OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration flashes a window every hour

Anonymous
2017-04-15T05:19:15+00:00

Is there a really, really good reason that the "OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration" task (see it in Task Scheduler, Microsoft, Office) must run every hour?  This is what it says that it does: "This task initiates Office Background Task Handler, which updates relevant Office data."

I ask, because it runs officebackgroundtaskhandler.exe in such a way that it flashes a window (itself) on the screen. Only instantaneously to be sure, but it's noticeable, especially once you catch onto what's happening. You can run the task manually if you want to see it without waiting.

Why doesn't the task use one of the many tricks to hide a window from displaying?

Insider Fast on Win10.

Microsoft 365 Insider | Install, activate, and update | Windows

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Anonymous
2017-05-30T14:37:13+00:00

( Update 6/7/17 - PaulSey... )

The fix is now available in mainstream builds 16.8210.2075 released on 6/6/17

This issue is fixed starting with build 16.0.8201.2025 which is now available as the latest update for those participating in the Office Insiders Slow program. It will be included in a future update for those not participating in Insiders.

For more information on joining Office Insiders see the Office Insider page.

Thank you everyone for reporting this issue!

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-05-30T10:13:23+00:00

    Thanks for the info. This helped me track the problem.

    Here's a screenshot of it happening.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-05-30T06:13:33+00:00

    Seriously, Microsoft, what is it with this GARBAGE?  You lost all your decent developers and the B-team remaining behind can't build software that works anymore, so you get your interns to create all these little hacked together workarounds to keep things operational?  I DO NOT WANT your auto-startups, scheduled tasks, triggered scripts, etc.  Even if they do work as intended, their ephemeral nature will just confuse users and frustrate support technicians ("it wasn't working half an hour ago, but it suddenly seemed to started working now...")

    Some people have suggested making these scheduled tasks run as SYSTEM.  The recent Windows Defender exploit discovered by Travis Ormandy should have taught us a lesson about being too liberal with the SYSTEM account, particularly when it comes to executables that with only the vaguest documentation about what exactly they are doing.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-05-30T06:12:16+00:00

    Getting this problem too since a few days, I was so scared because I couldn't even see what it was until I recorded my screen at 99fps for an hour until I saw it again.

    What the hell MS.

    I'm running Windows 10 1703 (Build 15063.296)

    Microsoft Office 1704 (Build 8067.2115)

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