Bootstrapper Stopped Working MS Office 2013/2016 Troubleshooting - Complete Fix Guide

Understanding Office Bootstrapper Stopped Working Error

The Office bootstrapper is a critical component that manages Office installation, updates, and application initialization. When the bootstrapper stops working, Office cannot complete installation, updates, or sometimes launch applications properly.

Where this error typically occurs:

• During Office installation - when bootstrapper initializes installation process
• During Office updates - when bootstrapper manages update installation
• When launching Office applications - when bootstrapper initializes Office components
• When repairing Office - when bootstrapper runs repair operations
• When uninstalling Office - when bootstrapper manages uninstallation

Common error messages you might encounter:

• "Microsoft Office [version] Bootstrapper has stopped working"
• "A problem caused the program to stop working correctly"
• "OfficeClickToRun.exe has stopped working"
• "Setup.exe has stopped working"
• Bootstrapper crashes immediately when launched

Why Office Bootstrapper Stopped Working error occurs:

• Corrupted Office installation: Office installation files or bootstrapper executable are corrupted
• Insufficient permissions: Bootstrapper doesn't have administrator rights to perform operations
• Windows Installer issues: Windows Installer service is corrupted or not functioning
• Conflicting Office processes: Other Office processes are running and conflicting with bootstrapper
• Corrupted Click-to-Run cache: Office Click-to-Run installation cache is corrupted
• Antivirus interference: Antivirus software blocking or interfering with bootstrapper
• Corrupted bootstrapper files: Bootstrapper executable or related files are damaged

Method 1: Run Office Installation as Administrator (Recommended First Step)

This method addresses the most common cause of bootstrapper stopped working: insufficient permissions. Running Office installation or bootstrapper with administrator rights often resolves permission-related bootstrapper failures.

1. Close all Office applications:
   • Close all running Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
   • Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
   • End all Office-related processes if still running
   • End OfficeClickToRun.exe if running
2. Locate Office installer or bootstrapper:
   • If installing Office, locate the Office installer file (setup.exe or .exe installer)
   • If updating Office, bootstrapper may be in Office installation directory
   • For Office 365, download fresh installer from Office 365 portal
3. Run as Administrator:
   • Right-click Office installer or bootstrapper file
   • Select Run as administrator
   • Click "Yes" when User Account Control (UAC) prompts
   • If bootstrapper is already running, close it and restart as Administrator
4. Check user account permissions:
   • Ensure you're using an Administrator account
   • Open Settings → Accounts → Your info
   • Verify account type shows "Administrator"
   • If not Administrator, switch to Administrator account
5. Disable User Account Control temporarily (optional):
   • Press Windows + R, type msconfig, press Enter
   • Go to Tools tab → select Change UAC settings → Launch
   • Move slider to "Never notify" (temporarily)
   • Click OK and restart if prompted
   • Important: Re-enable UAC after Office installation completes
6. Run Office installation or operation:
   • Run Office installer or bootstrapper as Administrator
   • Follow installation or operation wizard
   • Check if bootstrapper stopped working error is resolved
   • If error persists, proceed to Method 2

Why this works: Office bootstrapper requires administrator privileges to modify system files, registry entries, and install Office components. Insufficient permissions cause bootstrapper to fail and stop working. Running as Administrator provides necessary permissions for bootstrapper to function properly.

Method 2: Repair Windows Installer Service

Corrupted or malfunctioning Windows Installer service can cause Office bootstrapper to stop working. Repairing Windows Installer service restores proper bootstrapper functionality.

1. Open Services:
   • Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter
   • Or search "Services" in Start menu
2. Stop Windows Installer service:
   • Find Windows Installer in the services list
   • Right-click → Stop
   • Wait for service to stop
3. Restart Windows Installer service:
   • Right-click Windows Installer → Start
   • Wait for service to start
   • Right-click → Properties
   • Set Startup type to Manual (if it's Disabled)
   • Click OK
4. Register Windows Installer files:
   • Open Command Prompt as Administrator
   • Type: cd C:\Windows\System32 and press Enter
   • Type: regsvr32 msi.dll and press Enter
   • Wait for "DllRegisterServer in msi.dll succeeded" message
   • Type: msiexec /unregister and press Enter
   • Type: msiexec /regserver and press Enter
   • Wait for registration to complete
5. Restart Windows Installer service:
   • Open Services again
   • Right-click Windows Installer → Restart
   • Verify service is running
6. Test Office bootstrapper:
   • Run Office installer or bootstrapper as Administrator
   • Check if bootstrapper stopped working error is resolved
   • If error persists, proceed to Method 3

When to use this method: Use Method 2 when bootstrapper stopped working error persists after running as Administrator, when Windows Installer service shows errors in Services, or when other software installations also fail. Windows Installer issues affect all MSI-based installations, including Office.

Method 3: Clean Office Click-to-Run Cache

Corrupted Office Click-to-Run installation cache can cause bootstrapper to stop working. Cleaning the cache ensures fresh bootstrapper environment.

1. Stop all Office processes:
   • Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
   • End all Office-related processes (WINWORD.EXE, EXCEL.EXE, OUTLOOK.EXE, etc.)
   • End OfficeClickToRun.exe if running
   • End Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (SxS) process if running
2. Stop Office Click-to-Run service:
   • Open Services (services.msc)
   • Find Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (SxS) service
   • Right-click → Stop
   • Wait for service to stop
3. Clean Office Click-to-Run cache:
   • Open File Explorer
   • Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\
   • Delete all contents of this folder (be careful - backup if needed)
   • Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\
   • Delete contents if folder exists
   • Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\
   • Delete contents if folder exists
4. Clean temporary files:
   • Press Windows + R, type %temp%, press Enter
   • Delete all files in temp folder (skip files in use)
   • Navigate to C:\Windows\Temp\
   • Delete all files (skip files in use)
   • Empty Recycle Bin
5. Restart your computer:
   • Restart to clear all cached processes and files
   • Allow Windows to complete startup sequence
6. Download fresh Office installer:
   • Download Office installer from official Microsoft website
   • Or use Office 365/Microsoft 365 portal
   • Ensure you download a fresh copy
7. Run Office installation as Administrator:
   • Run Office installer as Administrator
   • Follow installation wizard
   • Check if bootstrapper stopped working error is resolved

Why this works: Corrupted Office Click-to-Run cache can cause bootstrapper to fail when initializing. Cleaning the cache removes corrupted files and allows bootstrapper to create fresh cache during installation, resolving cache-related bootstrapper failures.

Method 4: Stop Conflicting Office Processes and Services

Conflicting Office processes or services running simultaneously can cause bootstrapper to stop working. Stopping all Office-related processes ensures clean bootstrapper execution.

1. Close all Office applications:
   • Close all running Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)
   • Save any unsaved work before closing
   • Check system tray for Office icons - right-click and exit
2. End Office processes in Task Manager:
   • Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
   • Go to Details tab
   • End all Office-related processes:
     • WINWORD.EXE (Word)
     • EXCEL.EXE (Excel)
     • POWERPNT.EXE (PowerPoint)
     • OUTLOOK.EXE (Outlook)
     • MSACCESS.EXE (Access)
     • OfficeClickToRun.exe
     • Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (SxS)
   • Right-click each process → End task
3. Stop Office services:
   • Open Services (services.msc)
   • Find Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (SxS) service
   • Right-click → Stop
   • Find any other Office-related services
   • Stop all Office services
4. Wait for processes to fully terminate:
   • Wait 30-60 seconds after ending processes
   • Check Task Manager again - ensure no Office processes are running
   • If processes restart automatically, they may be managed by a service
5. Disable Office services temporarily (if needed):
   • In Services, right-click Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (SxS) → Properties
   • Set Startup type to Disabled
   • Click Stop → OK
   • Important: Re-enable service after Office installation completes
6. Run Office installation or bootstrapper:
   • Run Office installer or bootstrapper as Administrator
   • Follow installation or operation wizard
   • Check if bootstrapper stopped working error is resolved

When to use this method: Use Method 4 when bootstrapper stopped working error appears when Office applications are running, when multiple Office processes are active, or when Office services are interfering with bootstrapper. Conflicting processes often cause bootstrapper to fail.

Method 5: Perform Clean Office Reinstallation

If all other methods fail, completely removing Office and performing clean reinstallation resolves bootstrapper stopped working error caused by corrupted installation or bootstrapper files.

1. Uninstall Office completely:
   • Open Control Panel → Programs and Features
   • Find Microsoft Office installation
   • Uninstall Office
   • Or use Microsoft Office Removal Tool for complete removal
   • Restart computer after uninstalling
2. Clean Office folders and registry:
   • Delete Office folders from Program Files and Program Files (x86)
   • Delete Office folders from AppData (Local and Roaming)
   • Clean Office Click-to-Run cache (Method 3)
   • Clean Office registry entries (backup registry first)
   • Restart computer
3. Download fresh Office installer:
   • Download Office installer from official Microsoft website
   • Or use Office 365/Microsoft 365 portal
   • Ensure you download the correct Office edition
   • Save installer to easily accessible location
4. Disable antivirus temporarily:
   • Temporarily disable antivirus software
   • Antivirus may interfere with Office installation
   • Re-enable antivirus after installation completes
5. Install Office as Administrator:
   • Right-click Office installer → Run as administrator
   • Click "Yes" when UAC prompts
   • Follow installation wizard
   • Wait for installation to complete
   • Do not interrupt installation process
6. Verify Office installation:
   • After installation, launch Office application
   • Check if Office works properly
   • Verify bootstrapper stopped working error is resolved

Why this works: Corrupted Office installation or bootstrapper files can cause persistent bootstrapper failures. Completely removing Office, cleaning all related files and registry entries, and performing fresh installation with clean bootstrapper files eliminates all potential causes of bootstrapper stopped working error.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

Check Event Viewer for Detailed Errors

Event Viewer provides detailed error information about bootstrapper failures. Open Event Viewer (search in Start menu) → Windows Logs → Application. Look for error entries related to Office bootstrapper around the time error occurred. Event Viewer often indicates specific causes of bootstrapper failures.

Check Disk Space

Office installation requires significant disk space. Ensure you have at least 10GB free disk space. Check disk space: Right-click C: drive → Properties → check "Free space". Free up space if needed.

Update Windows

Outdated Windows can cause compatibility issues with Office bootstrapper. Update Windows to latest version: Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → Check for updates. Install all available updates and restart if needed.

Prevention Strategies

• Always run Office installation as Administrator: Office requires administrator privileges
• Close all Office applications before installation: Prevent conflicts with running Office apps
• Keep Windows Installer service healthy: Regularly check and repair Windows Installer
• Disable antivirus during installation: Prevent antivirus interference
• Use official Office installer: Download only from official Microsoft sources
• Don't interrupt installation: Let Office installation complete fully
• Keep Windows updated: Regular Windows updates improve Office compatibility

When to Seek Professional Help

If all methods fail to resolve Office Bootstrapper Stopped Working error, consider these scenarios:

• Persistent bootstrapper failures: If bootstrapper continues to fail after all repairs, professional system diagnostics may be needed
• Enterprise environments: In business environments, consult IT support before attempting advanced repairs
• Complex system issues: If system has multiple issues affecting Office, professional system repair may be necessary
• Critical Office installation: If Office installation is urgent and all methods fail, professional assistance may be faster

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I fix bootstrapper stopped working without uninstalling Office?

A: Yes, in most cases. Methods 1 (Run as Administrator), 2 (Repair Windows Installer), 3 (Clean Click-to-Run Cache), and 4 (Stop Conflicting Processes) often resolve bootstrapper stopped working error without uninstalling Office. Only use Method 5 (Clean Reinstallation) if other methods fail.

Q: Why does bootstrapper stop working when launching Office applications?

A: Bootstrapper initializes Office components when applications launch. If bootstrapper is corrupted, has insufficient permissions, or conflicts with other processes, it can stop working during application launch. Running Office as Administrator (Method 1) or cleaning Click-to-Run cache (Method 3) often resolves this.

Q: Can antivirus cause bootstrapper to stop working?

A: Yes, antivirus software can block or interfere with Office bootstrapper, causing it to stop working. Temporarily disable antivirus during Office installation or add Office installation folders to antivirus exclusions. Re-enable antivirus after installation completes.

Q: Will bootstrapper stopped working prevent me from using Office?

A: It depends. If bootstrapper fails during installation, Office won't be installed. If bootstrapper fails during application launch, Office applications may not start. If bootstrapper fails during updates, Office may continue working but updates won't install. Fix bootstrapper issues to ensure full Office functionality.

Q: How do I know if Windows Installer is causing bootstrapper issues?

A: If other software installations also fail, if Windows Installer service shows errors in Services, or if bootstrapper stopped working error appears consistently, Windows Installer may be the cause. Repair Windows Installer service (Method 2) to resolve installer-related bootstrapper issues.