My Satellite A205-S5800 Is InCompatible With Microsoft Vista Service Packs

Question

I don't know where Toshiba gets off saying they're compatible with the Vista Service Packs when they are most certainly NOT.  I have had the SAME exact problem with SP1 & SP2.  I bought this paperweight at Best Buy (NEVER shop there), with Vista Home Basic, and ran into problems one month later, when I tried upgrading to SP1 (via Windows Update).  It rebooted, and then refused to load.  I had to reinstall everything.  Again and again this happened.  I took it to Best Buy, and they told me it was a faulty hard drive.  Replaced, the problems reoccurred again.  So, Best Buy claimed it was the Motherboard.  A fresh one installed, SP1 finally worked from stand alone download.  For 9 months, no problem.  Then I stupidly decided to update to SP2 (via Windows Update).  The SAME exact problem.  Files were corrupted.  Restore points vanished.  Always with reinstalling to original format.  I get SP2 standalone to work, and then Microsoft Update tells me I need to update with something or other.  Rebooting ONCE AGAIN prevents me from loading up anything.  Bets Buy now claims it's a software issue.
So, 3 different problems caused the exact same problem.  Always with Windows Update, and almost always with Service Packs.  This is compatibility?  Toshiba sold me a lemon, a giant paper weight.  I cannot upgrade it to Service Packs, and who knows which update next will frell me over.  Especially since Microsoft forces updates on us from time to time.  I have every right to update this laptop to the latest Service pack or other such necessary update to keep my system secure.  What happens when my vulnerable machine is hijacked and zombieifed by nogoodnicks, and the police come knocking at my door?  After all is said and done, and they chastise me about not updating my system, do I tell them, "No, it's OK.  Toshiba says it's totally cool not to.  They think Microsoft Service packs are evil"?  Believe me, this situation can and has happened before.  Machines can be compromised, and police will think it's you first.
Now, who at Toshiba do I speak to about a refund/replacement?  I Lemon Law (via California) you, Toshiba.  You sold me a worthless hunk of junk, and that is unacceptable.  I will not use a system that can't be updated because you don't like Service Packs and Windows Update.  and money was not spent to not use a laptop.

Answer 1

I think your tinfoil hat is on too tight.  If it was a problem with that model, then nobldy would be able to update Windows, and there would be thousands of posts all over the Internet.
Problems are usually caused by software, sometimes installed by the user, and sometimes installed without the users knowledge.  What's the state of your malware protection?  Have you scanned for rootkits?
You also might want to run the System Update Readiness Tool to find problems.