: The legitimate wuauclt.exe file is always located in C:\Windows\System32 . If you see any other wuauclt.exe files elsewhere, especially in temporary folders or the root of your C: drive, they could be malware.
When faced with a crashing wuauclt.exe , use this prioritized troubleshooting order for the best and fastest results: why does wuaucltexe crash best work
Uninstall problematic updates
These tools scan for and repair corrupt system files that cause component crashes. Open Command Prompt (Admin) . : The legitimate wuauclt