BleepingComputer.com: Windows Vista Update error

My former roommate called me this evening regarding his Windows Vista system.
The problems encountered were:
1. On startup, the welcome screen is shown for a few seconds.
2. After a time period of 5-10 seconds, the login prompt is replaced by a "Configuring Updates: Step 3 of 3, 0% complete" message.
3. 10-15 seconds later, the system shows the "Shutting Down" message.
4. Computer shuts down.
5. Safe mode is attempted by user, however the system merely repeats steps 1-4.

Help would be appreciated regarding the matter.
I think it may be a failure in installing one of Windows Vista's updates causing the problem at hand.

As for his system, it is an Acer Aspire 4520 notebook, one year old.

The first step would be to attempt a Startup Repair: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/repair-windows-with-windows-startup-repair/

Startup Repair and System Restore have already been attempted, to no avail.

Check out this article to help locate errors in the Windows Update logfile: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

We're not able to do that, since Windows won't even start at all, not even in Safe Mode.

You can use the Startup Repair disk to access the Command Prompt.
In the Command Prompt you can locate the file and read it by using the "type" command.

But, in general, fixing a Windows Update error will not cause your system to boot properly.
Startup Repair will fix most fixable errors - and will give you an error code when it doesn't. What was the error code?

There was no error code.

Startup Repair went on properly and finished, but the problem remained.