I haven't heard anything back on this yet, but I'd like to add a couple of things:
1.) I've been having problems getting Windows Media Player version 12.0.7601.23517 to launch and have exhausted all suggestions on how to fix it. The only thing left is sfc /scannow which has the issue outlined in my post #1 of this thread.
2.) I'm having problems with Windows Defender, but it might be because I'm using AVG 2016 Antivirus Free, but then again, maybe not. I would hope that they can coexist, even if there might be some overlap. Again, have exhausted all suggestions on how to fix it and I'm back to my sfc /scannow problem. Here's what I got from Computer Management Windows Application Logs:
Faulting application name: svchost.exe_WinDefend, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bc100
Faulting module name: mpsvc.dll, version: 6.1.7601.18170, time stamp: 0x51a2e7c9
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000339ef
Faulting process id: 0x1630
Faulting application start time: 0x01d244e475ff9567
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
Faulting module path: c:\program files\windows defender\mpsvc.dll
Report Id: b3b83e0d-b0d7-11e6-95dd-1078d284ca82
Here's what I got from NirSoft AppCrashView:
Version=1
EventType=APPCRASH
EventTime=131243087790197620
ReportType=2
Consent=1
UploadTime=131243087794447863
ReportIdentifier=d898c8ea-b0d7-11e6-95dd-1078d284ca82
IntegratorReportIdentifier=d898c8e9-b0d7-11e6-95dd-1078d284ca82
Response.BucketId=4029157968
Response.BucketTable=1
Response.type=4
Sig[0].Name=Application Name
Sig[0].Value=svchost.exe_WinDefend
Sig[1].Name=Application Version
Sig[1].Value=6.1.7600.16385
Sig[2].Name=Application Timestamp
Sig[2].Value=4a5bc100
Sig[3].Name=Fault Module Name
Sig[3].Value=mpsvc.dll
Sig[4].Name=Fault Module Version
Sig[4].Value=6.1.7601.18170
Sig[5].Name=Fault Module Timestamp
Sig[5].Value=51a2e7c9
Sig[6].Name=Exception Code
Sig[6].Value=c0000005
Sig[7].Name=Exception Offset
Sig[7].Value=000339ef
DynamicSig[1].Name=OS Version
DynamicSig[1].Value=6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
DynamicSig[2].Name=Locale ID
DynamicSig[2].Value=1033
DynamicSig[22].Name=Additional Information 1
DynamicSig[22].Value=0a9e
DynamicSig[23].Name=Additional Information 2
DynamicSig[23].Value=0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
DynamicSig[24].Name=Additional Information 3
DynamicSig[24].Value=0a9e
DynamicSig[25].Name=Additional Information 4
DynamicSig[25].Value=0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
UI[2]=C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
UI[3]=Windows Defender has stopped working
UI[4]=Windows can check online for a solution to the problem.
UI[5]=Check online for a solution (recommended)
UI[6]=Check for a solution later (recommended)
UI[7]=Close
UI[8]=Windows Defender stopped working and was closed
UI[9]=A problem caused the application to stop working correctly. Windows will notify you if a solution is available.
UI[10]=&Close
LoadedModule[0]=C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
LoadedModule[1]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
LoadedModule[2]=C:\Program Files\AVG\Av\avghookx.dll
LoadedModule[3]=C:\Windows\system32\kernel32.dll
LoadedModule[4]=C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
LoadedModule[5]=C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll
LoadedModule[6]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\sechost.dll
LoadedModule[7]=C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll
LoadedModule[8]=c:\program files\windows defender\mpsvc.dll
LoadedModule[9]=C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
LoadedModule[10]=C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll
LoadedModule[11]=C:\Windows\system32\GDI32.dll
LoadedModule[12]=C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll
LoadedModule[13]=C:\Windows\system32\LPK.dll
LoadedModule[14]=C:\Windows\system32\USP10.dll
LoadedModule[15]=C:\Windows\system32\WTSAPI32.dll
LoadedModule[16]=C:\Windows\system32\sfc.dll
LoadedModule[17]=C:\Windows\System32\sfc_os.DLL
LoadedModule[18]=c:\program files\windows defender\MpClient.dll
LoadedModule[19]=C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll
LoadedModule[20]=C:\Windows\system32\USERENV.dll
LoadedModule[21]=C:\Windows\system32\profapi.dll
LoadedModule[22]=C:\Windows\system32\WINTRUST.dll
LoadedModule[23]=C:\Windows\system32\CRYPT32.dll
LoadedModule[24]=C:\Windows\system32\MSASN1.dll
LoadedModule[25]=C:\Windows\system32\VERSION.dll
LoadedModule[26]=C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll
LoadedModule[27]=C:\Windows\system32\SHLWAPI.dll
LoadedModule[28]=C:\Windows\system32\IMM32.DLL
LoadedModule[29]=C:\Windows\system32\MSCTF.dll
LoadedModule[30]=C:\Windows\System32\GPAPI.dll
State[0].Key=Transport.DoneStage1
State[0].Value=1
State[1].Key=DataRequest
State[1].Value=Bucket=-265809328/nBucketTable=1/nResponse=1/n
FriendlyEventName=Stopped working
ConsentKey=APPCRASH
AppName=Windows Defender
AppPath=C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe