Excel causes system freeze

[Kevin_Rees]

Excel is causing the whole system to freeze -- requiring a restart. Seems to be related to maximizing the document window.

MacBook Pro 15" C2D 2GB RAM
MacOS X 10.5.2

We have:
- archive / installed OSX
- applied all OS updates
- reinstalled Office 2008
- repaired permissions

Problem is reproducible, though not every time.

While Excel is running, we see the following message repeated in the log multiple times per second:

2/21/08 5:15:22 PM Microsoft Excel[214] CGBitmapContextGetData: invalid context

Right before the freeze, we usually get the following message one or more times in the log:

2/21/08 4:57:25 PM kernel NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel timeout!

 

[JerryJ]

I've just started having freezes as well, but not only when maximizing the window. It's also happened to me when I'm printing and scrolling. I've been using Excel 2008 heavily since mid-January w/o any problems until a recent upgrade of Keyboard firmware from Apple. Hum?

I'm running the same configuration as you -- a MacBook Pro 2GB RAM, 10.5.2 w/ all updates.

BTW, what log are you referring to and how do I look at mine?

 

[Kevin_Rees]

For us, as long as the Excel windows are not maximized, we are not having freezes.

Applications / Utilities / Console displays the logs.

 

[Joachim]

Hi everyone,

I´m experiencing the same effects : freezing system when maximizing excel workbooks.
I can´t tell if the keyboad-update has had any influence because I installed Excel2008 last week after the Keyboard-Update was already installed.
My config is : MacBook Pro 15", 4GB Ram, 10.5.2 with all updates....

I also found the same errors as you mentioned,(Microsoft Excel[281] CGBitmapContextGetData: invalid context) but not only when excel caused these freezes but also when an empty woorbook is maximized and minimized. The error message appears per maximization 20 times. And not only excel seems to be affected... I get the same error messages from word when minimizing/maximizing documents... but then around 100 times per maximization.

rgds
Joachim

 

[BershanV]

same here
MacBook Pro 15"
2G
All updates
Found Solution-Stretch the Excel
went to Genius Bar-they "never heard",said to try to re-install
Office... BS-they know

 

[ggubacsi]

Hi, same problem here... I found that symptoms appear more likely if I
open an xls saved with Excel 2000 rather than Excel 2008.

OS X 10.5.2, all updates, MacBook Pro 2,6 GHz, 4 GB RAM

 

[Pat McMillan]

Hi,

We are looking into the CGBitmapContextGetData: invalid context output to
the console. But the system freeze looks like it may be an OS issue. You
might want to check out this discussion:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6706148

Thanks,

Pat

 

[thorgal73]

Sorry, the other thread does not seem related to the problem : posters
in the other thread get random system freezes, I only get them with
Excel. Maximizing windows within Excel is mostly the problem, but also
adding to a custom menu bar caused a freeze here.

System : Mac Pro with 10Gb ram / 8800GT / MS Office 2008

Solution upon a freeze is hard reset. By the way : freeze means :
beachball of death, mouse still moves, but no forced quit possible.

I'm hoping for a quick fix, cause I'm on the brink on going back to
office X here. My business cannot function on 3-4 freezes a day.

 

[usenetname]

Sorry, the other thread does not seem related to the problem : posters
in the other thread get random system freezes, I only get them with
Excel. Maximizing windows within Excel is mostly the problem, but also
adding to a custom menu bar caused a freeze here.

System : Mac Pro with 10Gb ram / 8800GT / MS Office 2008

Solution upon a freeze is hard reset. By the way : freeze means :
beachball of death, mouse still moves, but no forced quit possible.

I'm hoping for a quick fix, cause I'm on the brink on going back to
office X here. My business cannot function on 3-4 freezes a day.

Same problem and console message here on new Mac Pro 3.0, 8800,
10.5.2, 4 GB RAM

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thank you. Would you be able to send me a System Profile? It would be a big
help in narrowing this down, since we have several systems here running
Parallels and Excel 2008 and have not seen this. If so, please send to
(e-mail address removed).

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thank you. I would ask you the same favor. If you would be able to send us a
System Profile it would be a great help: (e-mail address removed).

Thanks,

Pat

 

[thorgal73]

Thank you. Would you be able to send me a System Profile? It would be a big
help in narrowing this down, since we have several systems here running
Parallels and Excel 2008 and have not seen this. If so, please send to
(e-mail address removed).

Thanks,

Pat







--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Hi, also running parallels 3,0 here, could be related. System profile
on its way.

 

[Clay Nelson]

I have the same issue. Happens immediately when I attempt to maximize the window.

 

[usenetname]

Hi, also running parallels 3,0 here, could be related. System profile
on its way.

No parallels here, using vmware.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thanks. Could you provide details on your system config or send me a system
profile ([email protected])?

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Pat McMillan]

One question for anyone who's been encountering this issue: Has anyone run
into this issue who has *not* installed the "Leopard Graphics Update"?
(Check the Installed Updates tab in the system's Software Update pref.)

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Chet]

I am running into the System Freeze Issue when using EXCEL... has
happened consistently when attempting on of the following:

a. maximising the window,
b. opening a file created in XL 2007 on a PC with .xlsx extension
c. customizing teh toolbar by adding teh Freeze Panes Icon.

Had no issues with Office 2004... Upgrade path to Office 2008 was to
remove Office 2004 and clean install Office 2008.

I am runing a Macbook Pro 2.4 Ghz, 4 GB RAM....

 

[joel.lovell]

One question for anyone who's been encountering this issue: Has anyone run
into this issue who has *not* installed the "Leopard Graphics Update"?
(Check the Installed Updates tab in the system's Software Update pref.)

My Leopard Graphics Update was installed on Feb 27, 2008. I was
running into this issue before then. Before that this crashing problem
I had originally had a problem where Excel was suddenly quiting. Now
it just does this dead hang thing. I can send you the spreadsheet that
is the culprit if you want to see if it happens on your side.

(e-mail address removed)
203-933-6777
MacBook Pro.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thanks Joel. Yes, a specific file would be a great help.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[jonathan.hubeau]

Thanks Joel. Yes, a specific file would be a great help.

Thanks,

Pat





--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

There is a software update (release date is Tuesday, March 11, 2008)
on Microsoft web site at the following address:

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downlo...d=31BC88ED-DF2D-471A-B4B5-66C2A51C8BEA#viewer

Problem does not seem to occur anymore since I installed it.

Jonathan