Vista Home - Windows Update malfunction

[Keith Harris]

I have now spent 3 evening trying to resolve my Son's Vista Home Laptop which hasn't had a Windows Update for a year now. I have read through a number of answers via google but still have not resolved the problem.

Vista Home - Service Pack 1 - 32 bit

It also won't let me install AVG Free edition.

Tried the 'FIX' tool X
Renamed the SoftwareDistribution folder etc...
Added the usual 'Trusted Sites' in Options...
Installed and ran...
MalwareBytes, Search & Destroy, CClean, SuperAntiSpyware - all found threats etc which I let it remove.

Windows Update Error Code 80070005
Red X etc.... try again....

I have backed up all his Uni data for safe keeping so my lasy reort will be to reload Windows Vista fresh from the backup disk I created when we first bought the machine.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Keith (Southend)