Anyone ever got a Powermac 6500 (or 6400) case open? How'd you do it? id like to put a harddrive in it but although accessing the motherboard is a cinch, the case has got me stumped.None of the manuals from apple's site have any info whatsoever about it, and any links to sites with info on this are dead too..anyone??? Thanx..

Expansion Bay (or Zip Drive) Cover Before you begin, remove the front bezel. Note: Expect a loud cracking noise as you remove the bay cover. 1 Press on one side of the bay cover. 2 Insert a screw driver under the lower corner of the opposite side, and pry off the cover plate. Take Apart Expansion Bay (or Zip Drive) Cover-5 Note: Alternatively, you can insert screw drivers under each lower corner of the cover plate and pull the sides outward to release it. Replacement Note: Align the three plastic tabs at the top of the bay cover with slots under the top cover. Replacement Note: Press the cover into place. You know that the bay cover is secure when you see a space of about 1 mm between the cover and the other plastic panels above and at the sides of the cover. Take Apart Top Cover-7 Top Cover Before you begin, remove the following: • Front bezel • Expansion bay cover Caution: Never operate the computer with the top cover removed. Failure to comply may result in irreparable damage to internal components. 1 Remove the captive cover screw on the rear panel. Take Apart Top Cover-8 2 Slide the top cover back about one-half inch. 3 Lift the top cover from the computer. Replacement Note: Place the top cover on top of the chassis, about a half inch from the front of the computer. Slide the cover forward until it is firmly in place. Replace the captive cover screw on the rear panel. Take Apart Side Panels-9 Side Panels Before you begin, remove the following: • Front bezel • Expansion bay cover • Top cover Note: This procedure shows removing the left panel. Remove the right panel following the same steps. 1 With a screw driver, pry up the plastic tab at the front middle of the left panel far enough to clear the metal panel. Take Apart Side Panels-10 2 Slide the panel back about an inch. 3 Remove the left panel from the computer. Take Apart Side Panels-11 Replacement Note: Place the left panel over the left metal panel, about an inch from the front of the computer. Be sure the panel covers the feet at the bottom. Slide the panel forward to engage the plastic tabs with the slots in the metal panel and push the panel firmly into place. Take Apart Rear Panel-12 Rear Panel Before you begin, remove the following: • Front bezel • Expansion bay cover • Top cover • Left panel • Right panel • Logic board Caution: Review the ESD precautions in Bulletins/ Safety. 1 Remove the two screws that secure the power supply to the rear panel. Take Apart Rear Panel-13 2 Remove the subwoofer adjustment knob by grasping it firmly with a pair of pliers and pulling straight out. Take Apart Rear Panel-14 3 Push up the bottom of the rear panel to release the two tabs that fasten it to the chassis. Take Apart Rear Panel-15 4 Push the rear panel up slightly and remove it from the computer. Take Apart Rear Panel-16 Replacement Note: Two plastic tabs on the upper part of the rear panel must fit into two slots in the rear chassis. Position the top of the rear panel over the back of the chassis and press downward to insert the tabs into the slots. Press along the sides and bottom of the rear panel to snap it into place. Take Apart Left Metal Panel-17 Left Metal Panel Before you begin, remove the following: • Front bezel • Expansion bay cover • Top cover • Left panel Caution: Review the ESD precautions in Bulletins/ Safety. 1 Remove the screws that fasten the left metal panel to the computer. Take Apart Left Metal Panel-18 2 Place your fingers in the metal panel holes near the front and pull back about an inch to release the metal panel. Take Apart Left Metal Panel-19 3 Remove the metal panel from the computer. Take Apart Left Metal Panel-20 Replacement Note: Place the left metal panel over the left side of the computer, about an inch from the front. Slide the metal panel forward until it snaps into place. Replace the metal panel screws. Take Apart CD-ROM Drive-21 CD-ROM Drive Before you begin, remove the front bezel. Caution: Review the ESD precautions in Bulletins/ Safety. Note: The CD-ROM drive is located in the top drive bay. Take Apart CD-ROM Drive-22 With needle nose pliers, pull up the release latch beneath the CD-ROM drive and slide the drive out of the computer. Note: Be sure to remove the CD-ROM drive from its carrier before returning the drive to Apple. Take Apart Floppy Drive-23 Floppy Drive Before you begin, remove the front bezel. Caution: Review the ESD precautions in Bulletins/ Safety. Note: The floppy drive is located in the second drive bay from the top. Take Apart Floppy Drive-24 1 Push up the release latch beneath the floppy drive and slide the floppy drive forward just far enough to reach the cable on the back. Take Apart Floppy Drive-25 2 Disconnect the floppy drive cable from the back of the floppy drive. Replacement Note: Be sure to remove the floppy drive from its carrier before returning the drive to Apple. Take Apart Floppy Drive-26 Replacing the Floppy Drive Before you begin, remove the following: • Logic board • Front bezel • Expansion bay cover • Top cover • Left panel • Left metal panel Replacement Caution: Carefully push the drive into the bay. The cable may be damaged if caught between the drive and the metal Take Apart Floppy Drive-27 chassis, resulting in serious damage to the equipment. 1 Connect the floppy drive cable to the back of the floppy drive. 2 Reach through the open side into the back of the floppy drive bay, and grasp the floppy drive cable. 3 Keep tension on the floppy drive cable while sliding the floppy drive into the floppy drive bay. Take Apart Hard Drive-28 Hard Drive Before you begin, remove the front bezel. Caution: Review the ESD precautions in Bulletins/ Safety. Note: The hard drive is located in the lower left drive bay. Take Apart Hard Drive-29 1 Press the hard drive release latch to the right. 2 Slide the hard drive forward far enough to reach the cables connected to the back of the hard drive. Take Apart Hard Drive-30 3 Disconnect the power cable from the hard drive. 4 Pull the convenience tab to disconnect the data cable from the hard drive. Note: For information about removing the hard drive from its carrier and returning drives, cables, and carriers to Apple, refer to Additional Procedures in the Hard Drives manual. Take Apart Hard Drive-31 Replacement Caution: Carefully push the drive into the bay. The cable may be damaged if caught between the drive and the metal chassis, resulting in serious damage to the equipment. Replacement Note: Reconnect the power cable and data cable. Align and insert the hard drive vertically so that it engages the guides on the top and bottom left side of the hard drive bay.

I see you found the original tech manual - thanx muchly...apple doesn't offer that version anymore..it'll come in handy if i need to take it fully apart...but to replace a hard drive or floppy however, in case anyone else needs to know.., i found out it's simply a matter of prying the front panel out from the bottom up (it hinges on the top part)...i obtained access to all the drives and drive sleds and managed to stick my ten gig drive in after all... ps..with a complicated set of instructions like the manual excerpt from apple you found, it's no wonder noone knows how to remove it..who'd ever be able to wade thru such convoluted instructions?? :)