Windows 10 Update Service Will Not Start

Question

Windows 10 21H2, Update Service shows "Starting" but never starts
I have tried SFC and DISM scans - neither found anything
I refreshed from Media Creation Tool - did not help
Set Update to Disable, deleted SoftwareDistribution, rebooted set Update to Automatic, worked briefly then went back to "Starting" when I rebooted
Deleted Registry Update Keys and reinstalled a working set of keys, did not help
Rebooting takes a long time - more than 5 minutes on Lenovo i5 processor with SSD, 8GB ram

Answer 1

For these comments please indicate the steps performed or the link steps that were followed:

""I have tried SFC and DISM scans - neither found anything""

Which dism commands were ran?

checkhealth
scanhealth
restorehealth
startcomponentcleanup
startcomponentcleanup /resetbase

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2895-run-sfc-command-windows-10-a.html
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7808-use-dism-repair-windows-10-image.html
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/82643-clean-up-component-store-winsxs-folder-windows-10-a.html

""I refreshed from Media Creation Tool""

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4090-refresh-windows-10-a.html

""Set Update to Disable, deleted SoftwareDistribution, rebooted set Update to Automatic, worked briefly then went back to "Starting" when I rebooted""

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/24742-reset-windows-update-windows-10-a.html

""Deleted Registry Update Keys and reinstalled a working set of keys, did not help""

Please list the steps performed and post a web link.

If a Windows refresh were performed it would have installed a fresh Windows version and deleted drivers and applications.
The process allows the saving of files.
This should have fixed any Windows update problems.
Please indicate whether it was or was not performed.
If it was not performed, indicate whether it is an option to perform now.

Place the computer into clean boot and report into the thread any impact on multiple reboots.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/41804-perform-clean-boot-windows-10-troubleshoot-software-conflicts.html

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Answer 2

Windows Update Troubleshooter