Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

today when I tried to open my calc sheet the message error came up from windows defender and it just took me to the short cut link when I clicked to allow ap. I've used this for a long time so it has to be something in microsoft. I have question into their forum. I lost the sheet and it's not a problem because we are at the end of the year but it won't let me save in new year. same error so I uninstalled openoffice and it now won't let me reinstall. So I don't know what to do. Hope someone here can help.

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Before resetting the profile, I would first try to add OpenOffice to the whitelist of Defender.
Else, try: reset your OpenOffice user profile.

Please add '[Solved]' at beginning of your first post title (edit button) if your issue has been fixed.

Soffice.bin has been blocked by Controlled Folder Access. You need to change the Virus & threat protection settings to allow soffice.bin through Controlled Folder Access.

Security System Change Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access Settings - Windows 10

Bill wrote:Soffice.bin has been blocked by Controlled Folder Access.

You might need to do it for all the AOO exe files as well - swriter.exe, scalc.exe etc.

Since I'm not a programmer the directions to go in and change files just seemed a bit to complicated for this old mind. It was like going back to my first computer that didn't even have windows. Since I realized/remembered that I just started using the defender again and I've used the open office only in the old virus protection mode I simply took out everything that was old and connected to open office, restarted, turned off the folder control in defender and downloaded it again and this time it went through no problem. Back in business so to speak. Keep it simple guys when giving some of us directions. There is easier fixes.

I haven't found it necessary to allow the .exe files. Allowing the .exe files without allowing soffice.bin doesn't solve the problem. Allowing soffice.bin without allowing the .exe files does. It's the same for LibreOffice.

Defender Controlled folder access exception for LibreOffice

Bill wrote:I haven't found it necessary to allow the .exe files. Allowing the .exe files without allowing soffice.bin doesn't solve the problem. Allowing soffice.bin without allowing the .exe files does. It's the same for LibreOffice.[/url]

That suggests soffice.bin is the I/O handler for all the AOO applications meaning only it needs to be enabled in Defender. I note that when I start only swriter.exe, soffice.bin is also started.

jackimsw wrote:Keep it simple guys when giving some of us directions.

Bill's instructions were short, correct and simple to follow; and the link gave mind-boringly detailed instructions. Basically he told you that "you must tell Windows Defender that AOO is an authorised application". It is a Windows Defender problem, not an AOO problem.

If your problem is solved please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

Adding soffice.bin as an allowed app in the Controlled Folder Access (CFA) settings solves the problem of using OpenOffice if it is already installed, but removing and trying to reinstall OpenOffice creates a second problem.

Some of the default settings in the AOO installation aren't compatible with CFA. While turning off CFA is one option, that turns off the ransomware protection. Another option is to keep CFA enabled and change a couple of settings during the installation.

If CFA is enabled, the Desktop is protected and unpacking the AOO installation files in the default Installation Files folder on the Desktop will be blocked by CFA. The solution is to change the location for unpacking. Change the Destination Folder when asked to "Choose Install Location" on the OpenOffice 4.1.4 Setup window. The Downloads folder isn't protected by CFA so a subfolder of the Downloads folder should work. The only other modification to the installation settings is to uncheck the option to create a link on the Desktop on the OpenOffice 4.1.4 - Installation Wizard. That will also be blocked. A link on the Desktop can be added manually after the installation is complete.

Bill wrote:Some of the default settings in the AOO installation aren't compatible with CFA. While turning off CFA is one option, that turns off the ransomware protection. Another option is to keep CFA enabled and change a couple of settings during the installation.

It's probably worth while to submit that as a bug or enhancement request.

Hundreds and thousands of applications must be affected. Is this typical ******* Microsoft arrogance? For years and years people have been writing stuff to the desktop and to My Documents, and ******* Microsoft now decides that is forbidden. Why not just ask the user if they will allow it??????

See also Re: General error or General input/output error opening word where files may be corrupted in the user profile.

Hello thank you all for your continued interest.

I had repaired/ uninstalled/ reinstalled the application before with no improvement. There is nothing by the name of 'bitdefender' that I can find on the PC. And under Windows Security the Controlled Folder Access function was already switched off. So finally I tried the suggestion of uninstalling/ reinstalling in a folder in Downloads rather than on the desktop. This has not helped either. Since other people have had a similar problem I sense it may not be my cheap laptop, but it may in fact be that (Acer). While I understand this is something that *should* be fixable, I remain content with the minor fix of 'use open office dialogues' under tools > options > general.

Thank you, and I will try other suggestions if they come up.

It is 99% certain it is Windows Defender. You must allow soffice.bin permission to write to disk.

If that does not fix your problem must different so please start a new topic of your own so as not to hijack this thread.

o yes i responded to the wrong thread

See [Tutorial]Problems with Windows Defender under Windows 10.