[1709, fcu] Latest Update Uninstalling Office

[Ksavage413]

Hi all,

 

We've been having an odd issue here with Windows 10 and Office 13. Whenever a laptop updates it breaks office pretty hard. Symptoms as follows:

 

• Every program shortcut on the desktop is duplicated, and the original becomes invalid (results in things like outlook (broken) and outlook (1).
  
• All files and file/directory/web shortcuts are fine and unaffected.
  
• Anything that isn't in a sub-folder on the start menu is duplicated and breaks in the same way that program shortcuts do on the Desktop.
  
• All broken links redirect to an identical place on a non-existent X: drive (x:\Program Files\).
  

 

So far we've just taken reactionary measures of cleaning up the shortcuts and start menu, uninstalling Office and reinstalling. This was fine when it was just the one user, but now we've had five and we're looking for a way to nip this problem in the bud before it becomes a serious pain in the backside.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Steve21]

How are you deploying your shortcuts? That sounds more like a problem with the way it's updating them rather than Office/Updates.

 

Steve

[simpsonj]

Not deploying shortcuts, as these are staff computers, the shortcuts are created when programs are installed.

Seems we're not alone with this issue.

Seriously unimpressed with Microsoft for letting this one slip by.

[Steve21]

Isn't that a different issue though? (And from the date) If the OP is talking about all shortcuts etc not working and being duplicated, that isn't actually uninstalling anything

 

Steve

[simpsonj]

The OP is sat 2m away from me

 

The update completely uninstalls Office 2013, aside from the shorcuts, which point to a none existent X Drive.

All the other installed program shortcuts are duplicated (so have (1) added), but at least remain installed.

So far this has happened on 4 machines: 3 laptops, 1 desktop, without any rhyme or reason as to why these machines have had the issue, and others not.

 

I guess the best plan is to go through my GPOs and try to ensure that Windows 10 doesn't update itself with the larger creator updates. I had thought this was in place, but obviously not...

[Steve21]

uninstalling Office and reinstalling

 

I blame the OP then!

 

Well ok yes If it's fully uninstalling it itself that's slightly different!

 

Steve

[simpsonj]

Office 2013 is just a broken mess, so we're having to 'uninstall' it to reinstall it, if that makes sense?