Power Mac Gi5 'Hackintosh'
- Thread starter Sandmod
- Start date
well heres a nice big update on the build and its coming to a closure 
but not fully finished just yet...
the mass of parts etc that were still on order started turning up bit by bit, so started installing them as i could.
To begin, my water turned up, a little more purple than expected but never the less very nice!
not long after, came the new fans and atx extension so i fitted them to the PSU
the morning after, my front panel connector turned up from spain! its very nice and allows complete functionality of the original I/O
Now because i buggered up with the fans, i purchased some new PMW fans. But i wanted them exactly the same as the original ones i put in... so i got right to work...
I started thinking about how i was going to mount the reservoir, and the solution i came up with was a block of aluminium, attached to the side of the case with 2 mounting holes. this allows easy removal of the watercooling system.
whilst i was waiting for the glue to dry, i decided to wire an LED into the rear of the resavoir and the side of the water block.
SO.... i then got to work rebuilding the computer!
Then just before i finished plugging everything back in, i thought a quick test was in order... so i plugged it into the wall and switched the plug then BANG!!!
a nice big spark and a puff of smoke came from the PSU. At this point i feared the worst as i began the thankless job of dismantling the computer again. What i had found was the heatsinks within the PSU had shorted against the frame. This tripped the house RCD and blew the fuse on the plug.
What i had discovered was that when fitting the new extension and fans, i forgot to fit the plastic shield back in place -.-
but after testing the PSU and putting it all back together, thankfully it was still fully operational!
so i got right to work on the watercooling.
It started looking fantastic, up until i started putting the liquid in... The nice spout mayhems supply does not have a very good seal around it so when squeezing, it was dripping into the case without me realising. A bit of tape to seal it soon fixed that though and i continued filling. By this time i was busy filling and starting and stopping the pump to help it push liquid through the system. Just as it was about full i noticed what i thought was a small drip.
But then i realised it was more than a drip...
I was mortified at the fact the PSU is on the bottom and all that was either in it or under it! On its side i let it stand for an hour draining as much as i could out. Now that the watercooling is in, it is even harder to get to pieces again. Never the less i fixed the leak and dried everything up and continued filling the system after having the hair dryer out on it for 15 mins or so.
This time i thought it would be a good idea to run it tilted in the bath to check for leaks
thankfully there were no more leaks but i continued to run it for a few hours in the bath.
Here is a better view of the cooling loop, i think its very nice!
And a view of the whole system with the front panel now working perfectly
Geekbench Score: 12573
Things still to come...
PSU fans arent spinning, this is a critical fix, however the computer under multiple stress tests pulls only >300W so its not getting very hot at all. This will be a difficult fix as the loop needs to be removed in one piece along with every other component again.
Another hole needs drilling in the back of the case to hold the bracket firmly, it has a little bow that i dont like
The SSD needs a mounting point ontop of the DVD drive
but not fully finished just yet...the mass of parts etc that were still on order started turning up bit by bit, so started installing them as i could.
To begin, my water turned up, a little more purple than expected but never the less very nice!
not long after, came the new fans and atx extension so i fitted them to the PSU
the morning after, my front panel connector turned up from spain! its very nice and allows complete functionality of the original I/O
Now because i buggered up with the fans, i purchased some new PMW fans. But i wanted them exactly the same as the original ones i put in... so i got right to work...
I started thinking about how i was going to mount the reservoir, and the solution i came up with was a block of aluminium, attached to the side of the case with 2 mounting holes. this allows easy removal of the watercooling system.
whilst i was waiting for the glue to dry, i decided to wire an LED into the rear of the resavoir and the side of the water block.
SO.... i then got to work rebuilding the computer!
Then just before i finished plugging everything back in, i thought a quick test was in order... so i plugged it into the wall and switched the plug then BANG!!!
a nice big spark and a puff of smoke came from the PSU. At this point i feared the worst as i began the thankless job of dismantling the computer again. What i had found was the heatsinks within the PSU had shorted against the frame. This tripped the house RCD and blew the fuse on the plug.
What i had discovered was that when fitting the new extension and fans, i forgot to fit the plastic shield back in place -.-
but after testing the PSU and putting it all back together, thankfully it was still fully operational!
so i got right to work on the watercooling.
It started looking fantastic, up until i started putting the liquid in... The nice spout mayhems supply does not have a very good seal around it so when squeezing, it was dripping into the case without me realising. A bit of tape to seal it soon fixed that though and i continued filling. By this time i was busy filling and starting and stopping the pump to help it push liquid through the system. Just as it was about full i noticed what i thought was a small drip.
But then i realised it was more than a drip...
I was mortified at the fact the PSU is on the bottom and all that was either in it or under it! On its side i let it stand for an hour draining as much as i could out. Now that the watercooling is in, it is even harder to get to pieces again. Never the less i fixed the leak and dried everything up and continued filling the system after having the hair dryer out on it for 15 mins or so.
This time i thought it would be a good idea to run it tilted in the bath to check for leaks
thankfully there were no more leaks but i continued to run it for a few hours in the bath.
Here is a better view of the cooling loop, i think its very nice!
And a view of the whole system with the front panel now working perfectly
Geekbench Score: 12573
Things still to come...
PSU fans arent spinning, this is a critical fix, however the computer under multiple stress tests pulls only >300W so its not getting very hot at all. This will be a difficult fix as the loop needs to be removed in one piece along with every other component again.
Another hole needs drilling in the back of the case to hold the bracket firmly, it has a little bow that i dont like
The SSD needs a mounting point ontop of the DVD drive
Last edited:
Thanks for the comments guys I fixed the fans and changed the direction of flow within the waterblock.
I'm currently getting high temps at 4.6ghz though... Much higher than anticipated!
Can anyone offer any assistance?
I fixed the fans and changed the direction of flow within the waterblock.I'm currently getting high temps at 4.6ghz though... Much higher than anticipated!
Can anyone offer any assistance?
So far with my clock at 4.6GHz (Voltage 1.30v) with RAM at 2666MHz (1.65V)
CPU Ambient: 73'C
CPU Die 1: 81'C
CPU Die 2: 90'C
CPU Die 3: 90'C
CPU Die 4: 81'C
CPU Heatsink (Assuming that is a reading from the pump?):35'C
Mainboard Proximity: 34'C
GPU Die: 26'C
These temps are using Prime95 and not normal operating temps
I have toyed with the voltage and it doesn't make a difference at all, it just crashes the computer. I've tried stock frequencies under load and they are hitting close to 80 still.
I've had the waterblock off twice, I use a very fine layer of Arctic MX-4.
What can I do? Is this a CPU issue?
CPU Ambient: 73'C
CPU Die 1: 81'C
CPU Die 2: 90'C
CPU Die 3: 90'C
CPU Die 4: 81'C
CPU Heatsink (Assuming that is a reading from the pump?):35'C
Mainboard Proximity: 34'C
GPU Die: 26'C
These temps are using Prime95 and not normal operating temps
I have toyed with the voltage and it doesn't make a difference at all, it just crashes the computer. I've tried stock frequencies under load and they are hitting close to 80 still.
I've had the waterblock off twice, I use a very fine layer of Arctic MX-4.
What can I do? Is this a CPU issue?
well ive now resat the waterblock for a 3rd time without any drop in temperatures.
I use a pea sized amount of MX-4 spread using a stanley blade for fine even distribution. i couldn't apply more than usual this time as i ran out having applied it 3 times
The computer now hangs and still under stock speeds runs at 77'c, so now i have requested a new CPU which will be here tomorrow.
I have also ordered some Coollaboratory Liquid Metal Ultra after reading fantastic reviews about it.
As for the PSU, its original PSU was a 750W and the same fans kept it cool. I ran it for 2 days straight without those fans and it was barely warm to the touch which i am most impressed with. With these fans it runs very very cool and again they are only on for a few seconds then they go off again.
Using my Kill-A-Watt meter, when running Prime95 and FurMark, it at max 280W.
I dont think i will ever crossfire/sli, i would have to add more cables and the case just isnt big enough. Plus i dont know how well they work under OSX so i never built in the capacity to use it.
But yes, those fans work very very well. They were cooling an old crappy PSU and now they are cooling a better component version of the same wattage PSU.
I use a pea sized amount of MX-4 spread using a stanley blade for fine even distribution. i couldn't apply more than usual this time as i ran out having applied it 3 times
The computer now hangs and still under stock speeds runs at 77'c, so now i have requested a new CPU which will be here tomorrow.
I have also ordered some Coollaboratory Liquid Metal Ultra after reading fantastic reviews about it.
As for the PSU, its original PSU was a 750W and the same fans kept it cool. I ran it for 2 days straight without those fans and it was barely warm to the touch which i am most impressed with. With these fans it runs very very cool and again they are only on for a few seconds then they go off again.
Using my Kill-A-Watt meter, when running Prime95 and FurMark, it at max 280W.
I dont think i will ever crossfire/sli, i would have to add more cables and the case just isnt big enough. Plus i dont know how well they work under OSX so i never built in the capacity to use it.
But yes, those fans work very very well. They were cooling an old crappy PSU and now they are cooling a better component version of the same wattage PSU.
Brilliant job!I run a multiboot hackintosh in a skeleton, but this just looks the nuts! Well done mate, you should be proud
Thankyou very much
Don't spread it, you can trap air bubbles that way. Let the block do the spreading.
ohh i didnt know about that, i always thought you had to spread it :O
How did you cut the side panel btw? Jigsaw or dremmel? I want a window in my G5 but haven't found anywhere local that can laser cut 3mm aluminium.
Jigsaw mate, it wasnt the easiest thing to do! Me and my partner had the numbest of hands after xD but then there was a lot of filing and a little sanding to smooth it off
I was a bit scared i must be honest, the thought of wrecking it but then thats part of the enjoyment ^.^ best of luck if you do it! its not hard to convert, its just hard to make it look tidy
just a quick update, this morning i de-lidded my 3570k after itching to do it... the results are staggering!
here were my initial temps at 4.6GHz
and here is my de-lidding process...
Same test, same voltage, same cooling... massive drop in load temps!
i used Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra TIM
here were my initial temps at 4.6GHz
and here is my de-lidding process...
Same test, same voltage, same cooling... massive drop in load temps!
i used Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra TIM
I have 2 80mm fan exhausts in the case, unfortunately that is all i can fit.
Ace build log, Where has this been hiding?
Those temps are looking a lot better now you have de-lidded the chip.
thanks! ^.^ i love it and appreciate it more for the work ive put into it lol
yeah much much better, i pushed it to 5ghz this morning but it takes a jump from 1.32v to 1.53v to run it and the performance is hardly worth the extra power usage lol
thanks!
Btw, does anyone get issues with XMP?
I have the Avexir Core Blue 2666 and I can't get the thing to boot using anything above 2200 with higher volts. Then there's the XMP that sets everything for you and that won't boot either. Is there anything I can look at? It can be a fresh bios reset and it still won't boot.
Is it a RAM issue or?
I have the Avexir Core Blue 2666 and I can't get the thing to boot using anything above 2200 with higher volts. Then there's the XMP that sets everything for you and that won't boot either. Is there anything I can look at? It can be a fresh bios reset and it still won't boot.
Is it a RAM issue or?
Its quite easy, you just have to make sure you take your time and apply gentle even pressure. Also i recommend getting one of those stanley blades that you can snap off as you go as they seem to be the thinnest at 0.41mm so it doesnt bow the cpu as much when peeling the corners. Also you must try not scrach the cpu surface or go too deep that you hit the die. But as i say i was an amature at it and it wasnt hard at all really.
Dam worth it!
Has anyone had the balls to delid their CPU then? After the few weeks of running mine at 4.6 it barely hits 50
well mine is 4.6 at 1.330V, not much better but i have managed to get 5ghz out of it at 1.5V stable, its just nice knowing my expensive watercooling can actually do its job now lol
Another member said somthing similar, however he said that talk was not allowed, so a simple photo showing what i have done should suffice
a pictude speaks 100 wordsThe screen has a mac mini strapped to the back of it. Nothing to do with the OP's new build. Shhh.
No no you have it all wrong, i have it plugged into my macbook air i have shoved between the tower and the wall hahahahaha
Lovely build mate well done. Risky delidding the cpu though!
Cheers mate
yeah i like a bit of a thrill, i was a bit wary but i simply couldnt resist!
Haha yeah, bluddy pricey for a subscription too!
Ofcourse your quite right, however if I wasn't bothered about the insides I could have thrown it together like most people have. The way mine is put together at least in my eyes is the way I would expect it to be done and the window just shows it off ^.^
Thanks for the comments and I will have to try imgur in the future
Just a quick update...
I decided to get another SSD and use one for Windows and one for OS X. Initially the idea was to RAID0 them and have 300 and 200 but it's too much hassle and didn't warrant the effort. So I decided to finally come up with a mounting solution for both SSDs.
I nabbed another Vertex 4 256GB new for £136, a dual 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and a 3.5" to 5.25" adapter. My idea was to put them together and mount them above the Blu-Ray drive, but this needed an extra power socket so it needed modifying.
So here is pictures of how it went.
Here's the two SSDs and the adapters
This is the position I want it mounting to make plugging in cables easier
This is my modified power cable before and after braiding
Here are the plugs in there rough positions
I then made a single bracket that will mount the SSDs to the Blu-Ray drive
Here it is fitted
And here is the finished cable management
It's much better having a drive for each system, it's easier for updates and less risky of loosing the entire system at once. Also the internals look much tidier now the drives are mounted instead of them hanging. Hope you guys like!
I decided to get another SSD and use one for Windows and one for OS X. Initially the idea was to RAID0 them and have 300 and 200 but it's too much hassle and didn't warrant the effort. So I decided to finally come up with a mounting solution for both SSDs.
I nabbed another Vertex 4 256GB new for £136, a dual 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and a 3.5" to 5.25" adapter. My idea was to put them together and mount them above the Blu-Ray drive, but this needed an extra power socket so it needed modifying.
So here is pictures of how it went.
Here's the two SSDs and the adapters
This is the position I want it mounting to make plugging in cables easier
This is my modified power cable before and after braiding
Here are the plugs in there rough positions
I then made a single bracket that will mount the SSDs to the Blu-Ray drive
Here it is fitted
And here is the finished cable management
It's much better having a drive for each system, it's easier for updates and less risky of loosing the entire system at once. Also the internals look much tidier now the drives are mounted instead of them hanging. Hope you guys like!
Cheers, there was a lot of work involved with getting it like that haha!
Forgot to mention but I died the raspberry purple mayhems to blue with their dye and now it's amazing colour!
Thanks very much
and its deffo worth doing rather than having it sitting round the house i suppose. I purposely purchased this case with the mod in mind so its a little easier for me to say go for it haha. Nice to see your only down the road from me ^.^I will post some details on here just so others with the idea can see also, but it boils down to how precise/tidy you want it. There are many mods out there that in my eyes look terrible, but do the job and equally there are some that are absolutely fantastic! I chose to go the more expensive tidy route so that i can use this case for my next build too, so i will list what i used and where from.
For mounting the motherboard i used the Mountain Mods G5 Tray, ensure to choose the 2x80mm fans as the 120mm dont fit.
http://www.mountainmods.com/mountain-mods-modular-removable-motherboard-tray-p-56.html
The PSU i retrofitted as you could see earlier in my thread.
The front panel connector i picked up from this site, he is great and will customize the cable if required.
Finally to cut out the back panel and fit the tray i used a dremmel, hacksaw and file, some elbow grease and some sticky plasters lol.
If anyone plans on their own mod i would be happy to offer further advice, just drop me a PM (if i have access that is as i cant seem to find it?)
Cheers for that. The G5 in question is more 'lying around at work' than sat at home, but it's unloved, broken and not likely to be repaired so I'll probably have it rather than scrap it - such a shame to waste such cases, never mind that it'd fetch good money weighed in for scrap
I honestly can't decide what to fit in it though, I've an old C2D CPU and board, and a several generations old graphics card but I really have no use for the machine once its' actually built up.
But... I still want to build it!
I don't know if I'd ever want it to become my primary PC case, but I suppose once all the fixtures are in place, then I suppose there's no reason why it couldn't happen.
Well purchase a motherboard tray and use those components to get the thing ready for new parts when the right day comes. I think they make fantastic cases as they are built like brick and look simple and suffisticated lol.
I wish you all the best on carrying out this project and if you do, please do a log! It will be great to see someone else's take on it