Windows Update causes display failure for gif files in MS Access 2003

We have an Access application (for the pest control industry) that is run on various customer machines running Win XP through to Win 8.1. Recently we have started receiving reports of one aspect (signature display on reports) failing on Win 8.1 machines following an automatic Windows Update. 

The error message is:- 
2114  xxxxx  doesnt support the format of the file <path>.gif, or the file is to large. Try converting the file to BMP or GIF format. 

where xxxxx is the program name and <path> is the full path and file name of the file concerned. The error is displayed whenever a report is displayed or printed which includes a link to a gif file.

All the files concerned are very small (normally not more than 5kb) and are already in a gif format (they are an image version of an INK signature created using a standard utility on tablet machines). If the gif file is viewed outside of MS Access, it is displayed without a problem. 

Similarly running the Access Application on a machine running Win 8.0 or earlier versions will result in the report showing the signature correctly showing that the error is related specifically to an updated version of  Win 8.1.

The problem is:-
only occurring on machines running Win 8.1 (32 and 64 bit)
so far not seen to occur on as delivered Win 8.1 or Win 8.0 machines
does not occur on older machines after the initial update from 8.0 to 8.1(ie the initial update to 8.1 does not cause a problem)
occurs after an Auto Update on systems running Win 8.1 
can happen on machines delivered as Win 8.0 or 8.1 (ie original version has no effect on if a problem occurs after once the update to 8.1 has been made)
if a restore point has been established before the auto-update, restoring will cure error (ie no changes made to the Access databases or any non-operating system software). However problem will be re-introduced if Auto Update is left on.
has not been seen on a Win 8.1 machine which has had Auto Update switched off following initial update to 8.1.
is not happening on XP, Vista, Win 7 or Win 8 machines
to date, have been unable to tie in with a particular KB number

Machines in use fall into two categories 
- mobile tablets (often a Dell Latitude 10 or Dell Venue 11) which are only running MS Access run time and basic utilities such as printer and anti-virus software.
- office machines which can be any machine running MS Access runtime plus a variety of other programs associated with running a small business. Unlike mobiles, most are not touch screen machines.
The machines are customer machines and thus we have no control over what may be put on them. However we offer internet support for our software using a product called TeamViewer and are aware most mobiles are set up in a very similar fashion.

The report facility in Access has been in use on machines for a number of years. As part of trying to understand the problem, I have run tests with older versions of the Access database code - all of which show the same problem on effected machines but work perfectly on all other machines which do not have the latest Win 8.1 updates.

Any clue to what is being downloaded as part of the Windows 8.1 Updates that are causing the problem woul be greatly appreciated.

Nick Peek

Friendly Data Solutions Ltd 

July 6th, 2015 10:58am

Hi,

This issue seems to be caused by corrupted installation of update.

Please first do a system restore to see if the issue can be fixed.

Then change the update settings as Manually update and check for available updates, I recommend you install the updates one by one and restart the computer after each update. The separated installation can help us to make sure that each update can be installed properly and to find the problematic update.

Once the issue occurs, post back the KB number of this update, this should be the cause of your issue and I will help to check if this update is really necessary in your environment.

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July 7th, 2015 10:12am

Hi

Thanks for your reply. We know that restoring to the original as supplied version of Win8.0 / 8.1 cures the problem and it only occurs after a machine is running 8.1 (but not immediately after the actual update from 8.0 to 8.1). Unfortunately, none of our test Win 8.1 machines are currently showing this problem.

However, there are a number of machines round the UK where we have already switched of updates after a restore. I negotiated  with one of these customers to use one of their machines for step by step updates (they are working machines in daily use by our pest control customers).

The machine to be used was delivered with Win 8.1 installed which eliminates any problems introduced by the update from 8.0. The user in question is happy to run the test himself and is aiming to finish by the end of the week.

When we have the errant KB number, will post details.

Nick Peek

July 8th, 2015 5:50am

Hi Nick,

Thanks very much for your efforts put on this issue.

Just wait for your testing results.

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July 11th, 2015 9:18am

Hi,

Is there any update on your issue?

July 15th, 2015 11:08am

Hi Kate

We have virtually completed updates on one machine installing 5 updates at a time without triggering the problem yet. This machine has had updates applied regularly until end of March. To date we have installed 69 updates with a further 8 known to be outstanding. If we complete this install, this will be the first Latitude 10 on which recent updates have been allowed but has not shown a problem with gif files in the last few months.

A second machine is about to be reset to as delivereed spec on a new Win8.1 machine (a Dell Venue 11) following the error occuring 2 weeks ago. This will be run forward in steps of 5 updates at a time with restore points after each set of updates. This is targetted to be finished early next week - but it is a user machine and depends on them having the time to run.

Have now arranged to work on a third machine which has gif file failure. On this machine we plan to uninstall updates one at a time to see if we can locate the errant update this way. Whilst this is also a user machine, we will be running the jobs ourselves via remote access. User is planning to have this machine available mid-week.

The last user has a two other machines which have exhibited this same problem. On one we have successfully gone back to restore point prior to last Win Update which resulted in the gif function being restored. The second did not have restore points switched on so are reliant on uninstalling updates or a recovery to as delivered.

Except where indicated, all the machines are Dell Latitude 10's with Atom CPUs so are relatively slow to go through an update / reboot / test cycle.

Nick

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July 17th, 2015 6:59pm

Hi Nick, 

Since this issue is related to Office Access, please pay more attention on Office update if there is any. 

Thanks again for your effort, any update, please post back. 

July 19th, 2015 9:33am

Hi Kate

Have now found the cause of the problem - an update to MS Access Runtime by Windows Update. It only runs after a system has been successfully updated to Win 8.1 (ie does not affect Win 8 or prior versions). 

However once the updates are installed, they prevent uninstall of the updates or Access RT itself (there are two updates and have been unable to identify which is the problem). Using the uninstall facilities appears to work with a success message - but if the uninstall facility is restarted the Access RT is still shown and Access will still run.

In testing there seems to be no option which will allow these updates from being installed other than by turning all updates off. The two updates are KB2543854 and SP3 for Office 2003.

We have fixed one system so far by installing Access 2007 RT and making this the default program to open our code. Initially the VBA code caused a new warning but this has been rectified. However we are now running a complete system test to confirm that moving to Access 2007 RT does not spring any other surprises.

The updates were nominally installed one at a time but I believe there appears to be some other updates which were installed alongside a requested update. On one we picked up on, we have found the update listed as failed on a previous update. However can not guarantee this is the case on all unrequested updates.

From previous tests, a machine which has been restored back to as supplied Win 8 or 8.1appears to not pick up on the Access RT update when subsequently running Win Updates.

All testing has been on Dell Latitude 10's or Dell Venue 11's with the final tests on a 64 bit Core i5 Venue 11 (which certainly helped testing speed over the Atom machines). The testing has spanned 4 machines - once we have got a machine to show the gif files again, the user is keen to have their machine back for normal work. The need to release borrowed machines as quickly as possible has limited retesting of the belief that there is no way of stopping the Access RT updates from being installed. 

Providing testing of using Access RT 2007 goes well, will be working on clearing all the remaining machines where users are reporting the problem of displaying signatures (the gif files).

Thanks for your support - the need to externally document the problems has added clarity to our own testing.
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July 31st, 2015 2:38am

Hi Kate

Have now found the cause of the problem - an update to MS Access Runtime by Windows Update. It only runs after a system has been successfully updated to Win 8.1 (ie does not affect Win 8 or prior versions). 

However once the updates are installed, they prevent uninstall of the updates or Access RT itself (there are two updates and have been unable to identify which is the problem). Using the uninstall facilities appears to work with a success message - but if the uninstall facility is restarted the Access RT is still shown and Access will still run.

In testing there seems to be no option which will allow these updates from being installed other than by turning all updates off. The two updates are KB2543854 and SP3 for Office 2003.

We have fixed one system so far by installing Access 2007 RT and making this the default program to open our code. Initially the VBA code caused a new warning but this has been rectified. However we are now running a complete system test to confirm that moving to Access 2007 RT does not spring any other surprises.

The updates were nominally installed one at a time but I believe there appears to be some other updates which were installed alongside a requested update. On one we picked up on, we have found the update listed as failed on a previous update. However can not guarantee this is the case on all unrequested updates.

From previous tests, a machine which has been restored back to as supplied Win 8 or 8.1appears to not pick up on the Access RT update when subsequently running Win Updates.

All testing has been on Dell Latitude 10's or Dell Venue 11's with the final tests on a 64 bit Core i5 Venue 11 (which certainly helped testing speed over the Atom machines). The testing has spanned 4 machines - once we have got a machine to show the gif files again, the user is keen to have their machine back for normal work. The need to release borrowed machines as quickly as possible has limited retesting of the belief that there is no way of stopping the Access RT updates from being installed. 

Providing testing of using Access RT 2007 goes well, will be working on clearing all the remaining machines where users are reporting the problem of displaying signatures (the gif files).

Thanks for your support - the need to externally document the problems has added clarity to our own testing.
  • Edited by Nick Peek Friday, July 31, 2015 6:37 AM
July 31st, 2015 6:36am

Hi Kate

Have now found the cause of the problem - an update to MS Access Runtime by Windows Update. It only runs after a system has been successfully updated to Win 8.1 (ie does not affect Win 8 or prior versions). 

However once the updates are installed, they prevent uninstall of the updates or Access RT itself (there are two updates and have been unable to identify which is the problem). Using the uninstall facilities appears to work with a success message - but if the uninstall facility is restarted the Access RT is still shown and Access will still run.

In testing there seems to be no option which will allow these updates from being installed other than by turning all updates off. The two updates are KB2543854 and SP3 for Office 2003.

We have fixed one system so far by installing Access 2007 RT and making this the default program to open our code. Initially the VBA code caused a new warning but this has been rectified. However we are now running a complete system test to confirm that moving to Access 2007 RT does not spring any other surprises.

The updates were nominally installed one at a time but I believe there appears to be some other updates which were installed alongside a requested update. On one we picked up on, we have found the update listed as failed on a previous update. However can not guarantee this is the case on all unrequested updates.

From previous tests, a machine which has been restored back to as supplied Win 8 or 8.1appears to not pick up on the Access RT update when subsequently running Win Updates.

All testing has been on Dell Latitude 10's or Dell Venue 11's with the final tests on a 64 bit Core i5 Venue 11 (which certainly helped testing speed over the Atom machines). The testing has spanned 4 machines - once we have got a machine to show the gif files again, the user is keen to have their machine back for normal work. The need to release borrowed machines as quickly as possible has limited retesting of the belief that there is no way of stopping the Access RT updates from being installed. 

Providing testing of using Access RT 2007 goes well, will be working on clearing all the remaining machines where users are reporting the problem of displaying signatures (the gif files).

Thanks for your support - the need to externally document the problems has added clarity to our own testing.
  • Edited by Nick Peek Friday, July 31, 2015 6:37 AM
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July 31st, 2015 6:36am

Hi Kate

We have now proved that this a problem related only to Win 8.1 when Windows Update is run with KB2543854 and SP3 for Office 2003 being installed. It does not occur in Win 8 or Win 10.

On two machines previously with the problem have been re-installed with Win 8.0 then updated to Win 10. Once updated Windows Update has been allowed to run with no hint of problem updates or the actual problem occurring. First machine has been running in this mode for a week.

A further machine has been returned to Win 8.0 and updates run manually / not allowing update to Win 8.1. This machine has also run without the gif file problem.

We are now looking at reinstalling Win 8 on all customer machines then jumping them forward to Win 10. An easy way of uninstalling the two problem updates for MS Access RT 2003 would be a great bonus / time saver.

I trust someone at MS will be looking at what has gone wrong with these two updates as well as what is preventing the updates or the original MS Access RT from being uninstalled once actioned.

Nick

August 5th, 2015 10:56am

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