sfc/scannow => wups2.dll = 0byte??

It all started with Windows Script Explorer for Powershell installer failing to install. Online forum suggestion was to ensuring all hot fix are in place. Well that lead to another issue finding that my windows update haven't ran for two months. I have been trying to fix windows auto update for few weeks on my Win7 Home Premium SP1 notebook but no success.

I have tried all 12 methods (Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2). First 11 didn't work (#2 fails too).

sfc /scannow (method #12) results in cbs.log shows the following findings. Well, that dll in %windir%\system32 is of 0 byte. It seems like a clear case of malware attack (through Hijackthis extra tool, which could not find the dll, but it exists if look up in explorer). So follow up efforts were running 3 anti-virus and two malware removal ( and no... Windows-KB890830-V4.14 installation errors out with non compatible OS, which is not correct, but at this point I don't want sideline distraction so moved on with other malware removal tool). In short none of them found any issue.

So now,
I would like to try out a replacement wups2.dll, but the issue is I can't delete this 0 byte wups2.dll. Neither I as an admin can set full control on this file, only trustedinstaller service could have full control.


Can I get some help?
Thanks!
ND

012-12-06 22:49:50, Info CSI 000002ee [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:18{9}]"wups2.dll" of Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient-Core, Version = 7.6.7600.256, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2012-12-06 22:49:50, Info CSI 000002f0 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:18{9}]"wups2.dll" of Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient-Core, Version = 7.6.7600.256, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2012-12-06 22:49:50, Info CSI 000002f1 [SR] This component was referenced by [l:150{75}]"WUClient-SelfUpdate-Core-CoreComp~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~7.6.7600.256.Core"
2012-12-06 22:49:51, Info CSI 000002f4 [SR] Could not reproject corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\windows\System32"\[l:18{9}]"wups2.dll"; source file in store is also corrupted
2012-12-06 22:49:51, Info CSI 000002f6 [SR] Repair complete
2012-12-06 22:49:51, Info CSI 000002f7 [SR] Committing transaction
2012-12-06 22:49:51, Info CSI 000002fb [SR] Verify and Repair Transaction completed. All files and registry keys listed in this transaction have been successfully repaired

Thanks ICit and Noel,

I have already tried installing System Readiness Tool (or checkSUR) several times. I can't even get it to installed. Installation fails with Error.

As for the maleware tools I have tried malwarebytes and kaspersky. For AV I have scanned entire notbook using AVG (trial), Calmwin, Norton (trial).

For system specs, please tell me what else would you like to know. My notebook is Windows 7 SP1 Home Premium, pre-loaded came with the notebook, I didn't get any system restore on media.

There is no other method out there other than these 12, that could possibly fix this WU issue? Only option I see is to replacing a real (non zero byte) wups2.dll and after that try out all 12 methods and see if I can get windows update back to working.