WSUS Content folder not retaining updates

Can I echo what @Proxy said:

odd fix ... Very, very strange. ... How very bizarre.

My Samsung laptop has Windows 8.1-Update. It had an infection that was cleaned. Current date is 05/16/2017 but last windows update was 2 years ago back in 2015.

Windows updates were not working after it was cleaned of malware. It would hang, no progress in c:\windows\WindowsUpdate.log, and yet taking up 100% of one core.

One consequence of being 2 years out of date, that might be relevant, was that GWX (Get Windows 10) was still running on this laptop, even tho that offer expired over 1 year ago.

The other notable thing with this laptop was that I replaced the motherboard twice. The first time, it was crashing multiple times a day. The second motherboard worked fine. So those crashes may have had an effect here.

After trying almost everything, this is what worked: Windows cleanmgr.exe aka "Disk Cleanup" aka "Clean up disk space by deleting unnecessary files".

I selected:

• Temporary Internet Files
• Debug Dump Files (looks like they're still there, though)
• System Error Memory Dump Files (looks like they're still there, though)
• Temporary Files

After that, and a reboot, Windows Update worked. How very bizarre.

Here's some of the prominent solutions I tried that didn't work:

:: consider carefully /ResetBase -- it prevents you from un-installing windows updates
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

I had to run those more than once. Each of those steps fixed corruption. Until they passed with no corruption found.

Still, Windows Update would not work. Still hung.

Going deeper I tried this fix, "Option 2" from sevenforums https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html :

Reset_Reregister_Windows_Update_Components.bat

Here's the contents of that batch file as of today:

@echo off

:: Created by: Shawn Brink
:: http://www.sevenforums.com
:: Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html


set b=0

:bits
set /a b=%b%+1
if %b% equ 3 (
   goto end1
) 
net stop bits
echo Checking the bits service status.
sc query bits | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto bits 
) 
goto loop2

:end1
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to bits service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:loop2
set w=0

:wuauserv
set /a w=%w%+1
if %w% equ 3 (
   goto end2
) 
net stop wuauserv
echo Checking the wuauserv service status.
sc query wuauserv | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto wuauserv 
) 
goto loop3

:end2
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to wuauserv service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start



:loop3
set app=0

:appidsvc
set /a app=%app%+1
if %app% equ 3 (
   goto end3
) 
net stop appidsvc
echo Checking the appidsvc service status.
sc query appidsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto appidsvc 
) 
goto loop4

:end3
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to appidsvc service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:loop4
set c=0

:cryptsvc
set /a c=%c%+1
if %c% equ 3 (
   goto end4
) 
net stop cryptsvc
echo Checking the cryptsvc service status.
sc query cryptsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto cryptsvc 
) 
goto Reset

:end4
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to cryptsvc service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start



:Reset
Ipconfig /flushdns
Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
cd /d %windir%\system32
Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe /s browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe /s actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe /s dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe /s slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe /s oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuapi.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe /s muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuwebv.dll
regsvr32 /s wudriver.dll
netsh winsock reset

:Start
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
bitsadmin.exe /reset /allusers

I tried an expanded version that added stopping/starting of msiserver and a rename of %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution and which stopped wuauserv last because windows may auto-re-start it.

Here's that code:

:rem v2 with ren whole SoftwareDistribution
:rem    and stop / start msiserver
@echo off

:: Created by: Shawn Brink
:: http://www.sevenforums.com
:: Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html


:rem ---------- bits ----------
:loop1
set b=0

:bits
set /a b=%b%+1
if %b% equ 3 (
   goto end1
) 
net stop bits
echo Checking the bits service status.
sc query bits | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto bits 
) 
goto loop2

:end1
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to bits service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:rem ---------- appidsvc ----------
:loop2
set app=0

:appidsvc
set /a app=%app%+1
if %app% equ 3 (
   goto end2
) 
net stop appidsvc
echo Checking the appidsvc service status.
sc query appidsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto appidsvc 
) 
goto loop3

:end2
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to appidsvc service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:rem ---------- cryptsvc ----------
:loop3
set c=0

:cryptsvc
set /a c=%c%+1
if %c% equ 3 (
   goto end3
) 
net stop cryptsvc
echo Checking the cryptsvc service status.
sc query cryptsvc | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto cryptsvc 
) 
goto loop4

:end3
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to cryptsvc service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:rem ---------- msiserver ----------
:loop4
set w=0

:msiserver
set /a w=%w%+1
if %w% equ 3 (
   goto end4
) 
net stop msiserver
echo Checking the msiserver service status.
sc query msiserver | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto msiserver 
) 
goto loop5

:end4
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to msiserver service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start


:rem ---------- wuauserv ----------
:loop5
set w=0

:wuauserv
set /a w=%w%+1
if %w% equ 3 (
   goto end5
) 
net stop wuauserv
echo Checking the wuauserv service status.
sc query wuauserv | findstr /I /C:"STOPPED" 
if not %errorlevel%==0 ( 
    goto wuauserv 
) 
goto Reset

:end5
cls
echo.
echo Failed to reset Windows Update due to wuauserv service failing to stop.
echo.
pause
goto Start



:rem ---------- Reset ----------
:Reset
Ipconfig /flushdns
Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
cd /d %windir%\system32
Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

cd %systemroot%\
ren SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution_mm.bak

regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe /s browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe /s actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe /s dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe /s slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe /s oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuapi.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe /s muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuwebv.dll
regsvr32 /s wudriver.dll
netsh winsock reset

:Start
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
net start msiserver
bitsadmin.exe /reset /allusers

And after all that what got Windows Update to work again was cleanmgr