Lost Excel and Winword After Windows Update

[ZeeOSix]

I'm running Windows 7, SP1 ... always kept up to date with Windows Updates.

So I did the following Windows Updates a few minutes ago, and after it was done a Windows rebooted, I can't open Excel, Word and other programs that are in Office 2013. I get the following error message: "The operating system is not presently configured to run this application."

If I try to open Excel or Word, I sometimes also get the message: "There was a problem sending the command to the program."

Some of the programs in Office 2013 will still open, but not all of them. I use Excel and Word a lot and can't go without them for very long.

Everything was working fine before these 3 Windows updates were done today. What's the best way to attack this issue? Go back to to the restore point done before these updates, or try a "repair" of Office 2013 using this method? https://appuals.com/operating-system-is-not-presently-configured-to-run-this-application/

Is this even an Office 2013 issue, or is it a Windows OS issue?

 

[Kawiguy454]

I have had many office 2016 installs go wonky I think 13 is similar. go into programs/uninstall and choose the repair option. If needed the installer will download the apps and completely reinstall as needed. You know it is a real issue if M$ builds a fixer into its uninstall.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

This is why you always have a backup of your system. Have to say though I've been there.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by Kawiguy454
I have had many office 2016 installs go wonky I think 13 is similar. go into programs/uninstall and choose the repair option. If needed the installer will download the apps and completely reinstall as needed. You know it is a real issue if M$ builds a fixer into its uninstall.


Same thing happened to me. I have office 2016 in Windows 10 and it happened. I guess they are good at breaking stuff across versions. The repair option fixed it.

 

[bobdoo]

Try right-clicking on the actual program executable (the word.exe/excel.exe) file (you can right-click the shortcut and 'open file location'), and choose Properties. In the window that opens, choose the Compatibility tab. In Compatibility Mode dropdown, try an older OS version.

If everything you try fails, do what I did and run OpenOffice (openoffice.org). It's free and opens/saves all your Office files in the original format.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Did a full on-line "Repair" on Office 2013 and it showed to complete successfully. Rebooted and tried to open Excel and Word and get the same error messages.

Time to try the restore point that was created before the latest Windows update was done today? Doesn't seem like an Office 2013 issue.

Maybe I'll boot-up in Safe Mode and see if they will open.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I tried booting up in Safe Mode, but don't think Office 2013 will run in Safe Mode. Get the pop-up shown below, which I think is erroneous since I just did a full "Repair" on Office 2013. If I look into the folders for the files of Office 2013, they all now have today's date on them, so the full on-line repair I did essentially looks like a full reinstallation.

BTW, Access and Publisher will open up in Office 2013, but not Excel, Word or PowerPoint. It was that way too before I did the full "Repair". Just doesn't seem to be an Office 2013 issue, maybe the OS is messed up? But everything else seems to be operating fine after the Windows Update done earlier today.

This is the pop-up seen in Safe Mode when trying to open Excel or Word.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by bobdoo
Try right-clicking on the actual program executable (the word.exe/excel.exe) file (you can right-click the shortcut and 'open file location'), and choose Properties. In the window that opens, choose the Compatibility tab. In Compatibility Mode dropdown, try an older OS version.

If everything you try fails, do what I did and run OpenOffice (openoffice.org). It's free and opens/saves all your Office files in the original format.


Just tried that ... no luck, same error messages when trying to open Excel, Word or PowerPoint.

 

[JMJNet]

It is a Windows update issue.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by JMJNet
It is a Windows update issue.


What's the fix? Should I go execute the Restore Point that Windows does before updates are installed?

 

[edwardh1]

this stuff is always too complicated

 

[MONKEYMAN]

The last time Windows Update caused and issue I un-installed every update. I installed the ones that were OK. I hid the one causing the problem. Now, I do not automatically install updates. Windows 7 and working great now.

 

[JMJNet]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by JMJNet
It is a Windows update issue.


What's the fix? Should I go execute the Restore Point that Windows does before updates are installed?


I saw on Twitter today. Not sure what is the solution.
I am not sure if Windows have a solution line.
May be post in their forum? or Google to see if there is a solution.
I have not updated mine, yet.

 

[SHOZ]

Can't you go into Programs in Control Panel and show the Win Updates and remove them individually?

 

[2004tdigls]

the fix is to install Linux

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by JMJNet
Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by JMJNet
It is a Windows update issue.


What's the fix? Should I go execute the Restore Point that Windows does before updates are installed?

I saw on Twitter today. Not sure what is the solution.
I am not sure if Windows have a solution line.
May be post in their forum? or Google to see if there is a solution.
I have not updated mine, yet.


This must have just hit the streets today as a major issue with an update clobbering Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). I did a Google search earlier before posting this thread and didn't find anything thing real recent specific to this issue.

Why can't Mircrosoft putout updates without making things break lately? I think I'm going to wait 2~3 weeks to install updates after the hit my computer from now on.

 

[ZeeOSix]

So what's the next move:

1) Try the restore point made by Windows before this bad update happened?
2) Manual remove the updates?
3) Wait and see if Microsoft pushes out a fix through Windows Updates?

If a Windows Update is "Uninstalled" manually, will that revert the system back 100% to what it was before the update? Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Trav]

Try this just as an experiment. Go in the Windows security center, app and browser control, exploit protection. turn everything off, reboot and see if they work.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Here's the info on the Restore Point that was created before the Windows Update that honked up Office 2013. If I execute the Restore point, I might have to "Repair" Office 2013 again since it looks like the repair updated it to a newer version.

So what's the safest thing to try?
1) Manually uninstall the 3 updates that were installed ... or,
2) Execute the Restore Point

Don't know why my uploaded pixs are so small ... they are like 4 times smaller than the original on my computer.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Trav
Try this just as an experiment. Go in the Windows security center, app and browser control, exploit protection. turn everything off, reboot and see if they work.


I don't see that ... I'm running Windows 7.