- Joined
- Jun 7, 2011
- Messages
- 82
- Motherboard
- HackPro
- CPU
- Core 2 Quad
- Graphics
- nVidia
- Mac
- Classic Mac
- Mobile Phone
Hi Everyone-
Special thanks to AquaMac and other HackPro builders. Your beautiful Mac Pro mods have inspired me to give it a try.
Here is my build:
Mac Pro (2009) case
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K
Mobo: Gigabyte Z68MX-UD2H-B3
GPU: Gigabyte GV-R687OC-1GD HD 6870
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue DDR3 8GB (will add more later)
PSU: OCZ ZX-1000
SSD: OCZ RevoDrive PCI-e 50GB
HDD: Hitachi 2TB 7200 RPM x2
DVD: Sony Optiarc CD/DVD SATA AD-7260S-0B
BDR: LG Black Super Multi BD SATA WH12LS30
CPU Heatsink: Scythe Ninja 3
Here are the design objectives:
- Appearance should be as close to stock as reasonably possible
- Accomodate future components without significant effort (e.g. easy Mobo swaps)
- Preserve Apple SATA "hot-swap" harness if possible
- Custom cables for PSU and front panel so it looks like it was intended to be that way
- FAST Hack Pro at a fraction of a real Mac Pro price
Started by fitting the motherboard to the left plate of the Mac Pro. Unlike several posts I saw, I decided not to try and "over disassemble" the Mac Pro case. So I simply snapped out the original motherboard standoffs - but only those standoffs that would block installation of my mATX mobo (in case you are wondering, all you have to do is grab the original standoff with some pliers and wiggle it back and forth a few times - it snaps out easily).
Since I purchased a "stripped" case, it did not come with screws that fit the original standoffs -- the odd sized M3.5x7.5 screws are a little hard to find. So, I simply used the much loved JBWeld epoxy to attach PC-standard motherboard standoffs. I affixed the standoffs to the motherboard using normal screws and dabbed the JBWeld to the bottom of the screws. Then carefully placed the mobo in the Mac Pro case. Then I lifted out the motherboard -- seeing where the standoffs left marks of epoxy, I placed a dime-sized dollop of epoxy on each of those spots. Then I reinstalled the motherboard and used a PCI-e card to ensure proper alignment. Left it overnight to cure and harden. I am VERY SATISFIED with the results!
I removed the motherboard to begin case mods (metal shavings + mobo = bad idea). Here are the new standoffs epoxied to the base plate.
Originally, I intended to make the power supply mods 100% internal to the Mac Pro case -- preserving the external power connector. However, I found that Apple's power connector takes up a lot of space in the back of the case and the OCZ 1KW PSU is already a little too big for the available space.
So, I opted to cut out the rear panel to accommodate an ATX-format PSU like any other PC case. Turns out that is actually rather simple.
Also wanted to preserve the ATX mobo connector cover -- but started to realize that there was no easy way to do that. All the other contributors fail to mention why -- the ATX motherboard standard places the rear connectors flush with the rear edge of the board. The Mac Pro motherboard places the connectors much further back -- making it impractical to try and place the mobo connectors flush with the back panel. If you look at the photo above with the mobo fitted, you can see that there is at least an inch between the ATX mobo connector location and the Mac Pro's back panel.
Marked it up with a Sharpie:
So had to cut out the area around the mobo connectors -- again, Dremel made quick work of that. Here are the finished holes:
For those of you who are wondering, I used a Dremel fiber cutoff wheel (it looks like a little circle of carbon fiber, but I think it is a fiberglass disk impregnated with silicon carbide). I "used up" 2 cutting wheels by the time I was finished. After cutting, I used a shop vac to suck out the big pieces and used an air compressor to blow out all the remaining stubborn aluminum dust. BE CAREFUL -- the aluminum was VERY HOT after cutting. I found out the hard way... I now have Mac Pro hole pattern branded into my fingers. Let it cool before you touch it.
Since I had to make room for the OCZ power supply, I removed the large fan that was attached to the case behind the optical drive bay. This fan is attached to the vertical brace by 4 rubber pins -- you can remove the fan easily if you use needle-nose pliers to compress the rubber pins before trying to pull the fan out. Do one corner at a time. Try not to break the rubber pins...
I wanted to salvage this fan and attach it to the silver plastic grate at the bottom rear of the case. Since there are no fan mounts there, carefully remove the 4 small screws on the back panel and push out the grate. Then match up with the fan and drill 4 holes in the corners in the mounting hole locations. Then put the rubber pins in those holes and mount the fan to the inside face of the grate -- reinstall the grate and you have a perfect fan mount.
Ok -- so that takes care of most of the physical case mods -- the rest of the work is assembly or "wiring harness" work. I'll cover that in a few days.
EDITED: 2012-07-04 - MobileMe is down forever... Had to re-point my images...
Special thanks to AquaMac and other HackPro builders. Your beautiful Mac Pro mods have inspired me to give it a try.
Here is my build:
Mac Pro (2009) case
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600K
Mobo: Gigabyte Z68MX-UD2H-B3
GPU: Gigabyte GV-R687OC-1GD HD 6870
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Blue DDR3 8GB (will add more later)
PSU: OCZ ZX-1000
SSD: OCZ RevoDrive PCI-e 50GB
HDD: Hitachi 2TB 7200 RPM x2
DVD: Sony Optiarc CD/DVD SATA AD-7260S-0B
BDR: LG Black Super Multi BD SATA WH12LS30
CPU Heatsink: Scythe Ninja 3
Here are the design objectives:
- Appearance should be as close to stock as reasonably possible
- Accomodate future components without significant effort (e.g. easy Mobo swaps)
- Preserve Apple SATA "hot-swap" harness if possible
- Custom cables for PSU and front panel so it looks like it was intended to be that way
- FAST Hack Pro at a fraction of a real Mac Pro price
Started by fitting the motherboard to the left plate of the Mac Pro. Unlike several posts I saw, I decided not to try and "over disassemble" the Mac Pro case. So I simply snapped out the original motherboard standoffs - but only those standoffs that would block installation of my mATX mobo (in case you are wondering, all you have to do is grab the original standoff with some pliers and wiggle it back and forth a few times - it snaps out easily).
Since I purchased a "stripped" case, it did not come with screws that fit the original standoffs -- the odd sized M3.5x7.5 screws are a little hard to find. So, I simply used the much loved JBWeld epoxy to attach PC-standard motherboard standoffs. I affixed the standoffs to the motherboard using normal screws and dabbed the JBWeld to the bottom of the screws. Then carefully placed the mobo in the Mac Pro case. Then I lifted out the motherboard -- seeing where the standoffs left marks of epoxy, I placed a dime-sized dollop of epoxy on each of those spots. Then I reinstalled the motherboard and used a PCI-e card to ensure proper alignment. Left it overnight to cure and harden. I am VERY SATISFIED with the results!
I removed the motherboard to begin case mods (metal shavings + mobo = bad idea). Here are the new standoffs epoxied to the base plate.
Originally, I intended to make the power supply mods 100% internal to the Mac Pro case -- preserving the external power connector. However, I found that Apple's power connector takes up a lot of space in the back of the case and the OCZ 1KW PSU is already a little too big for the available space.
So, I opted to cut out the rear panel to accommodate an ATX-format PSU like any other PC case. Turns out that is actually rather simple.
Also wanted to preserve the ATX mobo connector cover -- but started to realize that there was no easy way to do that. All the other contributors fail to mention why -- the ATX motherboard standard places the rear connectors flush with the rear edge of the board. The Mac Pro motherboard places the connectors much further back -- making it impractical to try and place the mobo connectors flush with the back panel. If you look at the photo above with the mobo fitted, you can see that there is at least an inch between the ATX mobo connector location and the Mac Pro's back panel.
Marked it up with a Sharpie:
So had to cut out the area around the mobo connectors -- again, Dremel made quick work of that. Here are the finished holes:
For those of you who are wondering, I used a Dremel fiber cutoff wheel (it looks like a little circle of carbon fiber, but I think it is a fiberglass disk impregnated with silicon carbide). I "used up" 2 cutting wheels by the time I was finished. After cutting, I used a shop vac to suck out the big pieces and used an air compressor to blow out all the remaining stubborn aluminum dust. BE CAREFUL -- the aluminum was VERY HOT after cutting. I found out the hard way... I now have Mac Pro hole pattern branded into my fingers. Let it cool before you touch it.
Since I had to make room for the OCZ power supply, I removed the large fan that was attached to the case behind the optical drive bay. This fan is attached to the vertical brace by 4 rubber pins -- you can remove the fan easily if you use needle-nose pliers to compress the rubber pins before trying to pull the fan out. Do one corner at a time. Try not to break the rubber pins...
I wanted to salvage this fan and attach it to the silver plastic grate at the bottom rear of the case. Since there are no fan mounts there, carefully remove the 4 small screws on the back panel and push out the grate. Then match up with the fan and drill 4 holes in the corners in the mounting hole locations. Then put the rubber pins in those holes and mount the fan to the inside face of the grate -- reinstall the grate and you have a perfect fan mount.
Ok -- so that takes care of most of the physical case mods -- the rest of the work is assembly or "wiring harness" work. I'll cover that in a few days.
EDITED: 2012-07-04 - MobileMe is down forever... Had to re-point my images...