windows update

I have made an earlier post, last week I believe, regarding this nightmarish update issue and I think my problem is similar to yours; however, my cum update numbers are a little different.  For instance, my initial problem stemmed from not being able to successfully install updates (v1709) numbered KB4088776 and KB 8058043 plus an update for Adobe flash player KB 4088785.  I have spent untold hours on the phone with Microsoft level 2 tech support and this issue is still unresolved.  Then, tonight, to add insult to injury, I got a notification that there were 4 MORE updates which supposedly downloaded and needed installing with a restart, which I did, and 3 out of 4 of these failed!  WTF!!!  So I still have a big RED X on the Windows Defender Shield down in the system tray.  So here's my question:  Can anyone solve these update problems in easy-to-understand steps in layman's terms, or not?

It happens on a fresh setup on the surface book 2.

Couldn't get help from MSFT even after trying for hours as well.

Even worse -- they dared to suggest their paid tech support.

Well, I am a paid client of their Microsoft Answer desk and it isn't helping me out with this issue.  Microsoft, are you reading this???

Same problem for me.  I uninstalled it and windows defender is starting properly again.

I was never able to install the Cumulative Update through Windows Update, This was on a fairly fresh Windows installation on a Surface Book 2.  I was able to install it with the standalone installer, however.  See Knowledge Base article and download link.