[pcd2k]

I believe its possible to buy as single items, motherboards, powersupplies etc., at this time though only in America ?
Anyway the upshot of this is that, it must be possible to go buy the latest parts of say the G4 like the sawtooth motherboard,power supply etc... in other words keep the G3 B/W box and install the newer parts, but although the G3/ G4 boxes may be the same dimensions would these newer parts be able to be fitted in ?
One sometimes hears about broken cases etc like that imac dude installing the guts in a pc case, (surely there must have been a better alternative ?).
This thread is mostly speculation on my part, but the thought behind is that the power supply in my G3 is etraordinarily noisy and thus I am wondering if I could search for and install a more recent one perhaps a quieter power supply ?
On another strand the G3/G4 cases are quite aesthetically pleasing on the outside, but its a rather strange interrior design given that it appears there is enough space, although not built/designed space to accomodate more 5 and a 1/4 drives etc ?
Then I wonder if anyone has a G3/G4 without the case as a working system ?

[vmarks]

Originally posted by pcd2k:
<STRONG>I believe its possible to buy as single items, motherboards, powersupplies etc., at this time though only in America ?
Anyway the upshot of this is that, it must be possible to go buy the latest parts of say the G4 like the sawtooth motherboard,power supply etc... in other words keep the G3 B/W box and install the newer parts, but although the G3/ G4 boxes may be the same dimensions would these newer parts be able to be fitted in ?
One sometimes hears about broken cases etc like that imac dude installing the guts in a pc case, (surely there must have been a better alternative ?).
This thread is mostly speculation on my part, but the thought behind is that the power supply in my G3 is etraordinarily noisy and thus I am wondering if I could search for and install a more recent one perhaps a quieter power supply ?
On another strand the G3/G4 cases are quite aesthetically pleasing on the outside, but its a rather strange interrior design given that it appears there is enough space, although not built/designed space to accomodate more 5 and a 1/4 drives etc ?
Then I wonder if anyone has a G3/G4 without the case as a working system ?</STRONG>

Parts aren't readily available here in America. You can get used parts from www.icni.com in america, but other than that and a few other resellers/recyclers, it's all about buying used parts on ebay.

As for putting the dead iMac into a PC case, that's a good solution, because it routes around the failed video hardware. Replacing the dead video hardware would have been more expensive than the PC case conversion, and more restrictive- putting the iMac into a PC case means there's room to add a second hard drive.

Several people have converted G4 and G3 systems into PC cases to take advantage of quieter power supplies and more drive bays.
check out www.xlr8yourmac.com for more information on doing this.

Victor Marks
lvmarks@mac.com

[pcd2k]

Thank you Victor Marks but I like the case even for its misgivings but I would simply prefer a quieter power supply.
The story that gets around here is that only in America can you basically build your own Mac even buying the parts directly from Apple, but it seems that rumour has been sincerely squashed !

[vmarks]

Originally posted by pcd2k:
<STRONG>Thank you Victor Marks but I like the case even for its misgivings but I would simply prefer a quieter power supply.
The story that gets around here is that only in America can you basically build your own Mac even buying the parts directly from Apple, but it seems that rumour has been sincerely squashed !</STRONG>

I wish the rumours were true- they aren't.

hang on a minute- if all you want to do is quiet your perfectly-good Apple supply, take the supply out, take it apart, and replace the fans with quieter fans.

Overclocking websites talk all about fans and how much air they move vs. how loud or quiet they are. search for overclocking PC parts and you should find places in Oz that will sell you the fans you need.

Victor Marks
lvmarks@mac.com

If I remember correctly, PowerMacs from the Smurf G3 and up use a standard ATX power supply with extended cables. It's worth a try, in any case. Check out www.xlr8yourmac.com to be sure, but I swear a G4 would use an ATX power supply.

You could actually build most of a Mac out of the back of a Macworld magazine, but it's just as expensive as buying one from Apple. ($400US for a motherboard without the ROM, etc.) The only problem you'd have is getting the ROM chip for it.

[SunSeeker]

It would be great to put an imac in a pc case.
My FIL has one with about 6 removable drive bays, just flick a switch and pop in another drive.

[vmarks]

Originally posted by &lt;--iNub--&gt;:
<STRONG>If I remember correctly, PowerMacs from the Smurf G3 and up use a standard ATX power supply with extended cables. It's worth a try, in any case. Check out www.xlr8yourmac.com to be sure, but I swear a G4 would use an ATX power supply.

</STRONG>

Untrue. They use a vaguely similar connector, but with a different number of pins, and different arrangement of voltages. With newer G4, it's near impossible because it requires 28v to power the ADC connector. An ATX only has 3.3, 5 and 12v.

Conversion CAN be done at the url you posted, but they aren't simple replacements.

<STRONG>
You could actually build most of a Mac out of the back of a Macworld magazine, but it's just as expensive as buying one from Apple. ($400US for a motherboard without the ROM, etc.) The only problem you'd have is getting the ROM chip for it.</STRONG>

ROM chips are required for older Macs. New macs use a rom that is soldered on the processor combined with a sort of virtual ROM-in-RAM setup.

Everything from the Blue and White on has not needed ROM chips separate from the processor.

Yes, parts are expensive.

Victor Marks
lvmarks@mac.com

[vmarks]

Originally posted by SunSeeker:
<STRONG>It would be great to put an imac in a pc case.
My FIL has one with about 6 removable drive bays, just flick a switch and pop in another drive.</STRONG>

putting an iMac in a pc case gains you only a few things:
a better monitor.
room to mount a second hard drive.

You can't use six bays with an iMac because there aren't enough IDE channels on the motherboard.

[COmie JOe]

you can actualy put 6 HD in the lower drive brackets, you just need to get 2 additional U brackets that have two parts for HD's and of course an IDE card for the drives.

[vmarks]

Originally posted by COmie JOe:
<STRONG>you can actualy put 6 HD in the lower drive brackets, you just need to get 2 additional U brackets that have two parts for HD's and of course an IDE card for the drives.</STRONG>

And that's where it won't work- You cannot add an IDE card to an iMac. PowerMacs, sure- iMac, never.

Victor Marks
lvmarks@mac.com