Windows 7 windows update broken after disk clone

@BroRo ... This issue has absolutely nothing to do with AVs. When the original HD is put back into the system it can update. It's the cloned copy of it that can not update. The issue is hardware based.

MowGreen Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

You can try updating the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver, which resolved this exact same updating issue on HP systems.

Here's a list of Intel chipsets and controller hubs that the IRSTD supports -

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-020644.htm?wapkw=(Intel+Rapid+Storage+Technology+Driver)  

You can use this utility to determine the chipset - Intel® Chipset Identification Utility

And, here's the link to the Intel Drive Update Utility

MowGreen Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

@ugrapeman only:

Please answer all of the following diagnostic questions by number in your very next reply (no need to quote this post):

1. What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your subscription current?  What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?  What third-party firewall (if any)?
2. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

   • Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?

      http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/find-out-32-or-64-bit

3. Is it a Win7 64-bit computer?

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried Fixit early in my quest to solve this problem, but it didn't help at all. Seagate wasn't very helpful: They suggested to repair Windows from the DVD, which I unsuccessfully tried a while back. Their second suggestion was a clean install, which is what I'll try next, just to see if it works.  But they had no advice on if it is possible to clone a 512 byte block drive to a 4 kilobyte block drive.

I've used Acronis tools before and had no success restoring images, not cloned HDs., with Win 7.

Give this a shot - How do I reset Windows Update components?

Download the Fixit and save it. Then configure the system to Clean boot.

Once the system has been restarted to the Clean boot state, run MicrosoftFixit50202.msi and choose the Aggressive mode.

Aggressive mode will do the what's shown on KB971058 for Step 4 between Step 2 and Step 3. 

That's the only difference between the Default and Aggressive modes.

Reconfigure the system to boot to normal Windows mode after the Fixit finishes running and restart the system.

Then check for updates.

If the system still fails to update, then please copy and paste the last 50 or so lines of the WindowsUpdate.log into your reply again, please.

MowGreen Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security