Although, I cannot even begin to extrapolate on all the wonderful examples of trouble with installing Windows Updates, I can at the very least offer one method I know of to assist. This isn't guaranteed to work for every problem, but it can help you quickly get back on track if you're having trouble with uninstalled updates, for whatever reason. Always reboot your system first, then go through the following steps: Step 1: STOP the Windows update service Step 2: Navigate to C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/DataStore and delete everything inside this directory. Go back one directory to SoftwareDistribution and navigate inside Download directory and delete everything inside this directory. Step 3: Reboot and reattempt to install updates. (Naturally, I recommend a Linux distribution for an operating system. However, for those who use Windows in dual-boot mode, this information may be useful.)
To mitigate damage from Windows updates, the migration to Windows 10, new software install or the wife "installing ransomware", i do weekly full disk imaging backup using Arconis True Image. It makes a complete image of the drive to the point if your HD crashed, installing a new unformated one, change the boot order in the BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD drive, and reload the image from a removable drive and you are fully functional in a matter of minutes.
Yes, well...some programs will crash if Windows isn't updated. For example, the .Net framework and C++ distributions are required for runtime applications and anything related to a video card. If you only use your PC to read the web and email, I highly suggest migrating over to Linux for free. For the rest of us who do dual-boot and use Windows because of gaming or graphic editing programs and the like, an updated system is necessary.
