Recent Microsoft Security Updates might cause some problems

[john.vellek]

Microsoft recently released some security updates for Windows operating systems. There are currently three updates that I am aware of that break functionality in Core AutoCAD and its connection with Microsoft Excel.  For instance, customers can expect that when running a Data Extraction and saving the results in an Excel spreadsheet, the first cell (A1) will display ‘DeleteMe’ and no other data will appear.

The three update numbers are:

• KB4041676
• KB4041691
• KB4041681

The remedy at this point in time is to simply uninstall the security updates until a more permanent solution is determined. Removal should restore full functionality of the features.

Inventor 2015-2011 also appears to be affected. Removal of the security updates will restore functionality of placing such features as holes and threads. Another solution, to be taken at the customer’s own risk is to change the following registry key setting:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\Inventor\RegistryVersion XX.0\System\Preference\Part\UseExcelToReadthreadFile to 1

[john.vellek]

In addition to the workaround of totally uninstalling the security updates I have another method listed here that should allow the updates to be installed and returning the functionality of Excel and AutoCAD.

This method involves some changes to the operating system permissions and files so please proceed at your own risk.

1. Uninstall/rollback any and all of these updates present on their system. This will rollback msexcl40.dll to its previous version.
2. Allow the system to reboot.
3. Browse to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msexcl40.dll
4. Right-click the msexcl40.dll and select properties.
5. In the Properties window select the Security tab and then the Advanced button towards the bottom.
6. Change the owner to the user account by clicking Change
7. Enter the username and validating it with the Check Names button.
8. Apply and accept all the changes using OK
9. Right-click the msexcl40.dll again, and select the username in the top portion of the Security tab and then click Edit.
10. Assign the user account full permissions to the file.
11. Close the properties window.
12. Copy the msexcl40.DLL to a different location.
13. Reapply the updates by using the Check for Updates in the Windows Control panel.
14. A re-boot will be required to apply the updates.
15. Once the computer is back up and running, repeat the above steps to the new version of the msexcl40.dll.
16. Copy it to a secure location in case it is necessary to replace it later.
17. Take the original msexcl40.dll and place it in the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder which replace the existing one.
18. Excel and AutoCAD functionality should now be restored and the security updates remain installed.

[Edit] 10/22/2017

I have just been informed that a fix for this problem is also on it's way from Microsoft in the near future. I do not have specific dates but to the best of my understanding, a remedy will be released.

Here is an AKN Article that lists the known methods to work through this issue.

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

These updates were just released by Microsoft to fix the issue caused by the previous security updates:

Microsoft Windows 7 Kb4048957
Microsoft Windows 8.1: Kb4048958
Microsoft Windows 10-1607: Kb4048953
Microsoft Windows 10-1703: Kb4048954
Microsoft Windows 10-1709: Kb4048955