<< Perhaps you do this same thing incorrectly for every system you assemble, but it is only critical with the ECS mb's. >>
It's not exactly rocket science. You just plug in the parts and it works. Wait, that's what went wrong with the ECS! I plugged in other parts! LOL. Out of dozens of motherboard models I've used in hundreds of computers, this is the only board I've ever had with these problems. The basic trouble was that they would work fine for a while and then just quit booting. Half lost their CMOS data a few times then died, the other half just died. No changes to hardware or software, the computers were not even moved after their initial set up. Replacing batteries did not solve the problem for any of them. 1 of the 6 is working OK last I heard (I sold it to a guy here and he used a Duron and SDRAM, all mine were tbirds w/DDR), 1 still loses it's CMOS a few times a week even with a new battery, the others are goners. Even with special help from Pabster the dead ones could not be revived, and no explanation (reasonable or unreasonable) of their demise could be determined.
<< you spend lots of time saying that it is the fault of the ECS mb. >>
If all the same components work with one motherboard and not another, is it unreasonable to blame the motherboard? I don't think so.
<< You even go to lengths to warn people away from the ECS mb's >>
Tha't to offset Pabster's zealotry!
<< without really knowing what the issue is. >>
See above - no issue could be determined, even by the "expert".
<edit> I'm also sick of retyping all the problems, it gets old retyping everything everytime someone thinks they can unravel the mystery or somehow show that I did something wrong with stuff I don't even have anymore. I think I'll just let the ECS worshippers stay in their own circle of hell (or heaven)
and move on to something more productive. I was hesitant to even make my first post in this thread because it has been rehashed so many times and I was worried that it would inevitably come to this. I learned my lesson and since I no longer have the garbage boards I'll leave the discussion to the true believers who deserve whatever problems they get.