Error message I have never seen before

[ajr81]

I am working with a very large workbook with about 15 tabs with, one has a
ton of data nad numerous VLookups. So the size may be where this error is
coming from. Anyway, here is what it says:

"Excel cannot complete this task with available resources. Choose less data
or close other applications."
Has anyone every seen this before? Thanks.

 

[smartin]

I am working with a very large workbook with about 15 tabs with, one has a
ton of data nad numerous VLookups. So the size may be where this error is
coming from. Anyway, here is what it says:

"Excel cannot complete this task with available resources. Choose less data
or close other applications."
Has anyone every seen this before? Thanks.

Yup. Excel is telling you that Windows running low on brain.

You have a few options: reduce resource requirements by loading fewer
(other) programs (may require reboot to be truly effective), increase
virtual RAM (may require sacrificing 256k goats and rebooting at the
stroke of leap day to be effective), make the file smaller, increase
physical RAM.

Other knob-twiddling exercises to try are defrag hard disk, delete temp
files (from all the secret places Windows stashes them), not in that order.

 

[ajr81]

I know how to defrag, and I think I may know how to delete temp folder/files.
How do I make sure I get most of them? Like all the internet things that
are stored. For example, I listen to an online radio and I know that one
time I came across a folder that had the endless list of all the songs. And
I am sure web pages and stored somewhere. Can you get all of those off your
computer? Thanks for your help!

 

[smartin]

In truth the defrag and temp file suggestions will help only marginally
with your problem, if at all. However, I believe these are good things
to do for optimum overall PC performance. Your best bet is to close
unnecessary programs, and if needed, disable unnecessary services,
reboot, and try again. On the other hand, on a system equipped with
minimal RAM there is no substitute for increasing the physical RAM.

Temp files are handled rather poorly by Windows. When I had W98 there
were only a few places to check.

Then I got XP and found many more. I pretty much nailed the locations XP
Pro used, which was interesting because the built-in disk "cleanup"
facility ignored these locations. I had to create an elaborate batch
file to loop through various fixed locations and (variable) user
accounts to delete all the temp files I could find.

Now I have Vista something-or-another and everything has changed again.
I'm not even sure temp file usage is even constant from one installation
to the next, let alone between major or minor versions of Windows. I
have not revived/revised my batch file for Vista yet.

Internet files are probably easier to deal with since your browser can
control how these cache files are managed. How depends on the browser,
but in general if you root around in the menus you should be able to
find out how. With IE temporary internet files can be zapped though the
disk "cleanup" utility (right click any drive letter and poke around).