Windowsの更新時にノートンに発生するトラブル

Other Norton Products/Services
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Windows に何らかの更新があると、「ユティリティーズアルティメット」と「ドライバーアップデータ」が起動しなくなり、同時に「ワード」、「エクセル」、「アウトルック」が起動しなくなる。
「ユティリティーズアルティメット」と「ドライバーアップデータ」を修復すると「ワード」そのたが起動可能になる。
これまで何回も発生している、何が悪いのか。

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(source AIMode)
When Windows updates prevent “Utilities Ultimate” and “Driver Updater” from starting, and at the same time cause Microsoft Office programs like Word and Excel to stop working, it indicates a software conflict or system file corruption. Third-party “utility” software can sometimes cause instability by making changes that are incompatible with new Windows updates.

Here are the most effective steps to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.

Method 1: Repair the Microsoft Office installation
Since official Office apps are also affected, repairing the installation can often fix underlying issues caused by a bad update.

  1. Right-click the Start button (bottom-left corner) and select Installed apps or Apps and Features from the menu.
  2. Find your Microsoft Office product in the list, click the three dots or select the entry, and then choose Modify.
  3. In the window that appears, select Online Repair > Repair to ensure all issues are fixed. This option is more comprehensive than the Quick Repair.
  4. Restart your computer after the repair is complete and check if the Office applications work.

Method 2: Use the System File Checker (SFC)
A Windows update could have corrupted system files, affecting many programs. The SFC command-line tool can scan for and repair these files.

  1. Press the Windows key + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
  2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
  3. Allow the scan to run completely. It will attempt to fix any corrupted files it finds.
  4. After the scan, restart your computer.

Method 3: Temporarily uninstall third-party utilities
Software like “Utilities Ultimate” and “Driver Updater” are common culprits for system conflicts after a Windows update. They can block or interfere with other applications.

  1. Right-click the Start button and go to Installed apps.
  2. Find Utilities Ultimate and Driver Updater in the list.
  3. Click the three dots next to each program and select Uninstall.
  4. Restart your PC. If Office programs now work, you have confirmed that the third-party utilities were the cause. You can then try reinstalling them from the manufacturer’s official website to get a version compatible with the latest Windows update.

Method 4: Update device drivers manually
While you have a “Driver Updater” program, it’s possible it isn’t working correctly. You can try manually updating your critical hardware drivers.

  1. Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
  2. Look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark next to them. This indicates a driver issue.
  3. Right-click the problem device and select Update Driver. Choose to “Search automatically for drivers.”
  4. For important components like graphics cards, go directly to the manufacturer’s website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) to download and install the latest driver.

Method 5: Run a clean boot
If the above steps fail, you can perform a clean boot to determine if a background service or startup item is causing the conflict.

  1. Press the Windows key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
  2. Go to the Services tab.
  3. Check the box for Hide all Microsoft services.
  4. Click Disable all.
  5. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
  6. Disable all startup items.
  7. Restart your computer. If the problem is solved, you can re-enable services one by one to find the software that is causing the conflict.

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A Windows update can cause these specific software conflicts due to several factors related to how the update changes system files, security settings, and how it interacts with other installed programs. The inability of both third-party utilities and official Microsoft Office apps to launch at the same time points to a more systemic issue caused by the update.

Here are the specific reasons why this might occur:

Conflict with “Utilities Ultimate” and “Driver Updater”

  • Deep System Changes: Programs like “Utilities Ultimate” and “Driver Updater” operate at a deep level within Windows. They can make low-level adjustments to the system registry, drivers, and core operating system files. If a new Windows update overwrites or changes the same system files these utilities have modified, it can break the utilities themselves and cause collateral damage to other programs.
  • Aggressive Security Measures: Windows updates often include security enhancements that may tighten restrictions on what a program can do. A new update might perceive the deep system access attempted by a third-party utility as a security threat, blocking the program from running or crashing it outright.
  • Driver Incompatibility: If your “Driver Updater” tool installed an outdated or incompatible driver, a major Windows update could expose this flaw. The update may install an official, compatible driver that conflicts with the one your utility installed, leading to system instability that prevents other programs from running.
  • Registry Modification: Both Windows and third-party utilities make changes to the system registry. A Windows update could change the structure or permissions of registry keys. If a third-party program relies on the old registry structure, it will crash and may take other services with it.

Impact on Microsoft Office

  • Corrupted System Files: A bad or interrupted update can leave critical system files in a corrupted state. Since the core OS is damaged, official Microsoft software like Word and Excel, which rely on these fundamental components to run, will fail to start.
  • Security Feature Conflict: Some Windows updates, particularly those focused on security, can introduce issues that prevent Office applications from launching. Microsoft has previously identified and resolved specific update-related issues that caused Office programs to stop responding.
  • Interference from third-party apps: The third-party utilities may have modified registry settings, system permissions, or other files used by Office. When the Windows update fails to reconcile these changes, it can prevent a broad range of software—including Office—from working correctly. The conflict is not between the update and Office, but between the update and the changes made by the third-party utility.

Simultaneous failure
The most critical piece of evidence is that both third-party and first-party software failed at the same time. This suggests a common root cause affecting the entire system.

  • The Windows update likely triggered a system-wide instability or file corruption.
  • The third-party utilities and Office programs are all symptoms of this underlying problem, which is why they all fail together.

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Using third-party “utility” software like driver updaters and system optimizers carries significant risks that often outweigh their perceived benefits. These programs promise to improve your PC’s speed and performance but can instead cause system instability, introduce security vulnerabilities, and even lead to malware infections.

Risks of using driver updaters

  • Installing incorrect or incompatible drivers: Reputable Windows forums and advisors almost universally recommend against third-party driver tools. These programs can install drivers that are incompatible or buggier than the manufacturer’s versions, which can lead to system malfunctions, crashes (Blue Screen of Death), or hardware features not working correctly.
  • Exposing you to malware and adware: Many third-party driver updaters are actually “potentially unwanted programs” (PUPs), adware, or malware in disguise. Even from a seemingly legitimate source, they may include bundled software you don’t want or need.
  • Creating system instability: By making deep, low-level changes to your system’s core components, these programs can create conflicts that cause crashes and problems with other applications. For instance, a third-party driver update can break functionality that worked perfectly fine before.

Risks of using system optimizers and cleaners

  • Removing necessary files: Programs like “Utilities Ultimate” often make aggressive changes to the Windows registry or delete “junk” files. In the process, they can accidentally delete critical system files, causing widespread corruption that affects many other programs—including Microsoft Office—or even makes your PC unbootable.
  • Causing more problems than they solve: The perceived speed-up from these programs is often temporary or nonexistent. Modern versions of Windows are much better at managing themselves than older operating systems, so extensive third-party meddling is no longer necessary and is more likely to cause problems.
  • Being a front for scams: Many such tools act like scareware. They run a “scan” that finds dozens or hundreds of “errors,” which can only be fixed by purchasing a “premium” version of the software. Many of these errors are minor or harmless, and the promised fixes are not worth the risk.

Why manual updates are safer
Microsoft and PC manufacturers have built-in systems for managing and updating your system safely.

  • Windows Update: The safest and most reliable way to get driver updates is through Windows Update. Microsoft works with manufacturers to provide stable, compatible drivers directly to your system.
  • Manufacturer Websites: For critical components like graphics cards and motherboards, downloading drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, or your laptop brand’s support page) ensures you get the correct and most up-to-date versions.

In short, the risks of using third-party utility software almost always outweigh the limited potential benefits. It is a safer and more reliable practice to let Windows manage itself and to get specialized drivers directly from the component or PC manufacturer.

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Caveat: I do not run Norton Utilities Ultimate nor Norton Driver Updater