"end of story: after almost 4 weeks of computer h*ll, the problem was finally solved, BY ME, by simply reading the motherboard manual. they sold me a system with incompatible components, a motherboard that was known to support only 2 ram modules, with 3 installed (the motherboard had 3 slots because one of it's subtypes did support 3 chips)
my computer had severe problems from the moment i ran it, wont go through the details of all the attempts to correct it, the various parts sent back and forth, tech support making 3 trips to my house for various replacements, all the calls to tech support, customer support, sales, managers, hold time, reinstalling windows and all my programs over and over.
suffice it to say that it was the result not of an honest mistake, but of negligence by ABS.
They advertise one of their main selling points is that they sell only compatible components, the sales department should have known my system parts were not compatible, 1st incidence of negligence.
there is no way they quality tested my system, the problem was evident immediately to me, a lie and further negligence.
the many many tech support people, one of them should have discovered the problem, it's right in the manual that comes with the motherboard, negligence
x 3.
all those calls and even after i found the problem, never was there an apology, never did anyone assign this very big problem to a higher manager (once i spoke to a manager when i insisted because each time they sent me a part it didnt ship for 2-5 days)
they have a long, long way to go to become the kind of company they appear to be on their website and in their caring responses here. they should have exercised that same care when i was pulling my hair out every day trying to get what i paid for and was promised.

however, bottom line, i would buy from ABS again (unless some better company comes along by then)
simply because they do use the best brand name parts at the lowest prices i could find anywhere

UPDATE
thank you for responding
although i would request that you please respond to me also personally via email, so that we can actually discuss the situation. it might be helpful to you to have your response posted here, but it doesnt help me much.
i havent heard anything by phone or email about a new motherboard being sent to me.
in addition i have been told that installing a new motherboard would require me to install windows again and all of my programs which could take me about 15-20 hours, i would like to avoid that, even if it means settling for less RAM than i originally had contracted for.
But i would hope that a senior person from your organization would contact me to discuss this, and actually try to resolve my problem, instead of just posting your response here.
If this ever gets resolved i would be happy to post an update here

thank you

**************UPDATE************

customer support did contact me and was willing to do what was necessary to solve the problem. unfortunately there was no good solution available at this point.

***********UPDATE**********

developed a new problem, windows not recognizing my 2nd hard drive. called tech support during the daytime hours that they are supposed to be available. "tech support not available at this time". they took my number to call me back tomorrow!!, unfortunately the next day i would not be able to stay home by my computer all day waiting for a return call.
i did take off an hour of work today stayed home at the computer and called tech support, again, not available! when will they call me back i asked? "probably sometime later today" !
has anyone ever heard of techsupport that is not available, that will call you back at some later time when you may or may not be able to take the call or be at your computer?
draw your own conclusions"

"Terrible experience, from the intial order, to having it dropped on my doorstep with no signiture, to no Owners Manual (out of stock), to being hung-up on with "Customer Service", redialed and was tranfsered to Tech Support, on-hold then back to Customer Service, I hung-up after on hold for 3+hours (tip, call 800 sales#, not customer service with problems), problems booting it up, "24/7 Tech Support" not 24/7 (misleading), too many problems for a $2300 unit.

UPDATE (1/9) When I originally called and advised them I was returning unit, they said it would take 2-3 days to issue credit once it was received. They received 1/6, and told me today (1/9) I would need to check back with them next Tuesday 1/13 (no they won't call me to let me know). Here we go.... They never answered the e-mail I sent discussing my disappointing experience, but sent me a Customer Survey to participate in(Zoomerang). I've got a funny feeling I won't win the Amazon Gift Certificate drawing for completing the survey.... just a hunch.
1/13/04 Update; called Customer Service on hold for 30 minutes; can't wait need to call back.
1/14/04 Received v-message from Rosemary; credit would be issued in a day or so. …Moral of the story, customers are hungry for a painless buying experience, but they are unfortunately, too few and far between. ABS presented some minor service issues that collectively resulted in an overall bad experience, culminating in the unit not booting. I hated to send it back, but we vote with each dollar that we spend, and they unfortunately didn't earn my vote on this order. It was a lose-lose situation, I wasted 2 months in the search, ordering, etc., and they lost a repeat customer and have a unit sitting on the shelve. Wait, add another "lose" in there, I'm out shipping on the original order and return, about $110. For those that have had favorable experiences with ABS, fantastic. For those others, I can sympathize with, but realize based on the other comments for other vendors it’s a matter of selecting the best from a group of only so-so companies. What will I do? Well I’m going to order a Falcon or HP Media Center through Costco, ....yes Costco, primarily for their 6 month return policy. If I don't like it, I'll walk it down to the local store and return it no questions asked, NO on hold with Customer Service, NO self diagonostic work, NO follow-up phone calls, etc. I’ll sacrifice performance for piece of mind.
"

"Just purchased an ABSPC Ultimate M5 after a bad experience and return to Dell. This was a great customer experience, very easy to work with the Sales Rep, Eddie Maldonado, and a much more responsive company. I am looking forward to a long relationship!"

"I have been very nervous about ordering from Abs. After reading the reviews on the site i decided to buy. I ordered January 3rd. As of right now (1-8), my computer is being burned in. I'll post more after the pc comes.

Recieved 1-15-04, so far everything is running smooth. I still can't believe the system i got for the price. Very good PC and very good company."

"I received my brand new ABS PC on 12/30 and started to set it up. There are a number of quality control issues:

1) When I pulled the system out of the box it rattled - hard. It was the DVD Writer drive. It was not secured in its bay and was sliding around during shipment. I snapped it in place. It doesn't seem to snap in very securely.

2) I booted the system. It did not fully boot. It stopped on a message stating that the Floppy drive failed "Floppy Disk(s) Fail(40).

3) Looking further at the boot screen it only reported ONE DVD drive. Not two as ordered.

4) Went to open panel to look inside. Noted that there is a small crack in the clear plastic on the cover plate. Opened plate to find....

5) The top DVD Drive (DVD Reader) did not have its ribbon cable or power cable connected.

6) Floppy disk drive did not have its power cable connected.

I plugged in all necessary cables and booted the system. It booted fine.

7) The system did not have the antivirus or WordPerfect office pre-installed. I installed the anti-virus with no issues. The Word Perfect Office can not be installed with out a serial number. I went through all my documentation. I have no serial number or paper license agreement and can not install the software.

The ABS web site says that they install the systems and then burn them in to ensure they operate properly. How could this have been accomplished if my system was never completely installed/built?

I made my first contact attenpt via email on 12/30. The original email was never responded to until 1/6. In between that I called and emailed multiple times. Calls went unresponded to, or I got hung up on after waiting on hold.

My reply to the email was less than helpful, basically asking me to call tech support (which I had been doing anyway - with no response).

I called tech support again on 1/7. 15 minutes on hold and then they cut me off. Called back and selected "customer service" instead to try my luck there. Told my tale of woe. No interest in my delivery issues, not even a simple appology for sending me unconnected parts rather than a configured and complete PC. Did get them to offer to send me a new CD for WP Office with the serial number and license agreement so I can actually install (again, for them) the software I bought. I'll see if I actually get it.

After my work in finalizing the install, testing the system, it appears to be working fine.

I would highly recommend NOT buying from ABS. How did they get such a high rating on this site and in the PC magazines out there?

They apparently have ZERO quality control and ZERO customer service. I am very disapointed.

I purchased a DELL at the same time for a family member at it came in PERFECT condition, works well, no issues.

I buy a lot of PCs - for home, family and work. ABS obviously doesn't want me to buy from them again as evidenced by their lack of concern and effort.

I should get some consideration for having to trouble shoot, finish installing and testing my own system - I PAID these guys to do that for me. I did not get what I PAID for.

Long term I sure hope it lasts as long as my last personal system, but I have little confidence now.

Given my experience I will be sure to tell everyone I know to STAY AWAY from ABS. If they treated me right, I'd be just as willing to tell people to buy there. But ABS doesn't care.

Update on 1/8/04
Don't know if it was because of this review or not, but ABS did call and leave a message from a Joanie or Johnie a while ago. Can't call back though - their line's always busy when I dial.

Update on 1/9/04
Tony (not Joanie or Johnie) kept trying to call yesterday and today. Yesterday I kept trying to call back, but got a busy signal. I did this at least 10 times. Tony said they had phone problems. Finaly got Tony today. He's sending a new cover to replace the cracked one. I also got a new CD with the software on it today that I shall attempt to install later.

My over all opinion of them would be OK if when there was a problem you could get someone immediately and get it taken care of. 10 days after my first complaint to get some issues addressed is a bit much.

I've upgraded to "Somewhat Disatisfied" to reflect their recent help.

Second Update on 1/9/04
GOOD GREIF! I got the software CD today they promised. Guess what? No serial number to be found. What's up with that? Called them back, but no one was answering at any of their numbers, just perpetual hold or ringing. It is definately a lot of work dealing with ABS Computers. I sent an email, but I have to guess it will be ignored like other emails. Oh well...
"

"I purchased an Ultimate M5 on 12/16. I researched it extensively via this site and many of the gaming magazines etc. It has been up and running for a while now and is running great! The only issue I have is that the case light that I added does not work. I sent an email to tech support days ago but have not heard anything. I hope tech support in the future will be smoother. But, overall I can't complain....a good price and name brand components. I recommend ABS. I will update this re: the follow-up from ABS on my broken light.

1/7/03 Someone from ABS called me to tell me they were sending me a case ligh to replace the broken one. I can't complain about that. Still recommend ABS."

"I have waited a little before posting this to give a more accurate picture of my ABS experience. I can give nothing but rave reviews for my ABS Awesome 3500. I upgraded to a P4 3GHZ and the machine rocks. My DVD and CDRW are great, awesome sound card and graphics and the price was way below current big name guys (ie. Dell). The experience from picking a good power supply to choosing how much memory you want was flawless. The wait was slightly longer than most big name brands but well worth it! I have purchased over 100 computers for my company and I have always bought Dells. After a fallout with Dell I looked for a good vendor who has a good product. I am very happy with what I have recieved! ABS is quality."

" In November of last year I bought an ABS X5 pc. I month or so later I gave it an excellent review. I've been meaning to follow up. It's still rock solid and lightning fast. What few times I've talked to customer service they've been stellar. I'm pretty sure the few minor glitches I've had have been operator error. MY FAULT! I don't forsee needing a PC soon but there is no doubt where I'll go. Easily the best bang per dollar. No regrets whatsoever."

"Very high quality components and careful construction at a bargain price. I really can't believe how good the machine is for the price. It rivals Alienware and Falcon while costing about $700 less for a comparable computer, in this case an AMD 64 3200+. It is robust. A mighty 530 watt plated power supply just idles along without ramping up its dual fans even when playing an intensive game like Halo. When I swapped the Coolermaster CPU fan (not bad in itself) for a Thermaltake fan (quieter and better), I found they had even used the latest silver thermal compound. All the wiring is tidy and tied off. A machine that earns respect. I did have a power-up problem and while it required patience to get through on the phone, when I did get someone, they were patient and courteous and ready to do what what was necessary to set it right. I ended up with a whole new build with upgrades for my trouble. I love these people and the computer I bought from them! Incidentally, it included a binder with all the disks and manuals for all the components within. Well done."

"^incorrect date, i only remember I bought a year ago^ I simply love ABS!!! I love the cheap price (ofcourse). The tech support is amazing. They give you a nice big book, color coded. Unlike dell which packs all there papers and books in an un-organized little box. ABS even gives you the offical motherboard book, once agian unlike dell. The motherboard book comes in handy all the time. I will be sure to buy my next computer from ABS."

" We ordered an Ultimate M6 from ABS after canceling an order for a computer with Alienware. The day after it we set it up (around Thanksgiving), we experienced so many runtime errors, it could barely be used. The ABS technician was helpful, but he had us reinstall all of the software on the system. It was upsetting to have to do this on a new computer that cost nearly $4,000. We emailed ABS customer service telling them we were considering returning the computer. They never answered the email. We sent a second one to their sales department. They never responded to the email.

On December 21st, we had a serious problem with the video card. After having us try a few things, the ABS technician said it was either a bad video card or the computer was incorrectly wired with no dedicated power line to the video card. He told us to call ABS the next day to follow-up on the replacement part. Unable to use the computer at all, we called and complained to the customer service rep (Alex), expressing concern that the computer is simply too new and too expensive to be having such problems. We said we felt our new computer was a "lemon" and believed they should send us a new one. He seemed to agree and after talking to his supervisor, told us ABS would cancel the order for the replacement card and send out a new computer. He said we would receive it in 5 to 6 days and should return the old one once we received the replacement. We were elated with their response but upset that we have to pay shipping charges to return the computer. It is not our fault we received a faulty product in the first place and we really should not have to pay for their mistake.

It has been 8 days now, so we called today to check on the status of the replacement. This time they said they were waiting for the old one to be shipped back before sending the new one out. Obviously had we been told this 8 days ago, we would have packed it up and shipped it back the very next day. We don't wish to be unfair in our criticism, but it does appear they made promises they did not intend to keep simply to prevent us from returning it within the allowed 30 day return period.

We left a message with Alex's supervisor several hours ago and have not heard back from ABS yet. At this point, we are extremely frustrated and upset. Hindsight, we wish we would have packed it up the first time we had problems(a few days after receiving it). If it were not for getting burnt on the restocking charge, we would return the entire thing tomorrow and go back to Alienware. Coincidentally, our one year old Dell computer's hard drive failed the day after the ABS problem and it was resolved in two days! Maybe we should just go back to Dell!

Once this ABS matter is resolved, I will post and update on this site.

Christina, Kathleen, and Edward

Update: December 29th (PM)

Our problem is being addressed by ABS. We received a call from Rosemary (Customer Service Supervisor). She was extremely accomodating and said our new computer is currently being built and will ship within the next few days. Normally, ABS policy requires receipt of defective products prior to shipping replacements, but she waived that and is shipping our new computer before receiving the old one.

In our opinion, Rosemary was extremely accommadating and understanding of our frustration with this problem. We certainly appreciate her efforts! She even promised to follow through to ensure the computer is built to our original specifications and that it ships to us "overnight". (ABS will pay the return freight charges!) Hopefully we will receive it by the weekend. We will update when it is received, up, and running!

Christina, Kathleen, Edward "

"Custom configured computer arrived six days after order. Speakers arrived a few days later. Installed a lower end modem despite having ordered one for $20 more. ABS credited my credit card for the $20, and will send me the better modem. Haven't needed any technical support (so far)."

" I picked ABS sight unseen, based mainly off the good reviews on this sight. I am somewhat local, so I figured if I had a problem I could bring the computer in to be fixed.
After two weeks, the computer has performed flawlessly. The packaging was very professional, and the documents are organized in an easy to use binder.
This is an Ultimate M5 system, slightly modified for my personal taste. System has AMD 2.8, Gigabyte AGP 8X, 1 GIG Ram, 120MB HD, ATI 9600 128 RAM DDR, DVD, CD-RW, along with the usuals. I configured this system based on www.sharkyextreme.com "budget system", and only came out a couple hundred dollars higher buying it configured, instead of building it myself. They also upgraded me to 1gb of RAM instead of the 512 I ordered, plus a few extra games thrown in. I certainly didn't expect that, but such gestures will make me remember this company, next time I order a PC.
"

"I just ordered an AMD Athlon 2.6 GHz system from ABS and they are awesome. They give you great service, they're very efficient and they give you great deals. The sales rep, Eddie Maldonado is the man, he gave me a great deal on my system. "

" Very nervous...that's my opinion right now. I initially ordered an Awesome 3300 on Dec. 1. I recieved it on the 10th, which I was thrilled about as this is a Christmas gift. After an easy setup, I noticed the plexiglass side panel had a crack. I called and had a replacement in two days, that was great too. Here is where my problem starts....The second day I had the PC I found out that I could not boot from CD, I also found a problem that could indicate a defective motherboard, so I called ABS. The tech was Armando was very friendly and helpful. We both came to the conclusion that it would be best to send the system back to ABS for repair. He told me I would have my system back, regardless the problem, in 6 business days. So, here I am 5 business days later, I decided to call them to get the PC's status. The status is simply this....no status. As far as what the rep could tell me is that they have recieved my system, that's all. The customer service rep really couldn't tell me what's going on at this stage. I'm starting to get a bit concerned about this gift making it in time for Christmas. Everyone I have talked to so far has been friendly, however I do feel like I have been duped on the return date of my PC. I will post back when I have been updated.


UPDATE 12/23/03
Well, the pc didn't ship out Mon.,it is shipping overnight Tues. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be here for Xmas. There was a little tension at first with this repair deal, but after speaking to both Rosemary and Jennifer at ABS things are beginning to look up. I have spoken to both of them twice today, are they are top notch customer service reps. I will update when PC arrives.


Update 1/5/04

PC arrived Xmas eve, as promised by Rosemary. Works great, even a followup phone call to make sure everything was alright. Sorry took so long to post back, been busy with the usual holiday stuff. Would recommend ABS to everyone. My next PC will come from ABS. Thanks."