Has anyone else encountered this problem? Receive an Excel file in email (both GMail and (desktop) Outlook 2016 (using a live.com account, not a GMail one) have been tested); Double click on it to open it. (Excel 2016 is already open); The file opens in Excel with that irritating little "Oooooh, very dangerous! Could be scary monsters inside!" message which, I'll admit, is potentially useful for files from outside the organisation which is the only reason that I leave it on. Of course, there's no point if it doesn't actually work. Then one of two things happens. Either You go to click the Enable Editing button and Excel completely hangs on you; or You get the "Excel (Protected Mode) {breathless pause...} Has! Stopped! Working! Pretending to check for a solution that has never once been found in my lifetime, please waste your time waiting" dialog. There is nothing wrong with the file itself. I have tried with two different files, both have a problem. In both cases if instead of opening them from the Email application I save them to a trusted location I can open them without problem. But opening them directly from either browser or Outlook completely crashes Excel 2016 in a way that it didn't with Excel 2010. Anyone else? PS: If anyone from Microsoft responds to this post, looking into this specific question , I'll be more than happy to listen. If instead they copy and paste a script about restarting Windows in Safe Mode I may just need to throw a shoe at something.

I just heard back from a displaylink tech support person. Apparently they are aware of the issue. He had me do a work around that has fixed the issue for me. Open a blank excel document. Go to file 3. Go to options Go to advanced Under Display Check the box...Disable graphics hardware acceleration. 7. Click apply. This has fixed my issue until there is a driver update. Thanks...Matt

New DisplayLink software today: http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/downloads.php http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/sla.php?fileid=177 Issues fixed in 7.9 M4 (7.9.1336.0) Microsoft Office protected view is crashing when using hardware graphics acceleration. This was a regression in the 7.9 M3 release (20998)

That's good news for those whose problems stem from DisplayLink software... but it's important to remember that it's not the fix since this problem also affects those who do not use DisplayLink software at all. For that, Microsoft has to pull its finger out and fix Excel. / Office (Something that it seems hugely reluctant to do with a number of bugs in my experience.)

This problem is ancient. Nope, it isn't an issue with DisplayLink. The problem was first reported in 2011 concerning Office 2010. This affects all office documents - not just Excel. I just opened an Excel document sent to me by a colleague while I had another Excel document open with unsaved changes. Now Excel is hung with a message in the status bar of the already open document saying "Opening file in Protected View." So, after four years and three new versions of Office, this is still a problem. You would think Microsoft could have fixed the problem by now, but no. Instead, they are content to let their customers lose data. FIX IT, MICROSOFT . Not a WORKAROUND . Fix the BUG .

Excel 2016 (Protected Mode) Crashing When Opening Files From Email

Anonymous

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Receive an Excel file in email (both GMail and (desktop) Outlook 2016 (using a live.com account, not a GMail one) have been tested);
Double click on it to open it. (Excel 2016 is already open);
The file opens in Excel with that irritating little "Oooooh, very dangerous! Could be scary monsters inside!" message which, I'll admit, is potentially useful for files from outside the organisation which is the only reason that I leave it on. Of course, there's no point if it doesn't actually work.

Then one of two things happens. Either

You go to click the Enable Editing button and Excel completely hangs on you; or
You get the "Excel (Protected Mode) {breathless pause...} Has! Stopped! Working! Pretending to check for a solution that has never once been found in my lifetime, please waste your time waiting" dialog.

There is nothing wrong with the file itself. I have tried with two different files, both have a problem. In both cases if instead of opening them from the Email application I save them to a trusted location I can open them without problem. But opening them directly from either browser or Outlook completely crashes Excel 2016 in a way that it didn't with Excel 2010.

Anyone else?

PS: If anyone from Microsoft responds to this post, looking into this specific question, I'll be more than happy to listen. If instead they copy and paste a script about restarting Windows in Safe Mode I may just need to throw a shoe at something.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

I just heard back from a displaylink tech support person. Apparently they are aware of the issue. He had me do a work around that has fixed the issue for me.

Open a blank excel document.
Go to file

3. Go to options

Go to advanced
Under Display
Check the box...Disable graphics hardware acceleration.

7. Click apply.

This has fixed my issue until there is a driver update.

Thanks...Matt

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Updated to displaylink driver 7.9m5 dated 2/23/2016 and problem was resolved for me.

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88 additional answers

Anonymous

2015-12-17T18:18:05+00:00
New DisplayLink software today:

http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/downloads.php

http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/sla.php?fileid=177

Issues fixed in 7.9 M4 (7.9.1336.0)
- Microsoft Office protected view is crashing when using hardware graphics
acceleration. This was a regression in the 7.9 M3 release (20998)
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Anonymous

2015-12-17T19:26:46+00:00

That's good news for those whose problems stem from DisplayLink software... but it's important to remember that it's not the fix since this problem also affects those who do not use DisplayLink software at all. For that, Microsoft has to pull its finger out and fix Excel. / Office (Something that it seems hugely reluctant to do with a number of bugs in my experience.)
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2016-01-08T07:14:48+00:00

This problem is ancient. Nope, it isn't an issue with DisplayLink. The problem was first reported in 2011 concerning Office 2010. This affects all office documents - not just Excel.

I just opened an Excel document sent to me by a colleague while I had another Excel document open with unsaved changes. Now Excel is hung with a message in the status bar of the already open document saying "Opening file in Protected View."

So, after four years and three new versions of Office, this is still a problem. You would think Microsoft could have fixed the problem by now, but no. Instead, they are content to let their customers lose data.

FIX IT, MICROSOFT. Not a WORKAROUND. Fix the BUG.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments