Unable to 'configure' Windows updates since 'refreshing' laptop?

Hello all.

My Dell Inspiron 3520 was going quite slow for unknown reasons so I decided to 'refresh' it using Windows advanced start-up setting. Since that time I have been unable to install Windows updates. Well, I can 'install' them, but they won't 'configure'. Once installed and 'configured' 100% I get this error message advising following reboot : "Failure to configure updates. Reverting changes". The laptop then stays paralysed on that screen.

This only started to happen AFTER I "refreshed" my laptop, which was running Windows 8.1 pretty-much problem-free, though a bit slowly, until a week ago. For now I have found a temporary 'fix' by disabling automatic updates; otherwise the laptop is constantly stuck on the "failure to configure updates" error page (because, obviously, it's automatically attempting to install updates). I have done all the standard troubleshooting, including running  MS Fix It, Dell Dr ('My Dell' found no hardware issues), MS Malware removal and Mcafee anti-malware. All reported "no issues". I have been in command prompt and found no issues I even tried to 'refresh' the laptop again two more times. I have also spoken to two Windows "technicians" and allowed one of them to remotely access my laptop. He found no issues or "violations".

Obviously, the temporary 'fix' of turning off auto-updates isn't a long term solution, and 'refreshing' the laptop hasn't helped (it actually caused the issue). Running Windows 8 on Dell Inspiron 3520.

Any advice, guys?

I'm guessing full format needed? - Would a format resolve the issue, since a 'refresh' caused it?

Thanks for reading.