[Nuke]

this is the kind of thing i absolutely refuse to automate. though i have been known to spin off special modified versions of windows install disks. and use those for setup, id rather just have a ghosted partition on file that i can just apply and use right off the bat.

[jr2]

True.  But you can torrent Windows disks with the latest SP already installed, MD5 = retail.  I'm pretty sure the update process makes some waste in the registry and possibly the file system too.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

I just fixed a system with a similar problem.  Issue was windows\installer directory had about 200 copies of the same 4 installer files that were failing on auto-updates.  After removing them the updates worked.  Still waiting on the results to see if the problem returns or there are any side effects.  Note I did not delete any read-only files in that directory or ones with different naming schemes then the windows update ones.