Can Not Import Registry Backup, And Ms Office "stdole32.tlb" Error

What have I done now?

It all started with a weird error when starting MS Excel 2007. The MS Office "stdole32.tlb" error popped up. Closing the error started the "Configuration process" which after running allowed Excel to run. Now MS Word is doing the same thing. Word does not display the error, it just goes into the configuration routine, then runs.

The error prompted me to go to the interwebs for a solution (to prove that I don't have a life - lol?). The fixes HERE seemed to make some kind of sense. First, I took some random advice and made a USB Password Key in case it is needed. I also made a registry backup, or two. The whole registry, not just the keys I edited. Then, I proceeded to make the changes (permission changes?) as the two routines linked advised.

Method 1 involved an attempted appwiz.cpl repair for Office. Failed. "Microsoft Professional Plus 2007 configuration did not complete successfully. waaaah.

Method 2 involved registry edits - making object names, giving permissions, owner changes - all steps listed below. (If that worked, you'd not be reading this)

After I was finished, I tried Excel - with no love. Same error. The article advised restoring the registry back to undo the changes I made. [I should have made screenshots for myself so I cold do it manually - oops.] I tried Import, Merge, regular mode, and Safe Mode with no success.

"Cannot import to registry.. "Not all data was successfully written to the registry. some keys are open by the system or other process, or you have insufficient privileges to perform this operation”

Somewhere along the line I tried "system restore" too - nope. Failed. I forget the error message, something about me being ignorant, or stupid or something. System restore was unable to restore to the previous date and time - which, come to think of it, was before the humongous Windows 10 update that just occurred (just before these errors...hmmmm... it's still probably User Error).

I ran "CHKDSK /R" on C:\. It hung on 15% for a scary long time, and with luck, my log on screen finally magically appeared. I guess chkdsk ran OK as there was no message saying otherwise.

I wonder if looking at the registry keys of another computer nearby, (even if it has the more modern Office 360 version of Excel), might show me what the settings should be changed back to. Thing is, I realize I am getting in over my understanding, and am probably about to hack my computer into uselessness - so I've stopped (while I am ahead? behind?)... and am visiting my favorite and most dependable first aid site, MG! for direction.

Maybe these changes I made are not even critical? They were something about adding "Everyone" and giving permissions. I don't know if I trust the software they are peddling. Maybe it's good. I don't touch those kinds of offerings without verification. I am not even sure what "Reimage Plus" is.

I am tempted to perform the Method 3 steps which involve deleting registry keys, yet since my Import/Merge seems to be failing, I hesitate to make any registry changes.

Should I just leave the registry alone?
If not, how to fix it?
Why can't I just restore my registry?
Why doesn't System Restore work? Something to do with the drives I am switching around?

I hope for your kind direction.

Carl

-------------------Long list of steps I followed------------------------------------

Method 1: Repair Microsof Office 2007

First solution you can try is to repair Microsoft Office 2007. In case of file corruption, after repairing Microsoft Office, files will be renewed with new one. You will repair all applications in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excell, Powerpoint, Outlook, Access and others.

1. Hold Windows logo and press R

2. Type appwiz.cpl and press Enter. Program and Features applet will open.

3. Right click on Microsoft Office 2007 and click Change

4. Click on Repair and then click Continue

5. After Microsoft Office 2007 finish repair, you need to restart your Windows.

6. Run Microsoft Word 2007 or Microsoft Excel 2007


Method 2: Change permission for registry keys

If first method did not solve your problem, try this method. In this method you will change some permissions in registry database. Before you do any registry configuration, we are recommending you to backup registry database. Why you need to do registry backup? In case of some misconfiguration, you can revert registry database to previous state when everything worked without problems.

1. Press Windows logo and type regedit

2. Right click on regedit and at the bottom choose Run as administrator

3. Click Yes to confirm running regedit as administrator.

4. Click File and then Export

5. Type File name, in our example backup09072017, under Export range select All and click Save

6. Navigate to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Chart.8

7. Right Click on Chart.8 and select Permissions…


8. In the Permissionwindows click on Add

9. Under Enter the object names to select (examples): type Everyone and then click Check Names

10. Click OK to confirm adding object Everyone

11. Once this is done, click on the Advanced…tab

12. Under Ownerclick Change

13. Under Enter the object names to select (examples): type Everyone and then click Check Names

14. Click OK to confirm adding object Everyone

15. After you successfully changed owner of this key, you will see that Owner is changed from System to Everyone. Click Apply and then OK.

16. Under Permission select Everyone and enable the check box for Full Control and Read

17. Click on Apply and OK


18. Refresh registry database by pressing F5, this should create a new Sub key below Chart.8 calledProtocol

19. You need to change permissions of this key by repeating steps, from 8 to 17


20. Refresh registry database again and follow the same sequence of steps to add permission to the following Sub keys StdFileEditing\Server.


21. Close the registry editor.

22. Restart your Windows

23. Run Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excell


PRO TIP: If the issue is with your computer or a laptop/notebook you should try using the Reimage Plus Software which can scan the repositories and replace corrupt and missing files. This works in most cases, where the issue is originated due to a system corruption. You can download Reimage Plus byClicking Here

In case this solution did not solve your problem, we are recommending you to restore registry backup file. You can do it by selecting File and then Import. Navigate to registry backup file and then click Open. If you successfully restored registry to previous state, you will get notification: The keys and valued contained in backup file (C:\Users\user\Desktop\backup09072017.reg have been successfully added to the registry.


Restart your Windows.



Method 3: Delete Office keys from registry database

Next method is working with registry, too. Before you do any registry change, we are recommending you to backup registry database. As we said in previous method, we will do backup, so we can in case of some registry misconfiguration, revert registry database to previous state when everything worked without problems.

1. Press Windows logo and type regedit

2. Right click on regedit and at the bottom choose Run as administrator

3. Click Yes to confirm running regedit as administrator

4. Click File and then Export

5. Type File name, in our example backup08072017, under Export range select All and click

6. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office.

7. Delete subkey named Word and Excel. If some keys can not be deleted or found, please skip them, this will not influence the result of the troubleshooting.

8. Next, You will need to open subfolders 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0 and 12.0 and then delete subkeys Excel or Word. In case you have only problem with Word, you will need to delete subkey Excel. In case you have problem with Word, you will need to delete subkey Word, and if you have problemw ith both of them, you will delete Word and Excel. If some keys can not be deleted or found, please skip them, this will not influence the result of the troubleshooting. In our example, only available version of Microsoft Office is version 12.0.

9. Right click on Word and select We will delete subkey Word. If you have problem with Microsoft Excel, too, you will need to delete Excel subkey.

10. Confirm key delete with Yes

11. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office

12. Delete subkey named Word and Excell. If some keys can not be deleted or found, please skip them, this will not influence the result of the troubleshooting. In our case, subkeys Word and Excell are missing, so we will move to next step.

13. You will need to open subfolders 8.0, 11.0 and 12.0 and then delete subkeys Word and Excel. In case you have only problem with Word, you will need to delete subkey Excel. In case you have problem with Word, you will need to delete subkey Word, and if you have problemw ith both of them, you will delete Word and Excel. If some keys can not be deleted or found, please skip them, this will not influence the result of the troubleshooting. In our example, only available version of Microsoft Office is version 8.0, 11.0 and 12.0.

14. Right click on Word and select We will delete subkey Word. If you have problem with Microsoft Excel, too, you will need to delete Excel subkey.

15. Close the registry editor.

16. Restart your Windows

17. Run Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel.

 

I confess to not having studied every word of your post because I'm only interested atm in your operating system which, unless I have missed it you have not mentioned. If you are running Win 10 and have recently updated to the Fall Creators Update then Office 2007 will not run until uninstalled and reinstalled, after which there may still be issues. The reason is that support for Office 2007 ended in October so subsequent Windows updates do not take its needs into account. Reinstalling Office has fixed the problems for me on three Win 10 computers so good luck!

 

Well, get busy! lol

Thanks for the tip and heads up. I am running Win10x64 and have now updated my "signature" to reflect that.

I'll try the uninstall and reinstall, with everything I have two of crossed -starting with my fingers.

I do still wonder how serious my reg edits are, and why it won't import. Might have something to do with these disk changes. I dunno.

Thanks, Earthling.

 

Have you tried
right click the start button- in list bove will be command prompt, click run as administrator
Type in sfc /scannow

-----note the space between sfc and forward slash (the black command prompt window will come up- just start typing at the cursor point, and press enter, after typing sfc /scannow)
When it finishes,just type exit, and press enter
This will usually repair main windows files

 

The problems are being caused by the Fall Creators Update. Nothing to do with corrupt system files.

https://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/95834-fall-creators-update-butchered-ms-office-2007-a.html

 

I noted that Earthling had said that the update , and Office was the original cause, but as you have tinkered with the registry,as well, then that is why I suggested sfc /scannow-

Perhaps ,if he can uninstall, and reinstall Office , he may still have problems, because he has tinkered with it- and has probably added to the corruption.

 

Thanks bak and earth...I figure that sfc can't hurt anything, so am running it now.
(Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired (and logged) them.)

Good to know that the Fall Update is the culprit.

I wish I understood more. Before I tinkered with the registry, I made a full, 516,281 KB export of the registry. It seems to me that importing, or merging that file would put the registry back to where it was before I made the changes - no matter what changes I made. But, what do I know?

I also hope that sfc, and the various fixes for Office that I'll follow will somehow magically make the registry exportable, and importantly, importable - I don't see how the registry import failure relates to the Fall Update and the Office 207 problems/fixes, and I suppose that having various large USB drives plugged in, or not plugged in, does not affect the reg restore issue, but again, I feel a sort of unverified ignorant cluelessness.

Next, I'll follow the 'tenforums' link from Earth, (I have scanned that page, and the links on that page just now) and after following all those various links on THAT page, I hope that I can figure out which avenue to take as there appear to be several ways to go. [Revo uninstaller, then re-install Office 2007? Use the MS removal tool(s) mentioned somewhere, then reinstall? Doug's "adjustment" (different commands in Run) found here?

Thanks for your considerations...and good luck to me!

 

So...addressing the registry import failure first (befoer the unrecognized drive issue)
I wish I knew what to fix, and how to verify that it's fixed.
I did sfc /scannow. It made some repairs.
I made another .reg backup, then tried to import it. failed.
I guess I move on to figuring out which Office 2007 fix path to follow.

 

This took all day. Good thing I don’t have a life. Lol?

did sfc /scannow
registry export
reg import failed
as administrator, ran “reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options /v NoReReg /t REG_DWORD /d 1”
Office 2007 still goes into configuration mode
ran sfc /scannow again – no integrity violations
ran MS Office Professional Plus 2007 repair from Win10 apps and features
re-opened Excel: problem persists
Uninstalled Office, mostly? with link from this page - Step One (ran a file "o15-ctrremove.diagcab"
Tried to re-install Office 2007 from diak – failed with error 1935
Purchased Office 365 and installed. Now I have Office back (pretty nice)
Set restore point for C: and D: (both have programs)
Tested: restored from System Restore – Success! (This has been broken earlier)
Wondering if the registry can be backed up and restored - Exported registry
Double-clicked .REG – fail to Import
Tried again in Safe Mode: Double-clicked .REG – fail

So, my accomplishments for the entire day include...

Uninstalled Office 2007
Upgraded Office
Sys Restore works
Still can’t restore the registry.


What next?

 

All I did on each of three Win 10 machines on which Office 2007 fell over after the Fall Creators Update (FCU) was to uninstall Office through Control Panel and reinstall and update it. Simple as that , and that's all I was advising you to do. Lord knows what damage you may have inflicted on the system by messing around with the registry but at this stage I would advise you to do as baklogic has advised and run the system file checker sfc /scannow in an elevated command prompt and forget about fiddling with the registry. If you do have a reasonably recent pre-FCU image of your system drive, and if you are still experiencing problems, then restore the image and take things from there.

 

Why are you trying to restore the registry when System Restore does that for you? And what software are you using to backup and restore the registry? Now Office is sorted it all sounds a bit unnecessary and unless you still have problems I suggest it's time to leave well alone.

 

I appreciate your advice.
I guess I should have ignored everything baklogic posted...for those whose Control panel did not wipe Office 2007 completely off of their 'puter.
I tried to do what I thought made sense. Sorry if I took a wrong turn.
Office would not install from my two disks.

Well, if the Lord knows, I wish (s)he would give me a precise clue about what damage I shamefully admitted to possibly causing. You know, something specific? Even something general from someone who understands, like "restore any backup you have, even if it's a few months old" or " don't worry about it unless you get problems" or "find another computer that's running Office 2007 on Win10x64 and copy their entries - good luck with that" or " "what you did with those reg edits was add a user called Everyone and gave them permission to everything. Simply delete the user and return ownership back to ______ (? Administrator?)" I dunno - that's why I stopped.

I mentioned having run sfc /scannow three times already. I guess you missed that. [post 7, 8, 9]

My Acronis backup us now a few months old as I stopped making full backups while battling my invisible disk problem.
The only problem I am currently experiencing is the inability to restore the registry. I think I am doing that correctly.
If I am not, try to keep the reprimands to a minimum. (maybe you are already)

I honestly and truly appreciate your consideration, review, input and solutions.

Many thanks, Earthling

 

As I mentioned, it does seem a bit odd that System Restore reports having completed successfully, yet Importing, Merging, and double-clicking the registry reports failure. It's my understanding that sys restore does the same thing as merging the entire registry, just not for one key or hive or whatever its called. I do wonder why one works and the other does not.

Software? I guess it's Windows10x64? To backup, I open "run" as administrator, open regedit, highlight the top, unexpanded entry "Computer" then from the File Menu, I select "Export" and save the .reg to a place I know (making sure the "all" button is selected in the Export range section. The file is over 500,000 KB so I assume it's the entire registry. To restore, again I use Windows by either going to regedit and importing the file, or right clicking the file and "merging" it, or double clicking the .reg backup and hoping it installs itself. Maybe I am messing up with something simple. It's usually a User Error, I admit.

Indeed. Now that I have the subscription to an Office (2016) that's ten years newer, well, it works, I can access my files, I don't need to learn Open Office, and all the features are rather delightful.

I can only hope that I don't discover sometime in the future that have messed up my registry by following someone else's advice (not someone trusted like everyone here at MG) trying to fix a problem I had.

I agree - leave well enough alone.

Again, thank you for your input.