Updating office and getting an error message (Office for Windows)

Anonymous
2020-02-11T19:34:37+00:00

I have tried to open a word / excel document. 

It says it is updating, please wait a moment. 

After a few minutes I get a message saying: 

WINWORD.EXE - Application Error - This application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000142). Click OK to close the application.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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  1. Stefan Blom 351.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-07-16T07:56:19+00:00

    See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2770432/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2013-or-office-2016-clic.

    Note that reverting to an older release shouldn't be necessary, though. Slowness is not a known issue in recent builds/versions of Word, as far as I am aware. Further troubleshooting may be required.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-07-16T00:19:27+00:00

    I am able to kill it, and then repair office, but it's slow and aggravating. 

    How do I block the update (regedit is fine), because every time it tries and fails, so there's no point in trying.

    When Microsoft fixes this problem so that the update will actually "take" it'll be worth updating.

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  3. Stefan Blom 351.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-07-15T08:59:58+00:00

    Try shutting down the Microsoft Office click-to-run process in Task Manager and see if you are then allowed to start Word and update or repair Office.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-07-15T08:35:30+00:00

    And yet every ______ time, "Updating Office, Please wait a moment"

    AND MY OFFICE DOESN'T WORK.

    Can't you tell from all these similar reponses that there's a problem!?!!

    I am so sick of reinstalling a 500MB package every day!!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-07-12T13:54:45+00:00

    i am getting the same error. funny how ms office misbehaves during this time when i need to prepare for the upcoming online classes and word/powerpoint are required in certain subjects.

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