FWIW, here's a bat file that the technician created when initially trying to fix windows updates (didn't fix my problem), might be of use to someone:

cd %systemdrive%
cd %systemroot%
cls

del prefetch\*.* /f /s /q
del temp\*.* /f /s /q
del "%temp%\*.*" /f /s /q

net stop wuauserv
net stop BITS
net stop cryptsvc
rd SoftwareDistribution.old /s /q
ren SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
cd system32
rd CatRoot2.old /s /q
ren CatRoot2 CatRoot2.old
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msi.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml2.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml2.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml3.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml3.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\qmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\qmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\qmgrprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\qmgrprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhttp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhttp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuapi.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng1.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng1.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups2.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wups2.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuweb.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ole32.dll /s
cmd.exe /c rmdir /q /s C:\WINDOWS\system32\Catroot2
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptdlg.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptdlg.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cryptext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dssenh.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dssenh.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\gpkcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\gpkcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\initpki.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\initpki.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\licdll.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\licdll.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mssign32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mssign32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mssip32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mssip32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scardssp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scardssp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\sccbase.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\sccbase.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scecli.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scecli.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\softpub.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\softpub.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\slbcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\slbcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\regwizc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\regwizc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\rsaenh.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\rsaenh.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhttp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhttp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wintrust.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wintrust.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\acelpdec.ax /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\actxprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\asctrls.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\daxctle.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\hhctrl.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\l3codecx.ax /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\licmgr10.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mpg4ds32.ax /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msdxm.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\proctexe.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\tdc.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wshom.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetcpl.cpl /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\appwiz.cpl /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\appwiz.cpl /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\nusrmgr.cpl /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\nusrmgr.cpl /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\quartz.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\danim.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmscript.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmstyle.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dxmasf.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dxtmsft.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dxtrans.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\sbe.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\atl.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\corpol.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\jscript.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dispex.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scrrun.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\scrobj.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\vbscript.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wshext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\activeds.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\browsewm.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cabview.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cdfview.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\clbcatex.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\clbcatq.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\comcat.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\cscui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\credui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\datime.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\devmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dfsshlex.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmdlgs.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmdskmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmloader.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmocx.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmview.ocx /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dsuiext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dsuiext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dsquery.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dsquery.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\dskquoui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\els.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\es.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\fontext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\hlink.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\hnetcfg.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\iedkcs32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\iepeers.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\iesetup.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ils.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\imgutil.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetcfg.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetcomm.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\inseng.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\laprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\lmrt.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mlang.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmcndmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmcshext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mscoree.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mshtml.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mshtmled.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msieftp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msoeacct.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msr2c.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\msrating.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mydocs.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\mstime.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\netcfgx.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\netplwiz.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\netman.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\netshell.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntmsevt.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntmsmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntmssvc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\occache.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ole32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\oleaut32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\oleacc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\olepro32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\photowiz.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\pngfilt.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\remotepg.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\rpcrt4.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\rshx32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\sendmail.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\slayerxp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\shdocvw.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\shmedia.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\shimgvw.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\shsvcs.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\srclient.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\stobject.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\stobject.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\themeui.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\twext.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\urlmon.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\userenv.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\webcheck.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\webvw.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\winhttp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\wininet.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\zipfldr.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdadc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaenum.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaer.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaipp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaora.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaosp.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaps.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdasc.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdasql.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdatt.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msdaurl.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\msxactps.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\oledb32.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\oledb32r.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\sqloledb.dll /s
regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\system\Ole DB\sqlxmlx.dll /s
regsvr32 comcat.dll /s
regsvr32 shdoc401.dll /s
regsvr32 shdoc401.dll /i /s
regsvr32 asctrls.ocx /s
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll /s
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll /I /s
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll /s
regsvr32 browseui.dll /s
regsvr32 browseui.dll /I /s
regsvr32 msrating.dll /s
regsvr32 mlang.dll /s
regsvr32 hlink.dll /s
regsvr32 mshtmled.dll /s
regsvr32 urlmon.dll /s
regsvr32 plugin.ocx /s
regsvr32 sendmail.dll /s
regsvr32 scrobj.dll /s
regsvr32 mmefxe.ocx /s
regsvr32 corpol.dll /s
regsvr32 jscript.dll /s
regsvr32 msxml.dll /s
regsvr32 imgutil.dll /s
regsvr32 thumbvw.dll /s
regsvr32 cryptext.dll /s
regsvr32 rsabase.dll /s
regsvr32 inseng.dll /s
regsvr32 iesetup.dll /i /s
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll /s
regsvr32 actxprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 dispex.dll /s
regsvr32 occache.dll /s
regsvr32 occache.dll /i /s
regsvr32 iepeers.dll /s
regsvr32 urlmon.dll /i /s
regsvr32 cdfview.dll /s
regsvr32 webcheck.dll /s
regsvr32 mobsync.dll /s
regsvr32 pngfilt.dll /s
regsvr32 licmgr10.dll /s
regsvr32 icmfilter.dll /s
regsvr32 hhctrl.ocx /s
regsvr32 inetcfg.dll /s
regsvr32 tdc.ocx /s
regsvr32 MSR2C.DLL /s
regsvr32 msident.dll /s
regsvr32 msieftp.dll /s
regsvr32 xmsconf.ocx /s
regsvr32 ils.dll /s
regsvr32 msoeacct.dll /s
regsvr32 inetcomm.dll /s
regsvr32 msdxm.ocx /s
regsvr32 dxmasf.dll /s
regsvr32 l3codecx.ax /s
regsvr32 acelpdec.ax /s
regsvr32 mpg4ds32.ax /s
regsvr32 voxmsdec.ax /s
regsvr32 danim.dll /s
regsvr32 Daxctle.ocx /s
regsvr32 lmrt.dll /s
regsvr32 datime.dll /s
regsvr32 dxtrans.dll /s
regsvr32 dxtmsft.dll /s
regsvr32 WEBPOST.DLL /s
regsvr32 WPWIZDLL.DLL /s
regsvr32 POSTWPP.DLL /s
regsvr32 CRSWPP.DLL /s
regsvr32 FTPWPP.DLL /s
regsvr32 FPWPP.DLL /s
regsvr32 WUAPI.DLL /s
regsvr32 WUAUENG.DLL /s
regsvr32 ATL.DLL /s
regsvr32 WUCLTUI.DLL /s
regsvr32 WUPS.DLL /s
regsvr32 WUWEB.DLL /s
regsvr32 wshom.ocx /s
regsvr32 wshext.dll /s
regsvr32 vbscript.dll /s
regsvr32 scrrun.dll mstinit.exe /setup /s
regsvr32 msnsspc.dll /SspcCreateSspiReg /s
regsvr32 msapsspc.dll /SspcCreateSspiReg /s
regsvr32 urlmon.dll /s
regsvr32 mshtml.dll /s
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll /s
regsvr32 browseui.dll /s
regsvr32 jscript.dll /s
regsvr32 vbscript.dll /s
regsvr32 scrrun.dll /s
regsvr32 msxml.dll /s
regsvr32 actxprxy.dll /s
regsvr32 softpub.dll /s
regsvr32 wintrust.dll /s
regsvr32 dssenh.dll /s
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll /s
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 sccbase.dll /s
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll /s
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll /s
regsvr32 schannel.dll /s
regsvr32 oleaut32.dll /s
regsvr32 ole32.dll /s
regsvr32 shell32.dll /s
regsvr32 initpki.dll /s
regsvr32 msscript.ocx /s
regsvr32 dispex.dll /s
regsvr32 jscript.dll /s
del %temp% /Q /F
del c:\wutemp /Q /F
net stop wuauserv
ren %windir%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.old
cd /d %windir%\SoftwareDistribution
rd /s DataStore /Q
regsvr32 wuapi.dll /s
regsvr32 wups.dll /s
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll /s
regsvr32 wucltui.dll /s
regsvr32 wuweb.dll /s
regsvr32 msxml.dll /s
regsvr32 msxml2.dll /s
regsvr32 msxml3.dll /s
regsvr32 urlmon.dll /s
ren %windir%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts hosts.old
ipconfig /flushdns
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc
net start Bits