PowerMac 7200 -> ATX Conversion.

[jpolster2009]

I have a PowerMac 7200/120 MainBoard and a Working Power Supply. The case is trashed. Missing Sleds, dented up all to hell. Plus I want to use a different CD drive than the apple provided one since I have a SCSI CD Recorder that would work but doesnt fit the space it goes in, its too long. So I have this Idea to do an ATX Conversion. Any Ideas? I want to mount the board in an ATX Case, but I'd like to try to use an ATX PSU if possible. This is all practice for doing a beige G3 conversion. Im ordering a Beige G3 mobo from eBay and building a computer out of it.

 

[MacJunky]

google.

http://xlr8yourmac.com/systems.html

Doing a beigeG3 conversion is easier. There is also no easy plug&play way to use an ATX PSU with a pre-G3 board, a few extra parts are required..

If you are getting out of 68k Macs due to it being hassle/hard, then why are you now doing ATX conversions?

 

[Bunsen]

There's two possible approaches here, and it depends which one you feel more comfortable about tackling: an electrical (low voltage DC) wiring challenge, or a case modification challenge.

Firstly, you could look up the pinout for the 7200 PS connector, and re-wire an ATX power extender cable. MacJunky's link should turn up a guide, if not for the 7200 specifically then for a model that uses the same PS. I recommend using the extender rather than re-wiring the lead from the PS because it allows you to swap the ATX PS for any other in the future should you need to.

If you'd rather approach it as a case mod, you can use the existing, working 7200, and mod whatever is necessary in the ATX case to get it to fit.

There are a few reasons why (IMO) the second approach might be better. First of all, obviously you already have a known working PS, so there's less to purchase. Secondly, you're already booked in for a certain amount of casemodding re: the 7200 backplane.

Third, in terms of doing a beige ATX conversion, there's not going to be any re-wiring involved: the beige logic board is designed to use an ATX power supply (and in fact does in the Tower G3). There's a jumper on the board to select between an ATX PS and an Apple one. So if you feel you need practice at anything, I (personally) would get busy with the casemodding.

Best of luck.

 

[jpolster2009]

to answer mac junkys question, Im just trying to perhaps switch to something cheaper than upkeeping 68k macs. I dont have a job and Cant get hired anywhere for an easy one so Im trying to use what I have to make my number of usable macs higher. I have a lot of macs laying round for parts and alot of them are missing cases or other parts. Right now I only have 6 working macs and im trying to get that number up even if it means a few have to ahve a PC case. Since i have pc cases laying around, a conversion would be free where as refurbing a broken 68k would require me to buy a few SCSI hard drives and I dont have money, and my wifes money goes to the bills. As for a 7200 atx conversion, I think im going to have to find a website that specifically tells me what to do to convert an atx psu. All I found on xlr8 your mac was an over view talking about using transistors. I really dont understand that stuff. and i cant use the 7200s PSU because it doesnt even come close to fitting. I cant make it look hacked up. I want people to think this is completely stock. I need a step by step conversion like there was for my car stereo. Connect Red to blue etc. not a hard to read schematic. I think I'll keep googling but in the mean time I need to know if a floppy from a mac clone (starmax) that has a face plate will work on a regular apple mac. both are autoeject and the cables look the same but i dont want to blow anything up. Since Im using an ATX case I need a floppy with a face plate. I would use the starmax case but its low profile desktop. Id be refurbing the starmax but it only has 32 mb of ram and the 7200 has 256 and the ram doesnt look to be cross compatible.

 

[MacJunky]

{removed - mod}

One of the things about doing pre-G3 AT/ATX conversions is that unless you have super-mega-awesome metal fabrication skills, it will never look stock if you take the side panel off. Simply because this hardware was not designed to work together at all.

That is that... Unless you get a clone that came in an ATX case.

 

[Bunsen]

As for a 7200 atx conversion, I think im going to have to find a website that specifically tells me what to do to convert an atx psu.

You'll need to confirm this yourself, but I am reasonably sure that the PS in the 7200 has the same pinout as those in the other "pro line" PCI Macs: the 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600 (?), 9500, 9600 (?). If you can find an ATX conversion for one of those (like this one - there are several more at the link previously provided), it should also work on the 7200, but as mentioned before, it's up to you to confirm they are in fact the same first.

i cant use the 7200s PSU because it doesnt even come close to fitting. I cant make it look hacked up.

Well, that depends on what case you use, and how carefully you mod it. Does it really matter how the back looks? You're going to be doing some modding back there just on account of the ports and backplane.

I need a step by step conversion like there was for my car stereo. Connect Red to blue etc.

I don't like your chances of finding one, but hey, happy Googling.

if a floppy from a mac clone (starmax) that has a face plate will work on a regular apple mac. both are autoeject and the cables look the same

Probably then. If it was a PC floppy, the cabling would be altogether different.

Just out of interest, what StarMax model is it?

Also, it would help a lot with readability if you could use paragraph breaks please and thankyou.