Windows 7: Can't install "new Windows Update software" -errors 80004005, 800700B7

When I Extracted All to C:, there was no tcpmon folder, only a long-named folder, windows....blah, blah... x86. That's why I thought I should rename it to tcpmon. The output of the command was "1 file copied", so I guess it was a success if folder structure doesn't matter.

No, I guess not. I see the tcpmon.ini is supposed to be buried within that long-named folder. I need to extract again, this time creating the c:\tcpmon folder, and proceed from there.

My mistake!
Christmas must have got to me more than usual
I normally do it slightly differently, and forgot the implications here....

I've re-uploaded the file/folder in the proper configuration - follow the original instructions

I just went through it again before you posted, adding "tcpmon" to the output folder spec of the Extract command. In the RE, windows copied that long-named subfolder over and said "1 file copied", so I think we're good. The only thing that puzzles me is I can find the previous folder/file I copied over in winsxs. I suppose it's not important.

One other odd thing - when I booted up Windows told me that updates were available. I'm set to notify of updates. This seems to parallel the troubleshooter's behavior. Part of Windows seems to think everything is fine, but something specific is preventing the new updater from installing. There might be a clue in there somewhere.

I read early on that the first error pertains to an Activation problem. But Windows is activated, and the first error is not persistent anyway. Not making a lot of sense of this.

Please follow the original instructions with the new zip file - it's very important that teh proper file gets put in the proper place (i.e. C:\Windows\winsxs\<longfilename>\tcpmon.ini)

I just checked the file/folder and it has the current date/time filespec, so I think we're good. Thanks again. And I again tried the update, and this hasn't solved the problem.

One other possible clue. What started this mess was that while I was doing updates via a local store, the machine blue-screened a couple of times. That has never happened before in my update process, so I looked deeper and found I couldn't update even from MS's servers. But if even the Dell image doesn't solve this, I see no alternative to a fresh install from an external disk.

Please post the new CBS log.

Here she is. Getting big.

Very bizarre. As I just went to shut off the machine, I noticed the update icon on the Start menu Shutdown button. I went ahead with it, and windows is now apparently installing one update. I can only surmise that update is the update agent itself. But how on earth did that get through this problem? Will add info as I get it.

EDIT:
The update hung for half an hour. I hit the power button, but that sent it into sleep or hibernation rather than shutting it off. Then I turned it off all the way. When Windows resumed, the update came back on. It took several minutes, but this time it apparently did take. Now back in Windows, I tried to update again, but nothing is changed. BTW, when the error occurs, it's immediate, as if there were no internet connection.

EDIT2:
Since I switched it to automatically download and install, Windows has been grabbing as many downloads as it can and installing when I shut off. First it was 7, now 9, plus whatever it does while the system is up. Yet it still won't install the update agent.