Error Code 80070643, unable to update or perform system restore

Both :)

Nope - Just that I for one have not much clue what to try next :) 643 errors can be a large PITA.

The obvious thing is to see if the CheckSUR tool does anything for you....


Please run the CheckSUR tool from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821
(you'll need to look in the details for Method 2)

Then zip the CheckSUR.log and upload it to your public SkyDrive so I can take a look - post a link in your reply.

The tool can take anywhere from 5 mins to a couple of hours to run (or 'Install') depending on how much it has to do, and may exit silently - it may appear to freeze for most of that time, but be patient.

try this! An update has been released to resolve issues where System Center Essentials updating Windows 7 SP1-based computers with locally published content may fail with error 0x80070570

CheckSUR found no problems.
I'm not in the least surprised by your error installing the patch - apart from anything else, you should have a later version of the Update Agent installed anyhow.

Let's check a few specifics....

Open an Elevated Command Prompt window, and run the following commands

NET START BITS
NET START WUAUSERV
NET START SPPSVC
NET START SPPUINOTIFY
NET START CRYPTSVC

Do any of these fail (some may say 'aready started' - that's OK) ?

Now run the following commands
CLS
DIR C:\Windows\softwaredistribution /AR /S
DIR C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 /AR /s

Is ANYTHING found?

Now run the following command.

DIR C:\Windows\System32 /AR /S

how many files and folders are found? (I don't need the list, just the numbers)

That's the easy fixes ruled out then
In an Elevated COmmand Prompt, run the following commands

NET STOP CRYPTSVC
REN C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CATROOT2 CATROOT2OLD
NET START CRYPTSVC
cd %windir%
net stop wuauserv
ren softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.old
net start wuauserv

Reboot, and do a Check for Updates