fix for Windows Update error 8024402F

I've just reinstalled my main home-office workstation and Windows Update started to fail after I installed Microsoft Office.  The specific error-code is 8024402F.

I tried all sorts of suggested fixes online:
- reboot (MANY times!)
- ran WindowsUpdateDiagnostics tool
- ran System File Checker (SFC)
- Reset the content of the Catroot2 folder
There were other more-involved fixes, too, but I wanted to avoid them if at all possible.  I mean- this was a brand-new install so how could any system files have gotten corrupted?  I hadn't had crashes or other errors before this point.

Solution

The key was that Windows Update was configured for both Windows and Microsoft app updates.  I went into 'Change Settings' and unchecked the option to update Microsoft apps -- i.e., Office -- and the problem went away.  Honestly, the only Microsoft app I have installed is Outlook 2003 so I'm not expecting any updates.  And, apparently, there's something about how Office 2003 registered itself that confused/broke that Microsoft Update feature.