Problem checking for updates - Code 80240442 - Windows Update ran into a problem

My machine is not UEFI BIOS.

I've wondered about other settings. I have Hyper-V turned on. That already changed network settings. I have libraries from user profiles on another drive (E:). This seems to cause Microsoft alot of problems (note: I have the main user profiles directory still on C:, most of the libraries, e.g. Documents, Pictures, are on another drive.) I have four internal hard drives including a 4 TB drive. I have an external drive setup as my backup/File History Copies (whatever we're calling it in Windows 8). This machine was an in place upgrade from Windows 7.

And I used to have Homegroup turned on. That in combination with having some user libraries not on C: wreaked havoc on permissions. I had to setup a special job to give users read/write access to folders such as their Documents folder and Pictures, and everything under it. This shouldn't be that abnormal in this day of small SSD OS drives.

I actually don't mind Windows 8 but for whatever reason the problems I've encountered with it are the most obscure. I can't recall ever putting this much time into trying to make things just work.

My machine is UEFI.

Obviously you missed all the posts I participated in with the pre-update 1 error code...  I've been having issues on this machine since the first GA patch for 8.1.  I had a good few months that I didn't have the issue, but I have had the issue off and on since going from the RTM to the GA release.  The grace period was likely from the bad press about them stopping updates on 8.1 installs without update 1.  I dealt with all those tiers of their support for about 5 hours total, over 3 remote sessions.  ALL of the support tiers were not that experienced either with what they were doing.  I have been doing .NET programming professional for 8 years.  I have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a master's degree in Computer Science and Engineering.  I built the machine I have the issue with, the machine before it, a few other machines, and upgraded every machine I've owned that could be upgraded.  I admit that I don't know everything, but I am pretty good at diagnosing issues in many things. 

I asked about the UEFI BIOS because the other 5 or 6 machines I have with similar specs and software have not had any issues with updates in 8.1.  This one does though.  Swapping the network adapter, system drive, memory, reinstalling Windows (clean installs and upgrades from 8 to 8.1), resetting windows, trying multiple VPNs, and all the stuff posted on the forum, doesn't fix it.  I also asked because the tier 2 and 3 support kept insisting that it was a bad hard drive, which it could appear to be if there was some issue between Windows 8.1 and the UEFI BIOS.  Since I only have the one machine with it, I have no way of testing any others.  I hadn't even thought of it until I had to deal with UEFI issues when trying to restore my Acronis image last night.

Don't make assumptions about people based off their handle.

Korn this issue has affected a lot of users for over FIVE WEEKS and counting. With all due respect do you think you have found the answer to the inability of users to install the update [UEFI BIOS], especially in light of the fact that tier one, two and three of Microsoft support has been unable to solve the problem with many users which has resulted in the eventual advice to many users to reinstall the operating system and start over? The company announced a "grace period" for another month for providing security updates for those who have not {have been unable to] install the Windows 8.1 update. Why do think MS provided a grace period, because it is a issue related to UEFI BIOS? Take some time to read the thousands of posts about the issue and then post again.