KB2919355 (Windows 8.1 Update) Fails (800f0092 and 80073712) on Windows 8.1 Pro w Media Center

First, I will answer the question as to the provenance of my version of Windows:

It started life as Windows 8.0 with Media Center OEM; I have retrieved the key from the BIOS.  It was updated to Windows 8 Pro via a Windows 8 Pro Pack purchase which gave me a different key.  I then updated to Windows 8.1 Pro via the Store.  I do not have any media bit I did create USB recovery media; however, attempting a repair install from this source asks me to insert media, saying the media I have is invalid.  (This appears, through my research, to be common among those who have gone 8.0 OEM -> 8.0 Pro -> 8.1 Pro.)  Neither Microsoft nor ASUS (the OEM) will send media, apparently due to some Microsoft Media Reduction Initiative prohibiting OEMs from sending out media to reduce piracy.

A little about me: I am not sure I would call myself an "ol'fogey" but I have been around a while. I have been dealing with computers for 33 years and supporting Windows for 20 years (since Windows 3.11).  I have held two MCSE certifications (Windows 95 and Windows NT 4), an MCITP Server Administrator certification, and three MCTS certifications (including Windows 7).

Now, to your questions about the failures: Yes, DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthfails, indicating that the component store can not be repaired. The relevant message in the CBS log is [HRESULT = 0x80073712 - ERROR_SXS_COMPONENT_STORE_ DISM.exe /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase "worked" in that it did reset my base so I can no longer uninstall any updates.

DISM.exe /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB2919355~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.14failed , saying "The specified package is not a valid Windows package."

In addition, I have tried DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthwith /Source pointed to both a downloaded copy of the Windows 8.1 DVD (which I can't install from with the keys I have) and pointed to the /WinSxS folder of a separate Windows 8 laptop that actually did survive the update. Neither succeeded.

Running DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth in safe mode also fails, but changes the error code to 0x800f081f.

SFC /SCANNOW returns "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Yes, my computer came with a trial version of McAfee; yes, it was uninstalled, and yes, the remnants eliminated.  My current AV is simply Microsoft Defender; I have attempted the store repair with it disabled but not uninstalled.

I have increased the Windows reserved partition to more than double its original size, so that is not my problem.

My System Tools folder exists so that is not my problem.

I did contact Microsoft support; the tech was unaware that there have been any issues with the 2919355 update.  I watched her go through all the options I told her I already had gone through.  She did try one thing I didn't which was to create a new user account and try to repair the store from there.

I have tried the clearcompressionflag.exe from the new update.  It did not help.

At this point, with all the things I have had to do with this system trying to fix this, even if the update were to install I don't know if I can trust the installation anymore.  I want Microsoft to let me download media that works with my key, or give me a new 8.1 Pro key, or let ASUS send me new media.  I do not think those things are unreasonable. I understand they have to fight piracy (but really, who could possibly WANT to pirate Windows 8?) but if they are going to do that then they can't let our recovery media get invalidated just because we have installed an update.

I started with IBM PC DOS and I have deployed it and every MS Operating System since.  However, I have yet to deploy Windows 8 on a production system.

Thank you Susan.  As you know some of us have been at this since the fall of last year when the Windows 8.1 update first appeared in the Windows store.  If the partiton structure on one of my production machines was altered by an update, I would not be amused.  I would also object to a hidden partiton with so little free space that shadow copy would fail and therfore prevent the creation of a backup system image. 

How many of the original Microsoft OS' have you used?  I've been "at it" since 2003.  Oh, and I've decided that I will be switching to Linux...first as a dual boot and then solely Linux.