my first Mac

[5k3l3t0r]

I wanted to find a Mac that was affordable, so I looked on ebay for a Mac mini. I got a Intel core duo 1.66 ghz. I went ahead and got 4gb of RAM, 500gb hard drive, and the optical drive. I don't like the cooling solution that Apple made for this model, so my plan for the case is acrylic base for the logic board and the other side of the base mount the hard drive and optical drive. Then for the cooling I want cooling for the logic board and one for the drives. I was thinking of 2 120mm bitfenix fans exhaust on the cpu side. Any suggestion?

[thegamezbeplayed]

so your making a hackintosh? im confused...

[InfinityHardware]

Why would you buy the smallest computer they offer and just take it apart and put fans on it that are as big as it is? No offense intended, but why would you not just build a hackintosh?

[Paul]

Hackintosh seems like the better options here.

[LimeDk]

hmm funny idea to but a mac mini and then make a case for it but it could be pretty cool post some pics(=

[5k3l3t0r]

At the time, I couldn't and still can't wrap my brain around the vm portion of the hackintosh. The missmatch components that Apple did not consider, there are number of things wrong I do not like about that. I am not making a hackintosh, I am rebuilding a Mac Mini, which I consider a system build. The reason behind that is that I am getting pretty all the parts - RAM, hd and optical drives, input devices, NIC's, and OS. At the time, when I was trying to find a mITX build, this was the cheapest. I got a motherboard, GPU, and CPU combo for $50, and there is a case. I don't like the case and there were problems when I tore it apart. One being that the noob before me broke one of the screw holes that pretty much holds everything in place. When, I looked for a replacement bottom case, they were running about $100 and that is out of my budget. I did consider of taking the top of the case where that Apple logo is and putting a 120 mm fan before I found that out. I didn't want to replace the bottom with something I just fabbed up because of the top snaps on to the bottom and being a system builder I did not like that concept. I can found cheap acrylic sheets and build myself a case. And this brings up another thing about why wanted to build a case for this build, all the searching of finding modded cases or replacement cases. One guy made a lego and another guy build a mini Mac Pro out of thin sheets of plastic and painted. I want a solid case that is not from the original case or a metal frame with a condom over it. There was a robot with a Mac Mini and wheels and LCD screen, but the guy mounted the Mac Mini case and all to a LCD screen and it probably was a RC. I did found a company, I believe Lian-Li that made a case that did everything what I wanted, but it’s discontinued and no one sells them. I did look at the Bitfenix Prodigy case, but I don’t want a hackintosh really. What I really wanted at the time and still is a computer that is not a laptop that I can port around, hook into a LCD display, and not worry about my animals getting into my stuff in my bedroom. I got too many small things that I don’t want my dogs or cat messing around with in my room. I have a laptop, but I don’t like it because I don’t like the keyboard attached to the monitor and the laptop gets hot on my lap. If I had a computer that can sit on a table or just the monitor and I can sit comfortable to use it, which was my reasoning on getting the Mac Mini. I wanted to understand more what I could do with a Mac Mini like the internals and such. Right now, I want to just get it working and developing with I want to do. Another thing I wanted to get around the Xcode that iOS programming needs and my laptop is having a difficult time porting to my Android device.

[Neskia]

Your images are incorrectly posted. We can't see them.

[Guest]

Your images are incorrectly posted. We can't see them.

Either that or the forums are derping out again..

[Neskia]

Your images are incorrectly posted. We can't see them.

I just saw a notification just now indicating that the forums is having a bug due to vBulletin being unstable. But I can still see images in other threads so I have my doubts that that is the issue :/

[5k3l3t0r]

Sorry, they were there. I guess I'll reload them on.

[5k3l3t0r]

Mock install of the components. ** note: there is no RAM, hard Drive, audio I/O, and the outer case.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n2173[/ATTACH]

This is the front to the mac mini. A small speaker on the front, PRAM battery (or I like to call it CMOS), and the shroud for the fan. I believe that PCB board in the right corner is the IR receiver.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n2174[/ATTACH]

This is the right of the mac mini. You can see that the fan is pulling from the bottom. Next to the fan is actually where the heatsink and the CPU lie. I was thinking of cutting up the internal frame, so I can let more air flow. I did take off the top half of the fan shroud. If you noticed that the frame is not leveled, I think whoever opened this mac mini first cracked the frame. You can see that the optical drive almost reaches the back of the mac mini.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n2175[/ATTACH]

This is the top of the mac mini, you can see that there is no area for anything. Below this optical drive would be a hard drive that is on the left and that funky fan and heat sink config.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n2176[/ATTACH]

The motherboard or logic board.

[5k3l3t0r]

Hopefully, those stay on.