Forum Discussion
Excel 2016 C2R constant updates - even after disabled!
I had a volume license version of Excel 2016, which worked flawlessly on this Surface Book, but I left the licensing organization. So I bought and installed Excel Retail Image 16.0.6741.2048 - which has been a continuing problem.
Actually, it is now up to 16.0.7870.2031, and it is mostly functional. But every day it claims to have updated itself, yet every time it opens it shows the updates available banner, and the update notification and tray icon. The version does not change, so I suspect the updates always fail. My only internet option is a "metered connection", which costs far more per GB than what city people pay for cellular, and spends way too much time on retransmissions. I used to drive for two hours to update on a better connection, but I can no longer drive anywhere.
So I thought I'd disable updates. Excel's Update Options says "This product will not be updated." But it still insists there are updates, every time I open a Excel file! Maybe some update is stuck midway through the process? How can I make it just give up and ignore them all?
Hi Loren,
My guess is what automatic download and install updates in the background and notifications about updates are different settings.
Not sure if the latest is possible to change from user interface. You may try to follow this tip https://www.outlook-tips.net/tips/office-2013-upgrade-banner/ and add to the registry the key like
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\ClickToRun\Updates String: UpgradeAdvertised Value: 0 String: UpgradePackageVersion Value: 0.0.0.0
Perhaps some registry setting are kept from you old/business Excel installation, and clean re-installation could help.
Anyway, i have no exact answer, just gave you the direction.
That looked promising, but maybe it only applies to the "real" Office? "Click-to-Run" seems to operate by its own rules. The closest I can find to that area in my system is in the screenshot:
"UpdateDetectionWatcher" is not found anywhere else in the registry. "Updates" only has "value not set" keys. And none for 16.0 version.
I suspect C2R, like the "new" apps, pretty much ignores the registry. Their updates ignore all your Windows Update settings, ignore "metered connection", and just do whatever Microsoft wants, on their schedule. Guess it's the future.
Hi Loren,
Yes, C2R is for any O365 and works separatelly from Windows Update. The latest updates only stand-alone Microsoft products (in addition to OS) if you checked such setting.
It looks like you still have your business O365 installed, just license expired. For example, you have in your registry MS Project which could be added only to Enterprise or Academic O365 plans.
If you don't use your business O365 any more, it will be more reliable to uninstall C2R from Control panel and after that install your new Excel (stand alone, or within O365 Home, whatever) from scratch.
Better to do when you next time drive to Starbucks or like not to consume metered connection during the installation.
