Symptom: OnePager will not Launch
After recently installing an Office Update from Microsoft, which was probably done as a part of a broader Windows Update, OnePager and other applications fail to launch, or generate error messages. In OnePager's application logs, you will see a message like this:
Query '' is corrupt.
Cause: Catastrophically Broken Microsoft Office Security Patch
On November 12, 2019, Microsoft released a faulty security patch to Microsoft Office. The result of this patch is that OnePager and any other Windows applications that make of Microsoft Office data objects are no longer able to write data.
Microsoft is aware of this urgent issue and is working on a second patch to reverse the damage done by the first patch. However, it does not appear that the issue will be resolved as quickly as we would like. In the meantime, Microsoft recommends rolling back the flawed security update. Most end users do not have the rights to do this, but helpdesks do. Given the gravity of this issue and how widespread it is, many helpdesks are already in the process of reversing this Microsoft patch company-wide. We have provided instructions on how to do this below.
This security patch was pushed out on November 12, 2019 as a part of a broader Office Update, and your helpdesk will be able to determine how it was installed on your system so that it can be reversed.
We, and many other software vendors, have escalated this issue to Microsoft, encouraging them to come up with another workaround or hotfix beyond the security patch rollback. If such a workaround becomes available prior to Microsoft's next patch release, we will update this article with that information.
How to Fix It
In order to restore things to working order, you first need to check (1) which version and build number of Office you have installed and (2) whether Office was originally installed using Click2Run (C2R) or with an MSI file. To check this, launch Excel, and go to File > Account. You should see both pieces of information. If Excel says "Click-to-Run", then Office was installed using C2R. If it doesn't say one way or the other, Office was installed using an MSI:
Once you have determined these two pieces of information, follow the instructions that match your Office installation method:
- Downgrade Instructions for MSI Installations of Office
- Downgrade Instructions for Click-to-Run Installations of Office
MSI Office Installations: Apply the Latest Security Patch
If your version of Office was installed using an MSI file, you should be able to remove the flawed security patch from Microsoft and resume normal operations, but we also recommend installing one of the newer security patches that Microsoft has made available to fix the issue as soon as possible.
As of November 27, 2019, all three MSI versions of Office 2010, 2013, and 2016 have been patched by Microsoft. Those patches are:
Office Edition |
Broken Version |
Broken Security Update(s) |
Fix Released by Microsoft On |
Install this Patch Instead |
Fixed Version After Installing Patch |
Office 2016 MSI |
Version 16.0.4927.1000 |
KB4484113 and KB3085368 |
November 18, 2019 |
Version 16.0.4927.1002 |
|
Office 2013 MSI |
Version 15.0.5189.1000 |
KB4484119 |
November 27, 2019 |
Version 15.0.5189.1002 |
|
Office 2010 MSI |
Version 14.0.7241.5000 |
KB4484127 |
November 27, 2019 |
Version 14.0.7241.5001 |
To remove an installed Office Update:
Go to Windows Settings > Apps
On the right-hand side, under Related Settings go to Programs & Features:
On the left-hand side, click on View installed updates:
Locate the problematic update and uninstall it. This example shows where to find KB4484113, which is breaking Office 2016 MSI installations:
Restart your computer to ensure the update takes effect.
More information is also available from Microsoft.
Click-to-Run Office Installations: Update to a Non-Broken Version
If Office was installed using Click-to-Run (C2R), simply removing the security patch alone will not fix the issue. You will need to use Click-to-Run to either downgrade to the earlier version of Office that was available before the broken update, or if a fix has already been made available, install a newer version of Office from Microsoft that incorporates the fix.
As of December 9, 2019, all versions of Office have finally been patched by Microsoft, so most users should be able to upgrade instead of downgrading.
Find your current Office version and build number to determine fix to install:
Office Edition |
Broken Version |
Previous Version, for Rolling Back if Needed |
Fix Released by Microsoft On |
Fixed Version After Installing Patch |
Office 365 C2R Monthly Channel |
Version 1910 (Build 12130.20344) |
Version 1910 (Build 12130.20272) |
November 18, 2019 |
Version 1910 (12130.20390) |
Office 365 C2R Semi-Annual (Targeted) Channel |
Version 1908 (Build 11929.20436) |
Version 1908 (Build 11929.20396) |
November 22, 2019 |
Version 1908 (Build 11929.20494) |
Office 365 C2R Semi-Annual Channel |
Version 1902 (Build 11328.20468) |
Version 1902 (Build 11328.20438) |
November 22, 2019 |
Version 1902 (Build 11328.20480) |
Office 365 C2R Semi-Annual Channel |
Version 1808 (Build 10730.20416) |
Version 1808 (Build 10730.20386) |
November 22, 2019 |
Version 1808 (Build 10730.20422) |
Office 2016/2019 C2R Volume License |
Version 1808 (Build 10352.20042) |
Version 1808 (Build 10351.20054) |
December 10, 2019 |
Version 1808 (Build 10353.20037) |
Office 2016/2019 C2R Retail License |
Version 1910 (Build 12130.20344) |
Version 1909 (Build 12026.20320) |
November 18, 2019 |
Version 1910 (12130.20390) |
Office 2013 C2R |
Version 15.0.5189.1000 |
Version 15.0.5179.1000 |
December 10, 2019 |
Version 15.0.5197.1000 |
Office 2010 C2R |
Version 14.0.7241.5000 |
Version 14.0.7239.5000 |
December 10, 2019 |
Version 14.0.7243.5000 |
Here's how to use Click-to-Run to change your Office version:
Open the Windows Command Prompt by pressing Windows + R, and then typing "cmd".
Once the Windows Command Prompt is open, enter the script to launch Click-to-Run, which will vary based on your version of Office. Here is an example of how to downgrade Office 2016 to build 16.0.12026.20320:
Here are examples of how to use Click-to-Run with different editions of Office. Change the "xxxxx.yyyyy" to the actual build number that you want to install using the list above as a reference.
Office 2016/2019 Click-to-Run Syntax:
cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun
officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.xxxxx.yyyyyOffice 2013 Click-to-Run Syntax for 64-BIT WINDOWS:
cd %programfiles%\Microsoft Office 15\ClientX64
OfficeClickToRun.exe /update user updatetoversion=15.0.xxxx.yyyyOffice 2013 Click-to-Run Syntax for 32-BIT WINDOWS:
cd %programfiles%\Microsoft Office 15\ClientX86
OfficeClickToRun.exe /update user updatetoversion=15.0.xxxx.yyyyYou should see a window pop up telling you that Office is downloading and installing updates, which will take a few minutes:
IMPORTANT: Once the downgrade or upgrade or Office is complete, you may also need to see if any of the Microsoft Patches (KB4484113, KB3085368, KB4484119, or KB4484127) are still installed. If they are, use the instructions earlier in this article to remove them as well. We have observed that even when using C2R to install a non-broken version of Office, the presence of these patches can still cause the issue to persist until they are removed.
More information is also available from Microsoft.
Temporarily Turn off Office Updates
If you have rolled back to an earlier version instead of rolling forward to a newer version that has been fixed, you run the risk of Microsoft reinstalling the bad update again without you knowing. To prevent Microsoft from re-updating with the broken patch again, you will need to turn off Office Updates. These are different from Windows Updates. To turn these off, launch Excel, and go to File > Account > Update Options. Chose to Disable Updates until Microsoft has fixed this issue.
Once you have installed the complete fix from Microsoft, you can turn updates back on.
Last Updated: December 27, 2019