'd like to use for a Hackintosh. So I'm looking at some flavour of mAtX motherboard. Probably P55 due to wanting a Core i5/i3 processor powering the system.

I'm thinking of a Nvidia GTX250 or similar ATi unit (whichever will give me the easiest build and best GFX performance in OS X).

I know that Snow' needs a SATA DVD drive during install but anyone have advice on which motherboard'll fit the bill and take a retail install?

 

[thelostswede]

Well, most people around here use the Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2, well supported as the owner of this site runs one

The CPU's with integrated graphics are a bit trickier to get working, so your best bet, budget allowing, is the Core i5 750.

I run a GTS 250 and it was very easy to get working in OS X.

I hope you are skilled with a Dremel

This might be worth a look before you start http://www.slcentral.com/articles/01/8/g4pc/ despite being quite old, I guess you'll have to do something similar.

 

[MistySarah]

Well, most people around here use the Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2, well supported as the owner of this site runs one

UD2, excellent and added to the parts list.

The CPU's with integrated graphics are a bit trickier to get working, so your best bet, budget allowing, is the Core i5 750.

We get fairly heavily gimped in the UK for prices, assuming I avoid any with the inbuilt GFX engine I should be OK though?

I hope you are skilled with a Dremel

Have mig welder will travel

might be worth a look before you start http://www.slcentral.com/articles/01/8/g4pc/ despite being quite old, I guess you'll have to do something similar.

Yeah got that place bookmarked, I'm pretty much 100% sure the mobo will be well out of warranty once I'm finishing desoldering chunks of connectors to fit.

 

[thelostswede]

The connectors should be easier to fit on the new boards, no more stupid game ports etc.
Besides, that mod is what, 9 years old
If you're good at metal working, I'd make a custom I/O shield rather than butcher the one that comes with the G4 case.
The only problem I can predict is the PSU, as they've changed a fair bit since then and now tend to use a different type of fan that sits in the top/bottom (depending on how you turns it around) rather than in the back.

Just a question, what are you going to use the mig welder for?

 

[adamsmasher]

Using the UD2 like thelostswede suggested is probably the way to go. Obviously, it'll probably involved some modification of the case for the ports on the mobo and the power supply.

I modded an old dell case to put an mATX board in it and it just took some tin snips to chop off some parts (although I couldn't use the font panel buttons at all so it uses the keyboard to power on).

 

[MistySarah]

Just a question, what are you going to use the mig welder for?

Punishing it when it doesn't work.

I mean who doesn't keep a hammer around to wave at their machine from time to time?

 

[tonymacx86]

Just a question, what are you going to use the mig welder for?

Punishing it when it doesn't work.

I mean who doesn't keep a hammer around to wave at their machine from time to time?