Update! Update! The Company is in a State! (with Karl Donaubauer)

Ever wonder why your Access application worked perfectly yesterday but crashes today after a routine update?

Karl Donaubauer, longtime Access MVP and founder of AccessForever.org, delivered a comprehensive presentation on understanding and managing Microsoft update bugs that affect Access applications. Drawing from extensive documentation of over 235 update bugs in recent years, Karl shared practical strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and recovery when updates break critical business applications. His medical-themed approach treated update bugs like a healthcare crisis, complete with prevention, diagnosis, and treatment protocols.

Whether you're supporting mission-critical Access applications or simply want to protect your development work from unexpected disruptions, this detailed guide offers essential knowledge for maintaining stable Access environments in an era of frequent updates.

The Update Bug Epidemic

Scale of the Problem

• 235+ documented bugs across recent years (35 major bugs, 200+ minor ones)
• 9 major bugs documented in the past year alone
• Peak periods: Late spring and summer typically bring the worst bugs
• Recent improvement: 4-5 month gap without major bugs (August 2024 - January 2025)

Most Impactful Recent Bugs

• Access hanging instances: Over 8,000 views on AccessForever.org
• Performance issues and crashes: 2,000+ views each
• Text-only printer problems: Surprisingly popular with 1,500+ views
• Salesforce Connect failures: Limited impact due to E3/E5 subscription requirements

Sources of Update Problems

Three Main Categories

1. Office/Access Updates
   • Directly related to Access functionality
   • Usually fixed quickly (hours to weeks)
   • Example: Access crashes when filtering forms
2. Security Updates
   • Windows security patches affecting Access
   • Higher Microsoft priority but longer fix times
   • Example: Access and Outlook freezing during PDF email sends
3. Windows Changes
   • Slowest to fix (months to years)
   • Example: "Database in inconsistent state" bug (5+ years old)
   • Example: Access freezes when copying records (2.5+ years unfixed)

Bug Lifecycle Phases

• Rollout: 3-4 days for global distribution
• Clarification: 1-10 days to identify as update bug
• Information gathering: Documentation and workaround development
• Fix development and deployment: Varies dramatically by source
• Fix communication: Getting word out about available solutions

Prevention Strategies

Update Channel Management

Current Channel (default):

• 1-3 updates per month
• Not recommended for production

Monthly Enterprise Channel:

• One update per month (Patch Tuesday)
• Better for stability

Semi-Annual Channels:

• Updates every 6 months (March/September or July/January)
• Recommended for maximum stability

Implementation Recommendations

• Majority of users: Use slowest comfortable update channel
• Testing users: Small group on faster channel for early bug detection
• Developer machines: Consider beta channels only for testing
• Channel switching: Registry modification enables update channel button

Diagnosis and Response

Initial Assessment Steps

1. Test with different databases - Isolate application-specific issues
2. Test on different computers - Rule out machine-specific problems
3. Version comparison testing - Roll back to previous build to confirm update source
4. Time investment: Limit initial testing to a few hours, not days

Information Resources

• AccessForever.org: Primary documentation site with 6-person MVP team
• Microsoft forums: Multiple language options available
• Community forums: Seek forums with active Access MVPs
• Collaboration: AccessForever team works directly with Microsoft Access team

Effective Bug Reporting

• Windows version and exact Access build numbers
• Step-by-step reproduction scenarios with screenshots
• Sample files when possible
• Update channel information
• Avoid "About Access" version numbers - often outdated MSO.dll information

Recovery and Workarounds

Severity Assessment (Triage)

• Can you work around it? Wait for official fix
• Business-critical impact? Immediate action required
• Severity levels: From minor annoyances to complete application failures

Rollback Procedures

• Disable automatic updates first (prevents re-infection)
• Identify last working build through testing or community reports
• Command-line rollback: Using Click-to-Run client with administrator privileges
• Enterprise deployment: Office Deployment Tool for multiple machines

Feature Gates and Instant Fixes

• Behind-the-scenes fixes: Microsoft can disable problematic features remotely
• No version change: Fixes applied without new builds or transparency
• Restart requirement: Simple Access restart may resolve issues
• No user notification: Fixes happen silently

Long-term Considerations

Microsoft's Complex Challenge

• Legacy codebase: Windows (~40 years) and Access (~33 years)
• Massive scale: Hundreds of millions of users with varied configurations
• Access uniqueness: Business-critical nature differs from other Office apps
• Process limitations: Lengthy corporate procedures disconnect from customer needs

Quality Management Reality

• Consistent occurrence: Update bugs are ongoing, not temporary
• Seasonal patterns: Summer months typically worse
• Recent improvements: Possible better quality management (needs confirmation)
• No magic bullet: Problems will continue requiring ongoing vigilance

Conclusion

Karl's presentation revealed that while Microsoft update bugs affecting Access are a persistent reality, they're manageable through proper preparation and response strategies. The key lies in prevention through careful update channel selection, quick diagnosis when problems occur, and knowing where to find reliable information and fixes. The AccessForever.org initiative provides valuable community-driven documentation that fills gaps in Microsoft's official communication, while direct collaboration with the Access team ensures timely resolution of critical issues.

Recording

The full recording is available on YouTube:

Join Live!

Want to get even more out of these presentations? Join the live Access User Group events! The next upcoming events are listed on the AUG Event Calendar.

Attending live gives you the opportunity to:

• Interact directly with presenters during Q&A sessions
• Network with other Access developers
• Share your own experiences and challenges
• Get immediate answers to your specific questions
• Participate in group discussions

With multiple user groups across different time zones (and languages!), you're sure to find a meeting time that works for your schedule.

Acknowledgements

• Base cover image generated by FLUX-schnell
• Initial draft generated by Claude-Sonnet-4