Microsoft Excel has stopped working

Anonymous
2013-01-20T23:25:07+00:00

I have just purchased Microsoft Office 2013 on a brand new computer using Windows 7 OS.

Whenever I try to open Excel, Word or Outlook, I get an error message stating: Microsoft (Outlook, Excel, Word) has stopped working.   Then it offers an option to check online for a solution, but nothing ever happens and it shuts down. I don't have any antivirus installed onto this computer and this computer has never had any other Office edition installed on it before. It's brand new.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2013-01-21T13:21:23+00:00

Hi Sharon,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for posting the question. As I understand you have an issue with accessing of Office Word, Excel and Outlook on the computer. Let me assist you with the issue.

I have a question for you:

Were you able to work with Office applications prior to the issue?

Step1:

Try to repair Office 2013 installation and check if it helps:

  • Click on Start > Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.
  • Note: In Classic view, double-click Programs and Features.
  • Click Microsoft Office 2013, and then click Change.

Step2:

If the issue persists even after repairing the Office installation you may try to open Outlook, Excel and Word in safe mode to check if the issue persists:

  • Click Start.
  • Type Outlook /safe, and then click OK.

Note: There is space between Outlook and /.

Replace Outlook with Excel and WinWord to start Excel, Word in safe mode.

I hope the above suggestion helps. If you need further assistance on this particular issue or any other Office related issue let us know and we will be glad to assist you.

Thank you.

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Anonymous
2013-02-09T21:32:36+00:00

Try opening word or excel in safe mode.  Go to file/options/add-ins and select COM add-ins.  Uncheck the add-ins.  Might work

This solved the problem for me.  I found I had an add-in that must have come from my scanner/printer called ABBYY finereader.  Once I disabled this add in by unchecking, I could start the applications without safe mode.  Thanks Adrian!

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Anonymous
2015-04-06T02:30:13+00:00

Hi Sharon,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for posting the question. As I understand you have an issue with accessing of Office Word, Excel and Outlook on the computer. Let me assist you with the issue.

I have a question for you:

Were you able to work with Office applications prior to the issue?

Step1:

Try to repair Office 2013 installation and check if it helps:

  • Click on Start > Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.
  • Note: In Classic view, double-click Programs and Features.
  • Click Microsoft Office 2013, and then click Change.

Step2:

If the issue persists even after repairing the Office installation you may try to open Outlook, Excel and Word in safe mode to check if the issue persists:

  • Click Start.
  • Type Outlook /safe, and then click OK.

Note: There is space between Outlook and /.

Replace Outlook with Excel and WinWord to start Excel, Word in safe mode.

I hope the above suggestion helps. If you need further assistance on this particular issue or any other Office related issue let us know and we will be glad to assist you.

Thank you.

Thanks.  Starting in safe mode worked.  I then did as Adrian suggested, and disabled the COM add-in.  ABBYY finereader was the offender for me.  It came from my scanner

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-18T01:52:42+00:00

    Hi, I had this problem as well. 

    I tried the 2 common recommendations and neither worked. I don't have the ABBYY reader and when I renamed OSF.dll (or whatever it was called) it worked for a while but that particular dll is always getting updated and replaced by systems updates, and who wants to disable a dll anyway, very ugly.

    What did work for me is that patch from Avast! Yes folks there is some issue where Excel and Avast! do not play nicely together. Here is the fix.

    UPDATE: Avast! has posted an update to their Antivirus programs that resolves this issue. It is dated November 11, 2013. Once you install the new version, obtained from http://www.avast.com, you must do the following to resolve the crash:

    1. Reboot your machine (the last step of removing Avast!)
    2. Click on the File Tab, and click Options.
    3. Click Trust Center and then Trust Center Settings.
    4. Click Trusted App Catalogs, and then click the Clear button.

    After you do this and restart Excel, the crash should not occur.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-18T01:35:26+00:00

    I had the same problem.  Once I uninstalled ABBYY finereader my Office applications worked again.  EPSON gives another solution on their web site, which may allow you to keep ABBYY finereader and have your Office programs work.  I haven't tried it yet but plan to reinstall ABBYY and give it a go when I have the time.  Here is the EPSON link:  http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=FAQ&oid=209704&prodoid=63095159&foid=239812&cat=237989&subcat=237999 .  Good luck.

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