OneNote 2016 Crashing After Current Channel Update

Brass Contributor

We are seeing a number of users on current channel now reporting that OneNote crashes at launch. Subsequent launches invoke the recovery screen to clear cache, etc. None of these functions help. We can temporarily get the client to open by deleting the OneNote HKCU keys in the registry but the problem will return after closing and re-launching. We also found that if this reg value is set to something other than 0 then the problem occurs: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OneNote\FlightedVersion

We have resorted to rolling back the client by migrating to Monthly Enterprise or another build in order to resolve. It seems that earlier builds set the FlightedVersion to 0, which prevents the crash. I'm guessing others are seeing this issue and wonder if this is a known bug.

 

Thanks.

4 Replies

@rimetree 

we see the same problem with numerous of our clients. 

@rimetree  Oh ! Thanks you for your topic, i'm really be crazy with this problem that we have since end of january, it's not all the users but each day new users affected.

We have tried a lot of manipulations, read a lot off MS forums and oppened a support for that to MS but nothing is working ... 

Did you know the ID of the current update that is probably causing the problem?
indeed if we pass the key to "0" onenote is launched, then crash and return to the register the value register is returned to "1" ...

Did you manage to find a lasting solution for a client on your side?

Thanks you 

@Cayla31 Hi. I am not sure which build of the client started causing this behavior but it does seem to be in the January update of current channel. From what I can tell so far, we have had some success by downgrading to something older than version 2012. But that is certainly not a permanent solution.

@rimetree, , Finnaly, i have tried to downgrade the office build to older version (some users who have probleme is since 20 january conincidence ?

202121 janvierVersion 2012 (build 13530.20440)

(current version is  :

202109 févrierVersion 2101 (build 13628.20380)


To downgrade to this version use the extraction of officedeployementtool (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=491170) and configure the configuration.xml with your favorite editor (this file can be generated by this link too with more full options :  https://config.office.com/deploymentsettings)
Here, i have upload a zip file with the two files needed (exe and xml) :
Open a CMD as administrator go to the current directory and use this following command :

setup.exe /configure configuration.xml

For me, i have to enter the full path of the folder like and replacing my exemple (c:\temp\...) by yours :
c:\temp\365\setup.exe /configure c:\temp\365\configuration.xml

A window will appear and go to install office (its not really installation, it's a downgrade you will not lost anything settings don't worry)

 

install.png

At the end of the downgrade, open a word or other and go to verify the current update build number (Files/office account/)

 

version.png

At this step you are downgraded but if you launch OneNote, it the same problem with the same error :facepalm: but there is a workaround !

The last office update modifies a registry key quite oddly, several admins noticed that the following FlightedVersion key changed to the value 1: it can be found in the following registry path (regedit):
HKCU \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 16.0 \ OneNote \ FlightedVersion

If you don't find it like me on my pc it is available here:
\ HKEY_USERS \ S-1-5-21-2052111302-1708537768-475529459-33591 \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Office \ 16.0 \ OneNote
(replace the path of your ID like 'S-1-5-21-2052111302-1708537768-475529459-33591')
Close the registry.
Finally, LAUNCH ONENOTE ! :
if you have a window like this
 erreur.png

just click on start normally and magic, OneNote restarts with all preferences and paths saved before the crash !!

I hope it can help someone to avoid going crazy !