0x800a03ec Exception when using Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook.Open()

Question

I created a AutoCAD plugin and distributed it across group of users. The issue is that I am facing is that it is working for some users while it is crashing on some computers. This problem may be with the computer or code, therefore please read through.

string strFullPath= "D:\Model\Motor-Manifest\Manifest.xlsm";
Excel.Application excelapplication= new Excel.Application();
Excel.Workbook XlWorkBook = excelapplication.Workbooks.Open(strFullPath, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing,Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, false);

The error that I got is as follows

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x800A03EC): Exception from HRESULT: 0x800A03EC

at Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbooks.Open(String Filename, Object UpdateLinks, Object ReadOnly, Object Format, Object Password, Object WriteResPassword, Object IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Object Origin, Object Delimiter, Object Editable, Object Notify, Object Converter, Object AddToMru, Object Local, Object CorruptLoad)

Things I tried and didn't work

• Tried reinstalling same version of office (Office 365 Proplus V1902) on affected machines which was suugested in this article
• Make sure file is valid, not corrupted, writeable, not protected
• Regional format settings are same on all machines suggested here here
• Changed settings in "DCOM Config" for Excel application explained here
• Tried using excelapplication.Workbooks.Open(strFullPath);
• Tried using Epplus but that resulted in corrupted file, please note that I cannot change this file in anyway this is the file that we get from someone else
• Tried using two different versions interop dll (14.0 & 15.0)
• Tried using xlsx file
• Local language is set english US as advised here

Few Observations

• This plugin was working on all computers before, so we tried system restore on affected machines but did not work

• When the excel file is opened manually on the "affected machines", it kicks out the macros from it but it was not kicked out by anti-virus Link

All computers are using AutoCAD 2018, VS 2017, Office 365 Proplus and Windows 10 (X64).

What should I do here? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Answer 1

After trying install and reinstall on many different applications, found there was application called Access Database Engine and the affected computers had 2010, 2016 both version installed. After uninstalling 2016 version, it worked fine. It didn't work after uninstalling 2010