Win updates section greyed out plus removing properly Live Mail

Hello
First off, brilliant tutorial section... though I couldn't find the solution sorry.

OS was reinstalled from Dell download (apparently, a techie did it). Win7 x64 Home Premium

(1) Control Panel>Win Updates>Important Updates
It's impossible to change the when/how option for Win Updates as it's greyed out, as is the timing option. It's stuck on 'check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them'. I can live with that option but would prefer to change to auto, and more than that would like to feel I am in charge! It happens even in administrator mode.


(2) Control Panel>Default Programs>MicrosoftWindows>Email Program
In the above entry, there is only one option for Email Program which is 'Use my current email program'.

I thought I had uninstalled Windows Live through Programs and Features - or maybe it was through IE9 (as it was then). Sorry I can't recall, it was a while ago. I don't want to use email at all on the Dell (just on this Asus), yet opening IE10 and Favorites, a Windows Live folder lives on. Inside are four pages (Get Windows Live, Windows LiveGallery, Windows LiveMail, Windows Live Spaces).

Unsure if the two are connected or separate issues but would really appreciate any help resolving them please.

Also unsure if relevant but maybe better to mention... BufferZone and MS LiveEssentials were supplied with OS reinstall by aforementioned techie. Being uncomfortable with former but wanting a sandbox environment for 'stuff' I uninstalled both and installed KIS2013. A BufferZone BHO is proving difficult to uninstall (though is disabled).

Also, at some point I changed the computer name and workgroup name. I tried changing it back to resolve the win update but no luck.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

Thanks Faladu, though I was hoping it wouldn't come to a wipe/reinstall

Sorry also if you took offence, I meant 'apparently' in the sense of 'as far as I know'... and this only to indicate I hadn't done it myself.

Thanks again, also again for such a great tutorial section.

Thanks for that suggestion Layback Bear - though I don't know where to select Windows Updates to be able to r/click it.

Kaspersky Lab are looking into it now, tho a reinstall does still seem the ultimate route. Thanks for the help here all the same.