Office "The operating system is not presently configured to run this application"

Question

Hello,

we have such problem that some computers suddenly stopped opening excel (version 15.0.5589.1001) documents directly, the programme opens but is empty without any document. If you open a document in the program by pointing to it from the computer, it opens. In the properties of excel files it is stated that the file is opened with "appvlp", if I change here manually to excel by pointing to excel.exe from the program files directory, then the program does not start at all showing an error: "The operating system is not presently configured to run this application".

Did not help these steps:

-quick office repair

-online office repair

-reset of default applications in windows.

Please help.

Answer 1

Here is the solution:

1. Start any office app, e.g. Word, from the start menu (start button / Microsoft Office 2013 / (app). This link should work; it's only links that have been copied to desktops, taskbars, etc. that don't.
2. Click on a blank document (or workbook, or whatever) to get to a regular document window. Then use File / Account to open the account/version/activation screen. Click the Update Options button and select Disable Updates from the menu. This is important because you don't want your computer downloading the update again after you uninstall it!
3. (Note you can also do steps 1 and 2 only to proactively prevent any computer running Office 2013 64-bit from updating if it hasn't done so already. The installed version will show on this screen, and if it's earlier than 15.0.5589.1001, just turn off updates and you will have dodged the bullet. Congratulations, you're done.)
4. Assuming you have been updated, close the office app you have loaded and any and all other Office 2013 apps.
5. Open an elevated command prompt (run cmd.exe as administrator)
6. Change to the Office 2013 click-to-run base folder:
   cd "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office 15\ClientX64"
7. Revert to version 15.0.5571.1000, which does not have this bug:
   officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=15.0.5571.1000
8. Wait a bit. Be patient, it takes a few minutes. You will see a box pop up (not immediately, don't worry) informing you that updates are being downloaded; then that box will close and another will pop up telling you that updates are being installed. When this second box closes, you are done.

I've done this on few computers so far and it's worked flawlessly.

Answer 2

Temporary fix using Command Prompt:

If you have MS office 2013 64 bit version, you need to revert from version 15.0.5589.1001(September 12) to 15.0.5571.1000 (July 11).

See step by step video on Youtube.

First, disable office updates: Open any Office app and navigate to File > Account > Update Options > Disable Updates. (You can enable this later when new update becomes available from Microsoft)

Next, open Command Prompt in admin mode.

Lastly, Copy & paste command line below and press enter

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\ClientX64\officec2rclient.exe" /update user updatetoversion=15.0.5571.1000

Office update will download and install update 15.0.5571.1000 and a confirmation will appear on your screen.

PS: I see people reporting that the update 15.0.5571.1000 didn't work in some cases. Myself tried Aug 8 version first, and it didn't work, that is how I ended up using 15.0.5571.1000. So, if this version is not working for you, please try changing to lower version by changing the version number in the command line above.

See the link to the full list of office 2013 updates below.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-2013

Answer 3

MS messed up the open command. Excel needs to know which files to open as an argument. They currently pass no filenames and then Excel opens blank, as expected.

Fix this RegKey:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office 15\\Root\\Client\\AppVLp.exe\" \"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office 15\\Root\\Office15\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\" /dde"

The "%1" was missing. Look at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open\command for reference.

Answer 4

I have the same issue, but I found a workaround to open the file. Go to file and click your your document under Recent Workbooks or browse to file location and click on the file. I hope Microsoft fix this issue soon.

Answer 5

I've tried everything described here and more - nothing worked for Excel files.

Then tried reverting to much earlier version 15.0.5511.1000 (December 2022) - and this did it!
Now it works properly (no PC restart needed, just started working again)

So if you are still stuck with this - try above steps (disable Office updates first), but choose some earlier versions.

Ehhh... several hours wasted...