How to fix 'Microsoft Access can't be started. Microsoft Access was unable to initialize the Windows Registry'?

Solution 1:

I was able to resolve the issue by deleting all other version folders of Office from C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office\ and leaving only the Office16 folder.

Despite only having Office 365 and no other versions of Office installed on this machine (ever), I did have the following other applications installed:

• SharePoint Designer 2010
• SharePoint Designer 2013
• InfoPath 2013
• Stellar Repair for Access

Because of these applications, I had a few other folders like Office15, Office14, etc. in my C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\ directory. For some reason, Microsoft Access (and only Microsoft Access) had an issue with there being multiple Office## folders here.

Once I removed all these applications and their folders using the Microsoft Office Removal Tool (and manually uninstalling Stellar Repair for Access), I reinstalled Microsoft Office using the same files my organization uses via SCCM deployment per the question above, and I was able to open Microsoft Access (and existing .accdb files) again.

I've since reinstalled the four applications above (which recreated Office14 and Office15 folders), and can still open Access without encountering the issue. There must have been something in one of these 'earlier version' folders causing the confusion.

Solution 2:

The issue for me was because the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 had been installed alongside power BI desktop client or the Power BI Report server automatically (not sure which one), and the two were conflicting with each other.

Just uninstalling the database engine fixed the issue.