No updates for Windows 7, 32-bit

No joy, Noel—exact same result (outwardly) as before. (wuapp.exe is treated with suspicion, then claim is made that WU service is not running.) Have attached Windows Repair log files. Perhaps the new log data will indicate something different and useful.

Are the files that the Repair util couldn't delete files that I could delete or rename manually? When taking ownership and stopping applicable service(s) is ineffectual, my next ploy is to start from another drive and gain unfettered access.

Shen

Good evening (Zulu time), Noel—

I'm feeling a bit thick re your instructions. Overlaying the instructions at the URL you linked on my prior history (thread already started) and condensing, the options would seem to be these:

OPTION ONE
To Use DM Log Collector

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
... ... ... ...
9. In your BSOD post, upload the debug-YourComputerName-xxxx.zip file into your post.


OPTION TWO
To Use SF Diagnostic Tool

2. Download and run the SF_Diagnostic_Tool.exe file to use the Grab All button as instructed in the tutorial link below.

3. When finished with step 2, do either step 4 or 5 below.

4. If You Have Already Started a Thread in "BSOD Help and Support"
A) Go back to your original thread that you created for your BSOD issue, edit your existing post or reply with a new post, and go to step 6 below.
... ... ... ...
6. In your BSOD post, upload the renamed SF_DD_MM_YYYY.zip folder into your post.


Should I exercise Option 1? Option 2? Both? (As a retired engineer, I know that more information is better, but overkill just wastes time and bandwidth.)

Shen

The Zip-ed folder created by the tool is attached, Noel. Am hoping it sheds some light on a solution.

Shen

Thank you for your analysis and detailed response.

I'll comment as far as I can...but the precis is that there has been zero change in WU's willingness to run after following your instructions. The first error indication is UAC-ish observation that wuapp.exe is suspicious, and after attempting to run anyway, advisement that the WU service is not running (even though it is).

You appear to have had problems with Novastor services - 'File not found' Is the product still installed?

Novastor was uninstalled in 2011, after a few minutes of test and assessment. I (today) found the company's instructions for manual uninstall and carried them out. (Only a few remnants were found.) I also disabled the service that was still loading.
There are problems also involving Acronis...

I use Acronis True Image 11, but don't use Acronis Disk Director. I uninstalled the latter today. If your comment that VC80 is old suggests that Acronis TI 11 is similarly old, I'll take it under advisement...but am not inclined to update an application that has and continues to function flawlessly.

There's also this error... Code: --------- Product: Adobe Reader XI (11.0.09) -- Configuration failed.

Strange, the (free) app is current (11.0.09) and runs as expected and updates from time to time, at Adobe's whim. I think that the changes I made to the Hosts file (three years ago) were because of problems of slowness encountered in the Adobe validation/activiation process. All my Adobe applications are legit.

You're also showing the following error... Code: --------- Event[34654]: Log Name: Application Source: MsiInstaller . . .

I looked at the Event Viewer and found literally scores of MsiInstaller warnings and errors, the vast majority of them beginning at about the time that WU began its descent into madness. There are repetitious instances of MS Office 2003 attempting to do something untoward in a protected section of the Registry, for instance. I don't understand this—my copy of MS Office 2003 is legit/validated/activated/et al.


Noel, you have been extraordinarily generous with your time and mental acuity, for which I am very grateful. My problem would seem to be perhaps not worth trying anymore to solve surgically...as long as there is a way to avoid it. I am able to back the system up in time in increments of days, weeks, and even months (to a system image in July of this year). However, since failure for WU to operate properly arose only at about the time that the Windows Update Agent was updated by Microsoft to V7.6.7600.320—and reports of problems like mine began pouring in—it seems possible that my problem would soon recur.

Is there any other approach that could clean up Windows (especially WU) in a broad fashion?

Shen