Must be IBM, or name brand?

[fvicente]

I have read the compatibility list. Must the computer be IBM or one of the name brands posted there? or can I build my own (provided it is an Intel m/board with correct chipset) with compatible perihperals (ie video card, SCSI card, etc.).

Thanks in advance.

[Przemek]

I hope one can built own! In fact, Intellistation is more expensive than MacG3/300minitower and on the other hand it is cheaper to buy 10 motherboards and 10 graphics card and test it than buy IBM ;-)
Przemek.

[p1]

I can assure you that you don't need a name brand machine...you MIGHT be better off without one! We're using a machine I built, based on a SuperMicro P6SLS mobo (AMI BIOS). All SCSI, no IDE. The Asus P2bLS mobo is another good choice (Award BIOS). I understand the new AMI WINBIOS is a l;ittle funky, so I'd probably go the Asus route these days.

[DigiTechSupt]

This is all new to me (I'm a Mac guy) so I asked a PC tech. He said that building your own machine should be fine- as long as you follow the compatibity.

He recommended an Intel motherboard which he says are about the most standard as you can get. Also to make sure you adhere to the BIOS, Chipset, SCSI, etc requirements on the compatibility docs. Lastly he recommended a Diamond video card due to their frequent driver updates.

-bm-

[Przemek]

I also think about Asus P2bLS. It has 4 PCI slots and all free - built in SCSI and AGP for graphics makes it better choice than Mac ;-)
BTW, bm, are you sure that Intel boards are recomended?
Thanks,
Przemek.

[DigiTechSupt]

I recommended the Intel boards because of what a PC tech said. He likes them and said that they are what's actually used in Dell machines.

The bottom line is that any board that matches the spec should work. We haven't done any formal testing of possible user-configured machines (there's just to many of them).

-bm-

[fvicente]

Thank you to all who answered my post.