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Loren Amelang's avatar
Loren Amelang
Copper Contributor
May 07, 2017

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 ...
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SergeiBaklan's avatar
SergeiBaklan
Diamond Contributor
May 07, 2017

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.

 

 

 

  • Loren Amelang's avatar
    Loren Amelang
    Copper Contributor
    May 07, 2017

    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.

    • SergeiBaklan's avatar
      SergeiBaklan
      Diamond Contributor
      May 08, 2017

      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.

      • Loren Amelang's avatar
        Loren Amelang
        Copper Contributor
        May 08, 2017

        Sergei,

         

        I did not think the first Excel version was C2R, but I'm not clear how to tell. Here's what its license check showed:

        PRODUCT ID: 00333-10000-00000-AA920
        SKU ID: c3e65d36-141f-4d2f-a303-a842ee756a29
        LICENSE NAME: Office 16, Office16ExcelVL_KMS_Client edition
        LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 16, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel

         

        At any rate, I carefully uninstalled that before installing the new Microsoft Store version. And that Store version was completely uninstalled and a newly downloaded "Setup.X86.en-US_ExcelRetail_07b5b21e-d03e-40de-b676-6459e1d7027c_TX_PR_.exe" version was installed to solve an earlier problem.

         

        As for Project, all I've ever had on this computer is Excel, I have no idea why there are so many registry entries for other Office components. I do still have the install image for the current Excel, but if the previous two uninstalls didn't clean things up, I doubt a third try would.

         

        Plus then I'd be several updates back in time, with no way to retrieve them. I don't understand why every third-party app is able to update itself successfully despite my tacky internet service, but Microsoft just fails over and over. Paying someone for two hours of driving to reach a Starbucks (or any reliable connectivity) is not really an option.

         

        Guess I just get used to seeing the update banner in every Excel window.

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