Can I buy a G5 Tower and rebuild it? With Intel chipset?

[w...b]

So i want to have a powerful desktop but i dont want to pay an arm and leg for it.

So this is what i was thinking;
Get a G5 Tower for roughly $500-600(CDN)
Change the chip set if possible to intel or do something to up the CPU - can any of you help? I would like to get a quadcore 2+GHZ.

Add RAM - Maybe 4-6Gigs. I think 4 would be the most it can take.

Increase Harddrive space to about 500gb or 1tb.

The only question is how to put back mac OSX on it. What stops you from putting Mac OSX on a PC? I never understood this.

Thanks

W...B

 

[Consultant]

Different motherboard. Different processor.

If you don't know that already, you are unfortunately not qualified to do it if it's possible.

 

[jonbravo77]

I'll answer without the condensending attitude... You would have to see if you can get a newer logic board that supports the Intel Chip that will fit in the G5 tower. not sure if one will. But price everything first to even see if it's worth doing and not just finding a MacPro for sale somewhere..

 

[ChrisA]

That's my plan too.

Apple only allows you to install Mac OS X on an "Apple labeled computer". I have an old G4 "Digital Audio" model tower. It is absolutly 100% OK by Apple to run Mac OS on this. But it is to slow for my current needs so my plan is to upgrade it.

About the only way you can upgrade is to swap out the entire main logic board for a new Intel board. Intel will be happy to sell you (via newegg.com) a new quad core mainboard and it will actually fit, after some minor hole drilling into the old G4 case.

But then the power supply will not work. Not big deal, replace it with a modern PC supply.

So I'm with you, but do start with a g4 tower, they are much cheaper. You can get them inworking condition for about $50 or less if they are broken. Don't cut up a G5 tower. They are worth enough still that it is not cost effective. The G4s are now "junk" and I've seen dead cases for $15. Put a $400 main board inside and you have a letter of the law legal hackintosh.

What stops you from putting Mac OSX on a PC?

The need to read and understand lots of technical instructions and type commands into a terminal. This stops 99.99% of most computer users. Ok that and the fact that Apple askes you not to do it.

 

[cherry su]

How to fit PC in a G5 PowerMac enclosure

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=4525

 

[w...b]

Different motherboard. Different processor.

If you don't know that already, you are unfortunately not qualified to do it if it's possible.

Im pretty sure i can learn. Everything has a learning curve.

 

[old-wiz]

Don't forget that you can't just put any intel board in - it has to not only physically fit the case, but have a chipset that's known to OSx, plus you need a video card that's supported by OSx, usb/ethernet chips correct type,etc.

 

[Consultant]

Im pretty sure i can learn. Everything has a learning curve.

You can learn, but it's more complicated than you think. I have years of experience in upgrading and problem shooting of Macs. Recently put a gaming computer together from scratch and it's way more work than I expected. Especially if you have 1 bad part and no way to test which part is bad.

What you want to do is to put together a computer AND modding a case.

 

[w...b]

You can learn, but it's more complicated than you think. I have years of experience in upgrading and problem shooting of Macs. Recently put a gaming computer together from scratch and it's way more work than I expected. Especially if you have 1 bad part and no way to test which part is bad.

What you want to do is to put together a computer AND modding a case.

I know it will be hard. It's just a project. I dont need it right away. I have a new MBP. I want to learn as much about computers as i can. My parents always pushed me into sciences in preparation for medicine but i always had a fascination for computers.