Shut down button has persistent yellow shield for installing updates

In short, the shut down button's yellow shield won't go away. It's the button at the lower right on the start menu. My computer is up to date. I've shut down and restarted several times. Each time, the yellow shield comes back.

I've declined the KB 3035583, KB 2962664 updates.

Four updates failed a couple of days ago:
Intel - Other hardware - Intel(R) Management Engine Interface
Intel - Other hardware - Intel(R) Active Management Technology - SOL
Realtek Semiconductor Corp. - Audio Device, Other hardware - Realtek High Definition Audio
Microsoft - Other hardware - Microsoft Digital Media Server Module

I'm going to give Microsoft FixIt a try. There's a troubleshooting link to it under update history.

Has anyone else had this persistent yellow shield?

Simple enough fix: Flush the Windows Update Download Folder

Go to Start >> type in cmd.exe and [Enter-key] to get a command-prompt window
type in
net stop wuauserv

<Enter>

That will temporarily stop the windows update automatic service.

Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download <<<--- this folder

Delete all the contents of the Download folder.

Go back to the command-prompt window.

type in: net start wuauserv

Exit the command prompt window.

That will take of it

Thank you Excel21. Unfortunately, the fix you described did not stop the shield icon from appearing on the shut down button. Thank you Brink. I haven't taken a look at the batch files in the tutorial you linked, yet. Option 3 offered, if none of the options worked, try MS FixIt... That was my first try, and it didn't remove the icon.

It looks like I ought to check out Tom982's post on 'Windows Update Posting Instructions'. It has instructions that ought to help. In the meantime, it is the middle of one of the last partly sunny days in Seattle for a while. Got to get out, and follow up on your suggestions when it's dark. Thanks again!

@sfmiller - Did you resolve this with any fix, or did it finally go away on its own?

For the past week or so I see the shield appear at some point every single time between reboots, no matter how many. Win7 PRO 64-bit SP1 + (almost) all hotfixes. No updates are actually installing when system is shutdown or restarted, AFAICT. I've rebooted multiple times each day and the shield always comes back at some point while using the PC.

Some things I've looked at/tried:

1. Used m$ Fixit to reset Windows Update - check shows all up-to-date
2. Set windows to 'notify but don't download or install' - check still shows all up-to-date
3. Uninstalled KB's for Win10 and hid them in Windows Update
4. Somehow Win10 was downloaded to disk, followed m$ articles to clean it up (it was not supposed to, this is a volume licensed business PC and so not eligible for Win10 free upgrade. Never had the GWX icon.)
4. Run SFC /scannow - found nothing
5. C:\Windows\winsxs has no .XML files (no pending or reboot XML's)

And probably some others I don't recall now...

In the past I'd see the shield only if there were actual updates to install. I'd like to find and fix this so that becomes reliable again (I don't want to to shut off the feature).

Thank you for any help. Kind regards.

Thank you Shawn. I used your "option 3" .bat file within a few hours of your post above, and rebooted. It's now a day later and so far the "shutdown shield" has not returned.

I will post back if I change my mind, but this does indeed look like it is solved now. Thank you again!