Thanks for the try.
I didn't have that particular update installed.
In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I haven't used Windows Update for at least a year until this problem came up.

Nor did I have any of the "problem" updates listed in that thread you posted, which include:
KB 2843638
KB 2843639
KB 2859537
KB 2868846
KB 2873872
KB 2876063

As for System Restore, that's one of the FIRST things I disable on any new PC. ;>
In general, I'd rather find the problem and fix/remove it than blindly restore back (which causes its own problems)!

Thanks for trying to help, Unch!

I wonder what would happen if I just removed ALL of the Windows updates and then tried. ha.