Excel won't start

[RWilkes]

Anybody know of an Excel update released recently (5/24 or 25) that causes Excel to crash?
One of my clients using Office 365 was using a spreadsheet on Wed and all was OK.
He got a notice that his 365 susbscription expired. He renewed it and now that spreadsheet and Excel choke on startup:
"Excel won't start". Only option is 'Cancel'.

A couple other clients, using the same form, but other versions of Excel (2016) have experienced the same issue.
The form runs fine on Excel 2010.
Users with Update turned OFF aren't seeing the problem.

Windows Update lists only one recent update KB 3150513). But turning updates OFF, uninstalling, and restarting Excel doesn't fix the issue.

This is a major problem for my client as this form is the basis of their business and they're currently unable to conduct business as usual.
Of course, I've searched the inet, but have yet to find any meaningful fix.

Uninstall and Reinstall Office doesn't help, as updates are loaded during install...and I want most of those.
Have tried "Office repair" but all that did was remove licensing info.

~~~~~
05/28/17
Well, a 1/2 fix. Excel seems to now "magically" have sorta fixed itself. At least it will open without complaining. Opening a spreadsheet is still problematic, though. Through trial and error and a bit of luck, have discovered this workaround:
1. Open Excel (from Start menu, NOT by clicking on a file).
2. Use Excel, File, Open to open the file.
3. The "Microsoft Excel has stopped working" with "Close program" button will appear. Select "Close program"
4. Wait about 10 seconds.
5. From Start Menu, Open Excel again - This is a very "touchy" step and has been inconsistent...Keep trying until Excel opens with the "Show Recovered Files" on left side of screen.
6. Click on "Show Recovered Files" on left side of screen.
7. Click on the spreadsheet being opened from Available Files list.


8. The spreadsheet should be displayed.
9. Close Document Recover window.
10. Work as usual.

What a kludge!
FYI: I've selected the "Show what's been fixed" entry in the recover window and I'm told "Nothing was fixed"! Go figure.

[RWilkes]

Follow-up info: Recovering from a restore point just before the initial trouble date makes the problem "go away". Obviously, one of the system files has changed, but NOBODY, not even Microsoft (Tech Support) can tell me which one.
THE SAGA and FRUSTRATION continue.
Knock, knock...anybody from the real Microsoft lurking here? HELP, PLEASE!

[cbrainard]

I have exactly the same problem. I use a workbook with multiple vba modules which simply will not open after the latest Office update. Your 1/2 fix, unfortunately, does not work for me.

Another computer running Excel 2013 does not have the problem. This is certainly an issue with the Office 365 update and I hope SOMEBODY at Microsoft is addressing it.

[RWilkes]

Just yesterday, we found a fix that works! Use the steps in the link below to "roll back" to an earlier version.

As per https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1999368-excel-instantly-crashes-upon-opening-a-certain-worksheet we can roll back to the previous version of Office 2016.

Their thread shows a pushd command and version update comman to run at the ADMINISTRATOR LEVEL command prompt:
pushd %programfiles%\common files\microsoft shared\clicktorun
officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.7967.2161

[cbrainard]

RWilkes: I found that solution as well, but implementing it requires me to disable future updates of Office 365, which makes this a temporary solution at best. Plus, I have sold a number of workbooks to several technologically challenged offices which are unable to go through all the steps required for the fix.

Microsoft has to come up with a permanent solution to this problem it has created, and soon.