Opening Office 2010 docs after 1803 update set off Windows Installer

Posting for others' information rather than help as it resolved itself, eventually.

After updating to 1803, if I tried to open a Word or Excel document, Windows Installer popped up, trying to do goodness knows what. This occurred on Excel 2010 and Word 2010, also Excel 2003 which I still make some use of, but not Access 2010.

After several rounds of cancelling the Installer and trying again, I opened Excel 2010 directly (that is, not opening a specific document) and it told me that Windows was having a problem with an add-in generated by Omnipage. As I had never used the add-in I was happy to delete it and all was well again. Same for Word.

I suppose it is unrealistic to expect the update to be tested against all possible software and add-in permutations. My problem, though, was that it took several iterations for Windows to identify the problem. What would have happened if I had just let Windows Installer carry on?

Judging from other posts, a number of other issues have left users completely in the dark as to what is causing the problem. The model Microsoft is now using seems to amount to "get Windows 10 and let our updates screw up your computer in myriad mysterious ways".

Bree said:

Well, at least your Office 2010 still works, earlier versions haven't been so fortunate, it seems...

Excel 2002/3 crashes when typing/pasting after Windows 10 1803 update

Yes, I saw that when I was checking threads before my Office problem decided to explain itself. Excel 2003 still works for me. Might be worth anyone affected checking add-ins?

I use Excel 2003 a bit because I couldn't be bothered to rewrite macros, not least because I would have to understand the logic again but I may have to bite the bullet some day. Using Word 2003 and 2010 alongside each other resulted in Windows Installer kicking in every time I changed. That never happened with Excel.