Complaint Review: Toshiba - Irvine California

I spent over one-thousand dollars for a Toshiba travelers laptop; about five years ago. I had purchased it from online because at the time none of the stores sold any laptops with the Windows XP Operating system; this was before they realized no one wanted, or was buying, Vista, and then sometime later stores began again selling computers with XP.

The first thing I did in realizing that I was not given either a genuine operating disk, or a recovery disk, and that I had to create my own using something like thirteen disks.. I was very upset. In traveling why would I carry that many disks with me? No way! I called Toshiba more than a few times trying to get them to send me one, and in one call they actually said I was sent one; which, was a balled-face lie since they never did and I was still calling for one.

Right from the box I thought I had problems with the screen resolution, so I called Toshiba, and the only option I was given was to bring it to a nearby tech store that was licensed to repair Toshiba products under warranty; never even knew, or was informed, that you could send it in directly to Toshiba. It ended up being that there was no problem with the resolution but that I jut didnt like the resolution quality. The tech store replaced the motherboard though anyway to illegally squeeze funds from Toshiba. Not mention my laptop Never Used.. came back to me filthy: fingerprint smudges all over the screen, debris in the keyboard, and someones hair - with dandruff - attached to a sticker on the bottom of the computer. I reported this all to Toshiba.

After three months sitting in the tech shop I get it home and there is no sound, so without any alternative that I knew of I tried using a recovery disk to repair this. I immediately discovered that the recovery disk was unable to work, and I received this message, dmboot.sys is corrupted.. Press any key to continue, to restart the operating system as is. I called Toshiba again, and they suggested I take it back to the same tech store I had already been to; they didnt care enough to take notes in that prior situation, and I said no; still at this time no other alternative was mentioned to me. I held my breath hoping that system restore would repair the sound problem, and it did after having to run it twice, because system restore would not work in going back to when I had first received the laptop to factory out of the box state; which, mind you I didnt load, or download one thing onto to this computer yet. I hadnt even used the thing yet at all!

I called Toshiba for another disk, and again - after many more calls and arguing - I was routed to a higher tier technician, and he okayed that I was sent another disk, and he also suggested sending my laptop directly to them; which, I was highly confused about.. why I was never informed of this option to begin with. I was told that I was given that option and that it is their notes; which, is another balled-faced lie; two in fact, because I was never told and how could it be in their notes?

I had to have this disk problem resolved for any future pc issues, so I sent my laptop into Toshiba only to have it retuned unfixed. I called Toshiba and let them know it was not fixed, so per their suggestion I sent it back again a second time to them. It came back unfixed again, but they changed the motherboard. I called Toshiba back to inform them that the only problem my laptop has is not being able to use the recovery disk but that they changed the motherboard, and why? I never did get any response to that; none! They told me to send it back to them again, and I did. It came back to me unfixed a third time, but this time they told me they replaced the Hard Drive, so I called Toshiba again, but this time they told me to call their tech center directly and ask them about it; which, I did. Lies, Lies, and more Lies! I noticed, too, that the Hard Drive was not replaced either! I didnt need a new hard rive anyway, but this lie had me. They also lied about the repair dates which I can prove. I can prove everything!

I was very detailed in the notes left for the Toshiba Repair Techs, but every time they sent my laptop back.. the problem I sent in for was NEVER addressed; only what they replaced; which, were things that NEVER needed to be replaced.

Toshiba has two different customer service lines; one for general inquires and another for computer issues, and when youre routed to the second line you wait for hours to only be told in an automated message that you will be called back, and nope.. I never was; both times I was routed after waiting forever. They completely avoided me and the Lemon-law; which, they would have had to either give me a brand new computer the same one, or refund me completely.

I didnt have any use of my laptop during almost the first whole year I had it, and after spending over one-thousand dollars, my only option was to hold my breath and hope that system restore would work in the future. System restore did work for the sound problem.

Now though Im having major issues and cannot use my pc at all, and nothing works!

I find out now, too, that the dmboot.sys corruption is on sectors that load before your operating system loads, so I cant even use another operating system on this thing without the same exact problem!

Im writing now to WARN consumers to not buy Toshiba products at all! Your money, your time, and your product will all prove to be worthless. Toshiba lies, and since every single customer rep only gave me problems, arguments, and lies this proves to me it is Toshiba itself that is responsible for their business policies (lacking any ethical practices whatsoever) and training their employees to lie and harass. Your warranty means NOTHING.

Also if anyone comments otherwise on Toshiba they: work for Toshiba while pretending to be a consumer, they just havent yet had an issue that warrants real tech service. (Real tech service does not include replacing parts!), or they not that bright to begin with.