Fatal Error: context=shared

[elf_brewery]

OO started crashing each time I opened a document. I uninstalled and reinstalled, even renaming the old 'OpenOffice' directory under 'roaming.' At first, OO would not even run due to "Fatal Error -- The application cannot be started [context="shared"] caught unexpected exception!" So, I deleted the new 'user' directory, as directed above, and now I get the fatal error message with [context="bundled"]. I noticed that not all the files are present in the new 'user' directory. Renaming the directories to use the old files just goes back to OO crashing during editing. Don't know where to turn. Hope you can help. Thanks!

[RoryOF]

I suggest removing OpernOffice with Revo Uninstaller at its most aggressive; also delete or rename the OO User profile using the instructions above. Then reboot the computer and reinstall OO.

If you need to download again, be sure you only download through http://www.openoffice.org/download

[elf_brewery]

I used IObit power uninstaller to remove Open Office and then renamed the OpenOffice directory under 'roaming' the last time I installed OO from the website you mentioned. I tried installing it both for 'all users' and for 'just me.' No joy.

[RoryOF]

Did you reboot between the uninstall and the reinstall?

Also, try running Windows in Safe Mode. If OO runs OK in that mode the culprit is some other program on your computer that runs in Windows normal mode.

[elf_brewery]

Started from scratch. Uninstalled OO (IObit powerful scan plus deleting 'user' directory from 'roaming' folder. Tried to reinstall in Safe Mode, but couldn't. Rebooted to reinstall.
Chose default directories, "only for me," "Typical" installation. Reboot in Safe Mode. Open OO, created new document, played with it, spell checked it, saved it closed it, opened it.... Rebooted in normal mode and waited a long time for all the apps to be up and running. Started OO, opened my test file, didn't take long for OO to crash.
So, you may be right about MS interfering with OO, but where do I go from here?

[RoryOF]

Systematically you need to disable drivers and programs that run in Windows normal mode until you find the culprit. It may be that if there is a log of what recent Windows updates have installed you can get a short list of items that have changed. Often a candidate is a graphics chip driver; other candidates are firewalls and antivirus programs. I'd start by unplugging the Internet connection to your modem (to prevent and virus infection in the next stage) and then disabling the antivirus. If that works you should tell the antivirus not to scan OpenOffice data files. Anything that touches an open OpenOffice file can cause instability.

Note: I do not use Windows other than a very old version, very seldomly, for access to some legacy formats, so take my suggestion in that light.

[elf_brewery]

I checked the dates on all the drivers. A fair number of them have been updated since the last time the laptop was online, 6 months ago. During that time, OO was working fine for writing documents. However, once I put it online, the flood gates opened with updates. I very dutifully updated everything, from Microsoft to drivers to antivirus programs. I then cleaned up the disk as much as possible. With all that going on you would think I would have created a restore point, although I'm sure some were created, but now they are gone due to my thorough cleanup of the disk. It looks like a mountain too high to climb at this moment, especially for a non-geek. *SIGH!
'Nuff said. I've signed up for a 1 month trial of Office 365 to get through the next few weeks. I hope by then I'll have more luck solving the problem.
Is it possible that Skype is behind this? I get asked permission requests for SkypeHost to access shared.xml and config.xml. Dunno.
I miss Open Office. Hope things improve.
Thanks for your help.

[Greengiant224]

elf_brewery:
Is it possible that Skype is behind this? I get asked permission requests for SkypeHost to access shared.xml and config.xml. Dunno.

There have been previous reports of skype interfereing with AOO/LO.
Have you tried to disable it and see if you have success?

Greengiant224

[elf_brewery]

I think Skype cannot be disabled. I try to kill it with the task manager, but it just starts up again. So I used the Power Shell to remove it. OO crashes still and when I delete the 'user' account, OO won't start due to Fatal Error. Soooo... I guess Skype isn't the culprit.
Lemme know if someone comes up with an answer.
Many thanks again.

[elf_brewery]

BTW, when I booted up this morning, SkypeHost was back at it. I feel like I'm going down the rabbit hole...

[Bill]

BTW, when I booted up this morning, SkypeHost was back at it. I feel like I'm going down the rabbit hole...

Have you tried asking on the Skype forum? That's where you will find Skype users.

[elf_brewery]

This error no longer appears. However, I'm now getting OO 4.1.3 errors

Error saving the document ...
Access to C:\Users\... denied

C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\Temp\sw2p1.tmp\svyuca.tmp does not exist

and so on, even if I run as administrator, which I am anyway.
The file seems to be saved, but still can't reopen the file.