PowerMac G5-ATX Conversion Build Log

[@thelaserhive3368]

Very fair review and nice and instructive!

[@JimmyDoresHairDye]

The case design is now 20 years old and it still looks incredible. What a fantastic design.

[@lizzy1519]

fr

[@arxaaron]

At last count I have like 5 "cheese grater" Mac Pro boxes, currently used as end tables, shop benches and office furniture since the design is so classy -- I have yet to see a more elegant computer case design! I already keep a lot of older Mac systems in use with my media production -- with the guidance of your instructive videos, I'm inspired to convert at least one of my G5 Mac Pros into a modern ATX system. It will be running Linux, since so many powerful media tools are available for that platform now, both mature FLOSS softwares and ports of popular commercial products. I'm an inventive maker type and enjoy metal work, so this seems a perfect project!

[@SplicedSerpents]

I've had a g5 case in the closet for a very long time. This makes the conversion look so simple I may just pull it out and have a go.

[@PyreProductions]

OMS, thank you so much. I never would have figured out the 3 retention brackets to take out the top shelf!

[@christomapher]

You’re sparking the inner tech-tinkerer in me! Thanks for sharing your craft!

[@E54OW]

anxiously waiting for final build :P

[@MrVitalic85]

Ahhh I always love seeing people converting G5 into hackintosh or windows box, my G5’s collection keep raising in value 😁 My dual processor 2004 2.5ghz is on active duty for music production, my quad G5 is unused atm.

[@roryrichter4723]

glad I can help you, and make myself happy with my conversion

[@MeowingCookie_]

My g5 board is dead as many are due to the solder problem. So I want to at least put it to good use

[@benw4401]

Lmao. Your outdated turdbox is worth $100.

[@Rushtallica]

Thanks so much having taken the time to put this video together and posting it along with the links. It's definitely appreciated. 8)

[@cseymour97]

This is exactly what I needed! I have a g5 and didn't know what to do with it and want to build a hackintosh in it! Also the quality of this video is amazing! Keep it up man,

[@Frittentheo]

Made my own Custom ATX Conversion G5 because i like the design and the quality of the Power Mac G5 case. Had a donor atx case i used the mainboard bracket with PCI Slots and the Front Panel Equipment. I've mounted two USB 3.0 plugs on the original Front panel plate. The buttom hole for the fire wire plug fits for a second usb plug if you delete the plastic inlet of the case front. Of course it doesn't look that perfect, but it works. The Top shelf i cut into two pieces. The part in the front takes my blu ray disc drive and the gap between these two parts is for the power supply cables. In the back i've put in the power supply und cut a hole into the top shelf to get air into the power supply. The rounded edge on top back of the case still exists and i just cut out a hole to put the power cable through. the power supply is just jammed between top cover of the case and the top shelf. I 3D printed a mounting bracket for the front where i can install 2x 120 mm or 2x 140 mm fans to get a nice airflow and a 120 mm fan in the back. It is also possible to install a 240 or 280 mm radiator in the front bracket.

[@Gerkozielman]

Nice rebuild of this pc!

[@Lucas-rt5jb]

Such a great aesthetically pleasing content. Really enjoyed the video

[@frankodontstop]

Thank you for this video!

[@jayrbee]

Came out great... did mine over a decade ago (or started) and welp kind of gave up on the back-end once everything else came together lol.. I've had 3 systems call this case home before being relocated to other cases for family members.

[@wizard7032]

would love to see the follow up to this video :)

[@TacticalTheatre_]

Great video, I picked one of the G5's up on eBay recently. This video has helped a lot!

[@ham_sanga7]

Is the follow-up video still coming?

[@hectorluma]

Nice build! And great video. I like the idea of making a pc with one of these.

[@Notfound4747]

Just landed in your video while surf the web, and like every bit of instruction and fotografy of the video, you are going to be big in youtube if the trend follow :)

[@andre-le-bone-aparte]

Question: What about compiling a C application - wouldn't that show a better usage of the older G5 processes? - JavaScript is single threaded and optimized for a different pipeline.

[@Pstaines439]

Great work Jerry and well explained. I've got a couple of old G5s here and I want to do something similar... but I am desperate to keep it looking stock from the outside. I wonder if anyone makes a motherboard I/O board that fits in the stock rectangular recess, along with a couple of ports for the GPU.

[@AllenPortman]

I have a perfect condition mac pro tower 1,1 that is what I would like to do to convert the interior without drastically changing the exterior?

[@whatsthatthere]

Where is part two with the new hardware?

[@jeremiahbrints5899]

This is so underrated, I hope you get really big in the future! Absolutely excellent!

[@xGshikamaru]

My power Mac is still running debian to this day, there is something I love about exotic computer architecture that makes me want to preserve it, but there's one thing I'd love to address is power consumption, because even idle my G5 draws twice as much as my Ryzen 5 5600G computer

[@xGshikamaru]

@@username8644 version 10.0 but there is a dependency issue to circumvent with libc6 which breaks perl during upgrade, it's quite annoying but once you get past this you can upgrade to debian Sid and get a working system with current software, save for a few packages which can't be built (like Firefox because it requires nodejs which needs V8 which is not available for PowerPC :()

[@NiGHTSaturn]

You have no idea how 5:27 made me feel. I just CRINGED HARD watching Linus taking apart a G5 to convert it and man... That poor computer. The G5 was my very first computer that wasn't the family computer. I will never touch this specific one, but I just got another one offered for free. Just might mod it for a hackintosh. Great video.

[@alfalfachomusuke8258]

hoping for an update with new components please

[@zerozhang1145]

如果我没看错，这兄弟10几岁就diy过了，真针儿的从小培养的geek精神

[@13StJimmy]

I just wish the laser hive had a US based store 😅

[@AindriuMacGiollaEoin]

Awesome

[@NoTySir]

how did the zen3 build go? awesome video btw!

[@E54OW]

got a sub from me , good job man i want to try this now!

[@AllenPortman]

What about a conversion for a mac pro 2.66 ghz 1,1,?

[@Haightfilmproductions]

I have a Mac Pro G5 how can I get GarageBand onto it PLEASE HELP!

[@chrisnorwood903]

awesome

[@DrLA8]

You don’t need to do anything to the buttons?

[@I-SaadAhmedBazaz]

Any way to 3D print the motherboard kit?

[@egoytp]

The full ATX conversion thing is too expensive. What should i do instead?

[@Ps3JessicaBr]

I’m also trying to do the most inexpensive possible, what have you done about the power button conversion ? (Also I recommend you to use our g5 casemod reddit to have help if you’re struggling too)

[@egoytp]

@@Ps3JessicaBr there's a subreddit for this stuff? Could you send it?

[@egoytp]

@@Ps3JessicaBr thank you so much

[@jerrywoohu]

The way I modded my first G5 was tearing the motherboard tray out of an old Antec ATX case. If you’ve got an old case laying around, see if you can detach the tray that holds the motherboard. I had to make some cuts with my dremel and drill out some rivets, but in the end I got the tray and the backplate out and used that.

[@thinkscotty]

Awesome, just put my order in for the Laser Hive kit. I have the Mac Pro case already. 2 questions: did you remove any scratches and scuffs from the case, and if so, how? And secondly, are you doing anything with the front I/O cutouts? I’m thinking of fabricating something to run USB to them.

[@jerrywoohu]

The G5 was fairly clean when I bought it so I didn’t bother with it. Removing scratches from the finish is difficult as you’d have to sandblast and anodize the case for the correct finish-I wouldn’t bother. The other option would be to sand and paint the entire exterior. I only wired the power button on my G5. There may also be wiring guides for the Mac Pro to reuse the front panel daughterboard. LaserHive sells front panel conversion kits as well I believe. Good luck!

[@thinkscotty]

@@jerrywoohu thanks!

[@roryrichter4723]

@ 6:57 it shows that front io conversion not sure if the lazer hive still has it though

[@themomorain]

Does it come with pcie slot covers? (are they included)

[@jerrywoohu]

Unfortunately no, and most slot covers won’t work

[@themomorain]

@@jerrywoohu Crap. This kit is so freaking expensiv I thought for sure it will include them :( Well thank you for your awnser!

[@aldoniky5243]

Nice !

[@gabevf]

Does the I/O shield get slightly covered up by the backplate? I'm worried about the GPU connectors getting covered up...

[@jerrywoohu]

Didn’t have an issue with my motherboard connectors, but one problem I ended up having with my gpu connectors is the DisplayPort closest to the side door gets blocked by the overhang of the laser hive backplate. Ymmv though.

[@knocknapeasta]

Have you installed the new computer in it yet? 😃

[@Ps3JessicaBr]

I’m doing one too, it’s being such a pain, idk what to do with the power button 🤦‍♀️

[@jerrywoohu]

I’ve just hooked up the power switch and LED. I didn’t bother with the USB and FW. I used the wiring diagram from “The Definitive PowerMac G5 Modding Resource Page”.

[@Ps3JessicaBr]

@@jerrywoohu Thanks!, it worked for me too!.

[@United_Wings]

Now we have Mac Pro

[@nonamegamerhdnngtv2903]

How does the motherboard tray stick to the back of the computer?

[@jerrywoohu]

9:10 it screws in via the standoffs embedded in the back of the case that were originally for the top shelf. It’s quite clean!

[@JoeyAnswer]

Where did you buy the motherboard tray from?

[@jerrywoohu]

The Laser Hive!

[@JoeyAnswer]

@@jerrywoohu I checked there and didn’t see any for sale, I ended up buying one off eBay.

[@jerrywoohu]

Laser Hive goes in and out of stock, especially since COVID. I waited a few months to purchase mine. They usually post updates on Facebook.

[@JoeyAnswer]

@@jerrywoohu that’s what I figured why I didn’t see any, I was also looking for the power button I/o cable conversion. My one G5 I just hardwired a pc power button and led plug to it, and I found the power button has a chip that Apple put upside down and was causing the button to not work. Hard work paid off I wanted to keep the G5 exterior stock and just did a few mods, usb 3.0 at the front and kept the rear fan assembly I don’t really want to cut the case up, but maybe with my other one I may cut the rear off but still unsure found it not needed as much as I thought. .

[@yktvn]

Wtf why is there a code on the website

[@vvgr409]

Putting power supply mounting on top is not very good idea. PSU fan will face GPU fan and it will pull hot air that GPU fan pushes.

[@aguiristante]

Please use dead G5 to do this

[@CerroZimm]

Converting to ATX is a humiliation.

[@dark147891]

But now u ruined it by making it windows 😒

[@egoytp]

The case itself is amazing and can be beautifully modified to make it a gaming PC case

[@jerrywoohu]

...who said I was installing Windows?

[@dark147891]

all im saying is thats theres no need to ruin a perfectly running mac

[@AgentXRifle]

It’s not ruining, it’s modernizing!

[@dark147891]

@@AgentXRifle no to a collector like me its ruining