Mac Mini in PC case?

[7enderbender]

Has anyone ever seen or tried a solution where a Mini's internal parts are mounted into a regular PC case with the ability to easily swap drives?

Or is there a way to add a eSata port?

 

[poloponies]

http://www.amazon.com/BYTECC-SuperS...54467307&sr=8-2&keywords=thunderbolt+to+esata

or

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Docking-Station-LucidPort-chipset/dp/B003UI62AG

 

[philipma1957]

Has anyone ever seen or tried a solution where a Mini's internal parts are mounted into a regular PC case with the ability to easily swap drives?

Or is there a way to add a eSata port?

yes but with the white 2009 model. quite a few built double esata hack machines.


I had a 2009 running 12tb via esata. others popped the white top and added a second mac mini cover making the 2009 white mini about 6 inches tall with cooling and a cube like appearance.

many people have speculated these mods caused the end to the superior white design.

the new aluminum design is a good design if you do not want to mod.


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1178755/

 

[dazey]

I am building one into a MDD case and am reusing the 4 drive carriers and the PSU. I am using two Lacie SATA hubs to go from thunderbolt to 4xsata. The MDD case is currently running the drives but I have yet to fit the mini itself. Eventually I will probably rip the power supply out of the mini and feed that 12V from the MDD powersupply as well.
Strictly speaking of course, I am leaving the mini in its case (with the exception of the PSU). It has two internal drives which will remain internal, I will just fix the mini case inside the MDD case.

 

[jchase2057]

I am building one into a MDD case and am reusing the 4 drive carriers and the PSU. I am using two Lacie SATA hubs to go from thunderbolt to 4xsata. The MDD case is currently running the drives but I have yet to fit the mini itself. Eventually I will probably rip the power supply out of the mini and feed that 12V from the MDD powersupply as well.
Strictly speaking of course, I am leaving the mini in its case (with the exception of the PSU). It has two internal drives which will remain internal, I will just fix the mini case inside the MDD case.

Did you ever finish this project?