Introduction

In a significant setback for users, Microsoft has confirmed that a recent Office update has caused Classic Outlook and Microsoft 365 applications to crash on systems running Windows Server 2016 and 2019. This revelation comes after a wave of complaints from frustrated customers who noticed that applications such as Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint crash just 15 seconds after launching.

Cause of the Issue

The root cause of this failure links back to a new integration of the React Native framework as part of the latest Office update. Specifically, the issue is confined to users who have upgraded their applications to Version 2412 (Build 18324.20168). Fortunately, Microsoft is taking proactive measures to address this crisis. The tech giant announced that they have reverted the affected users on Windows Server 2016 back to a stable version, 2411, which is not affected by the crash.

Microsoft's Response

"We’ve implemented a change to mitigate impact for users on Windows Server 2016 devices, by reverting to version 2411, and we are reaching out to those affected to confirm that this resolves the problem,” Xiaomi added that they are also exploring similar solutions for Windows Server 2019 users.

Manual Fix for Users

For those who haven’t been automatically reverted to the safe version and are still facing issues, Microsoft has provided a manual fix. By following a series of commands in a Command Prompt opened as an Administrator, users can revert to an earlier version temporarily to regain functionality.

Steps for Manual Reversion

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator. 2. Enter the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each: - `cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun` - `officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.18227.20152`

Preventing Future Issues

To avoid automatic updates that could cause these issues again, users should disable automatic updates by navigating to File, Office Account, Update Options, and selecting Disable Updates.

Important Reminder

Additionally, customers are advised to mark their calendars for February 11th to remember to re-enable updates once the situation is resolved.

Related Issues

Adding to the challenges, on the same day, Microsoft addressed a separate Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) outage that hindered access to Microsoft 365 Office apps, highlighting a rough patch for the company and its users.

Conclusion

This situation underscores the delicate balance tech companies must maintain when introducing new features, and it serves as a reminder that even small changes can have widespread implications for users. Microsoft continues to investigate another known issue that has led to "Product Deactivated" errors for various Microsoft 365 Office app users, demonstrating that challenges with software deployment are an ongoing struggle. As the tech giant works diligently to remedy these issues, users are left waiting for a reliable and stable solution. Stay tuned for further updates!