Office apps simply disappeared??

[ViProCon]

A user under a Microsoft 365 Business Standard (formerly O365 Business Premium) license reported to me today that all Office 365 apps have disappeared from her Win 10 Pro computer.  No errors, nothing, the software is simply gone.  Googling on this, most people focus on missing icons.  This is not that. The software is gone completely, nothing in Apps, except the generic Office Click to Run icon that's usually found on Win 10 machines whether Office was actually installed or not.  Malware is not suspected on this one.  

The only slight clue I have on this is that, given that it's gone, I decided to first just re-download the installer after logging into office.com.  Running the installer, it tells me an installation is already in progress, yet there are no taskbar/notification area icons.  Task Manager shows some OfficeC2R stuff, which I tried to End Task.  It wouldn't end, it would just pop back up again in Task Manager (but again nothing in the actual UI).  

I did the Open File Location, found the exe for this thing, renamed it with .old, (surprisingly it let me without hassle), and upon doing that, I then was able to kill the now-memory-only OfficeC2R exe file from Task Manager.  This then let me start the installer I had downloaded, which is currently in progress for downloading (though, extremely slowly, despite a 19ms / 120Mbps connection - MS having issues I wonder? - 11:35 AM Eastern May 15 2020).  

So I suspect in some kind of dumb way, Office was updating itself and screwed up?  The last Windows update was May 12, the quality update for .net framework.  I'm not actually sure where to look in the event logs for stuff related to install/uninstall for Office - the started Application log shows msiinstaller stuff related to my installing it, but keyword searching for "office" shows nothing that points to a removal or an update of the software.  

*sigh*.  F'ing computers.  

[#2]

@ViProCon have you found a solution? I'm running into the exact same thing. Only after reinstalling office, once the PC goes to sleep, all office apps are gone. I can't even find the executables for them. Tried Windows Key + R and running "winword" and it couldn't find it. I literally opened it 20 minutes ago. If I go into control panel, it shows that Office Apps for Enterprise is installed. Repairing is useless. I'm so frustrated  

[#3]

@OrthoIT   Sorry to say I don't recall what fixed it, probably the download/reinstall I did though as I don't recall doing anything special after that.  this was 10 months ago :\  t relates in some way to Click2Run and how all that works I believe.  

One thing I suggest - stop using sleep mode (if possible).  Not good advice for a laptop of course so with any luck this problem is on a desktop but over many years, I find sleep mode induces problems that you'd never have if the computer were just left on 24x7.  

[#4]

Same problem.  Help!

[#5]

Same problem

[#6]

@wcmessick 

Hi,

I've seen this issue and the problem was InTune. Basically we had two conflicting groups pushing different application versions.

Worth checking!

Thanks,

Jose 

[#7]

@ViProCon have you ever found a solution? I'm running into the precise same thing. Only after reinstalling office, once the PC goes to sleep, all office apps are gone. i can not even find the executables for them. Tried Windows Key + R and running "winword" and it couldn't find it. I literally opened it 20 minutes ago. If i'm going into instrument panel , it shows that Office Apps for Enterprise is installed. Repairing is useless. I'm so frustrated

[#8]

The problem had gone away on its own, I think if memory serves by reinstalling. I'm not running any enterprise-level management on this, all these situations I see are always with just M365 Business Standard. But I'm sure the interactivity with the back-end M365 platform is probably the same - I don't use InTune but I'm sure some form of MDM/EMM functionality is governing this stuff in the background, using default "stuff" from Microsoft.
I suspect this type of issue is well known, but hard to track down anybody that knows about it. As backwards as that sounds.
FWIW I've spun my wheels extensively on some tech issues, only to have finally caved and contacted tech support (usually I feel contacting 1st level tech support is a massive waste of time - usually it is, even on multiple contacts), but I sometimes find they just know what's what. Worth trying perhaps.

Side note: turn off sleep. I don't know what it is with sleep modes and computers, but over the years, this whole functionality somehow leads to problems more than not. I don't know why, or what it is that doeds it, but it's like a 99.5% reliable thing, and as an IT tech, I of course witness the 0.5% of times when it causes mind-bogglingly stupid problems. I recommend never both with sleep modes.

[#9]

@ViProCon 

This type of inconvenience can occur when there is a process that generates conflicts or due to the elimination of some important records from the system.

To begin with, perform a clean reboot of the operating system, thus disabling any third-party programs that may cause interference. Follow the instructions on the website: How to perform a clean boot in Windows.

Try checking for updates manually for the Office applications, this will refresh corrupted records. Complete the steps in the Tech Note: Install Office Updates.

[#10]

Hi i have the same issue with many laptops on my organization...
Every time office updates (monthly) some app disappeared like excel, word, etc, mostly Excel... my workaround is Run "excel /safe" and works, but next month is happen again.
Now the .xlsx or .docx files are white icon like no application associated, running that command are back again.

Hope to find a solution soon.
Thanks to share

[#11]

@ViProCon have you tracked down an answer I'm running into precisely the same thing. Solely after reinstalling office, when the PC rests, all office applications are no more. I can't find the executables for them. Attempted Windows Key + R and running "winword" and it couldn't track down it I in a real sense opened it 20 minutes prior. Assuming I go into control board, it shows that Office Apps for Enterprise is introduced. Fixing is futile. I'm so baffled

[#12]

@johnhenry17860 

Wish I could be helpful but the problem just kind of self-solved if I recall.  It's been a while.  I strongly suspected it was that crazy Click2Run stuff, but ultimately if memory serves I had just ended up uninstalling (if present), logging into office.com and redownloading.  Possibly picking 32 vs. 64bit could have some result, like in essence installing a "different" version had a way of making it work properly, but yeah, it's been so long now I can't specifically recall :(

[#13]

I wonder if it's the same issue I've seen, it relates to Office App launcher. It launches but you don't see the additional applications (Web based what I can tell). We have a logo in the top left hand side of the window pop up, which I've clicked and instantly the window refreshes \ opens another window, but this time you notice 9 square shaped dot arrangement. Click on that and look further down the pain for "All Apps"....You know the rest.
It's my work around so far.

The only doubt's I have in my head is the duration between comments, my issue is with MS365 Cloud driven and yours sounds a few years ago...

[#14]

Ok i found the solution.
Let me explain and sorry for my english.

I install every time Office from an iso and that office is very old (downloaded from microsoft software site)
That installation updates some times and "i think" change the office structure (msi to c2r)

Well, my solution was... install office 2016 o newer from the setup.exe file and its configure file (.xml)
You can find some instruction here
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/office2019/deploy
You can follow the steps on a simple computer, with CMD as administrator.

I already install a lot office and since december no problems with the monthly updates.

Hope works for you
Regards

[#15]

We have tis issue with 3 out of 210 users.
User lost Word yesterday, I re-installed from web "Install Office" link.
Today gone again.
Office is installed via MEM, why these 3 users or these 3 machines?

[#16]

This problem is still present! MS, it is over 2 1/2 years since this is happening. It works for a day, and disappears the next day when I restarted my laptop! <Grrr> When are you going to fix it? <Sigh>

[#17]

Just uninstall office from the scratch and go back to install BUT no using your ISO
You need to use the C2R Install (setup.exe + configfile.xml)
Thats Solve all my problems. Greetings.

[#18]

Got it resolved with help from MS. Just had to get the Office widget from MS Store. The office apps were there already from the office.exe installation earlier.

Go to https://apps.microsoft.com/store/ and search for Office, get the widget.

Also mentioned to the person that others are also facing the issue. He said he will open a ticket for that.

[#19]

@ughosal This does not fix the issue! And why would it? The store app is just a front end to you using Edge and office365 office.com 

This is not a FIX!

[#20]

@rjabbar No it certainly doesn't fix the underlying issue for why it disappeared, but I have got back the icon and it works. Have to see if this recurs. Have you found a solution? Regards