Edit: January 2020 Microsoft has recently changed Windows Defender. If you use Microsoft's Anti Virus then Windows Defender is still present. If you use the third party Anti Virus software then Windows Defender is disabled on your PC, you cannot see Windows Defender, and the procedure below does not work. |
The problem is caused by the Controlled Folder Access component of Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. See Microsoft's Customize controlled folder access
The solution is to add soffice.bin to the list of programs allowed by Windows Defender.
Go START > Settings > Update and security > Windows security (on the left) > Virus and threat protection > Manage Ransomware protection (at bottom)
If Controlled Folder Access is OFF, you have no problem.
If Controlled Folder Access is ON then click Allow an app through controlled folder access > Add an allowed app.
This opens a Navigator window where you will notice that only .exe and .com files are shown.
For AOO navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\program\ as below and type in soffice.bin.
For LO navigate to C:\Program Files\LibreOffice\program\ and type in soffice.bin.
The trick is to type soffice.bin into the File name field and click Open. soffice.bin is now added as an allowed program as below.
You can alternatively disable Controlled Folder Access completely but this compromises the security of your PC. Do so by going START > Settings > Update and security > Windows security > Virus and threat protection > Ransomware protection. Set Controlled Folder Access to OFF.
Do I also need to add the other .exe files like swriter.exe, scalc.exe, simpress.exe and soffice.exe etc?
No. swriter.exe (and scalc.exe, simpress.exe etc) are not required as they do not write to the disk. Only the program soffice.bin writes to the disk and hence only soffice.bin needs permission to write to disk.
It has been reported that adding soffice.bin using a powershell command as described in Use PowerShell to allow specific apps does not work.
If you experience any problems please do not post here - start a new thread in the forum.