Excel - Insufficient Memory, Freezing Up, Slow Recalculations

[rwt]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

In May 2008 I bought a new MacPro (4GB) with Mac OS X 10.5.4 and installed Microsoft Office 2008 including Excel 2008 for Mac (now 12.1.1). I have transferred spreadsheets created on a Mac G5 under the old Excel 2004 for Mac to the new MacPro and have also created new spreadsheets. With both old and new spreadsheets, I am getting notices of insufficient memory, freezing up of Excel and the loss of input since a prior Save, and noticeably slow recalculations for large spreadsheets. I had no problems of this kind on the Mac G5 with the 2004 version of Excel. What are possible solutions to this problem? Is it time to migrate to Apple's Numbers program?

 

[George Smit]

I have the same problem - but I have narrowed it down to workbooks containing links to other files. The moment I open a "linked" file I get a "not enough memory" error. Strange, as Activity Monitor says I still have 2.6GB of my 4GB available...
Other files seems fine - my memory problem seems to be with linked files only.
I am running OS X 10.5.4 and Excel 2008 12.1.1 on a 2.4Ghz dual core Intel chip with 4GB RAM.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Is there any chance you could send me a file that has this problem? Does
this happen with .xls, .xlsx, both?

Thanks,

Pat
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

Is there any chance you could send me a file that has this problem? Does
this happen with .xls, .xlsx, both?





Thanks,





Pat (e-mail address removed)






Hi Pat - thanks for the response.

I happens with both .xls and .xlsx but only with a file containing external links. The files without any external links work fine.

I have recently switched over to Mac so a few of my files still have links to the incorrect (read: old) file paths on my windows laptop.

I have updated/changed these links to refer to the same files in the new file structure/path on my Mac - but the error already occurs as the file opens before I can do anything about the links. I have subsequently changed the links - restarted both Excel and Mac but the problem still persists.

I took my Mac to my local dealer and we opened the files on their machines without any problems - so the problem is not with the files but specific to my Mac. I am on version 12.1.1 while the machines we managed to open the files on are still on version 12.1.0 - could this be the problem?

I will try to uninstall and re-install Office tonight at home and see if that solves the problem - else I will send you the files (but as I said before they do open without hitch on other Macs).

Will let you know...

Thanks,
George

 

[George Smit]

Problem Update:

OK - uninstalled Office 2008, re-installed it from the cd and only ran the 12.1.0 update (not the 12.1.1 update) - but I still have the same problem.

Pat - I have emailed the files to you...

Regards,
George

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thanks George. I'll be investigating these files today.

Pat

 

[rwt]

Pat,

I have twice attempted sending a small spreadsheet as a reply to your emails and have then received a Delivery Status Notification (Failure). Should I be using a different reply e-mail address?

The problem is happening with both .xls and .xlsx and with both spreadsheets linked and not linked to other spreadsheets. At one point in creating the very small (unlinked) spreadsheet that I was trying to send to you, I got an insufficient memory warning and lost all work since the previous Save command.

A much larger, multilayered spreadsheet containing confidential cash flow information was originally developed and ran perfectly on a G5 using Excel 2004. After moving this model to the MacPro with Excel 2008 and saving under both .xls and .xlsx, I have experienced insufficient memory warnings and loss of all input since a prior Save. I have also noticed a recalculation lag reminiscent of the 1980s.

rwt

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thanks Richard. As you know, I finally received your mail and attached file
today. We'll be investigating it tomorrow.

Since there have been several reports of these inexplicable Out of Memory
alerts and other associated badness, I want to let people know that we're
working hard on figuring out the problem. But I also want to be honest and
let you know that we've received a handful of files from customers so far
who are experiencing these problems, but when we work with the files in
house, we're completely unable to reproduce the problems. We really want to
get to the bottom of these problems, but it's very hard if we can't come up
with a reproducible set of steps.

So thanks to all of you who have sent files. If there are other customers
experiencing these alerts and other problems, I hope you will also send us
your files. A system profile is also really useful, since it gives us lots
of information about the specific configuration of your machine, which we
think is relevant. To get a system profile, choose "About this Mac" from the
Apple menu in the Finder, click "More Info...", go to "File/Save As..." and
save the file with the default System Profiler 4.0 (XML) format.

We'll continue to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this. I'm
really sorry it's taking so long to figure it out.

Thanks,

Pat
(e-mail address removed)

 

[chasd]

Pat,

I am also having problems with Excel.
No freezes, but it keeps getting slower and slower. Many seconds for a simple cut and past of cells.
I just run the latest update.
I also removed the old versions (2004 and X) that lingered. I had trouble getting my office database to work, finally having to replace all of the old Microsoft user data (which contained the 2004 & X version user files) from my backup.

Everything else seems to run fine.

I have a system profile, how do I attach it?

I am > Thanks Richard. As you know, I finally received your mail and attached file

 

[Pat McMillan]

Hi,

Can you please try the following:

1. Quit all Office applications
2. Rename the following files:
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Excel.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.office.plist
To:
com.microsoft.Excel.plist.old
com.microsoft.office.plist.old
3. Send those two files to me as attachments (we can investigate the files
and see if we can learn anything from them about why Excel is slowing down
so much for you).
4. Drag the two files to the trash
5. Launch Excel again

Please let me know if that improves things.

Also -- can you let me know if this only happens when working with a
specific file, or does this happen with a default, blank workbook, or any
workbook you're working with?

Thanks,

Pat McMillan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Stephanie]

Hi, Pat.

I am also having similar issues.
I'm running Office 2008 on Leopard.
I don't get the "insufficient memory" messages, but like a few others, Excel lags constantly when I type or use commands via the keyboard. I don't experience the same lagging when I use commands through the mouse. I tried switching from my wireless keyboard to a wired one, but it didn't fix the problem. I use "simple" Excel files with no links and my software is updated. Memory is sufficient on my computer and I'm not experiencing lags anywhere else.

 

[Jan Whitlinger]

My Excel 2008 is slow when updating or adding to a workbook. It FREQUENTLY starts to spin, showing that it is "not responding", which requires me to do a Force Quit. But then, the Excel program won't actually quit. If I try to reopen a workbook, I get an error message, so I have to do a computer restart. I have been "reporting" to Apple each time this happens, but am beyond frustrated with this issue. I feel this is not productive nor is it a satisfying result for a product which I paid good money for. I would send you the file, and the system profile--which you have requested in previous posts--but am not sure how to do that. PLEASE HELP!

 

[Dot Brown]

I can't work with any of my excel files now, but I have been using them for months. They are not referring to other files, and are all just words, no calculations. I am told not enough memory and have to force quit excel to get out of it. I am on a new MacBook Pro and OS X 10..5.4. HELP! I also cannot access Word or Entourage anymore.

 

[Pat McMillan]

We're investigating a fix for a problem that causes unexpected Out of Memory
alerts like the one you're reporting. We think we understand the problem
now, but it would be helpful if you could provide us with more information:

When you say you can't work with any of your files, what exactly does that
mean? At what point does the out of memory alert appear (on open? On save?
After doing some other action?)

Did this problem start happen only after upgrading your machine or OS?

What version of Office are you running?

Thanks,

Pat McMillan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[alfaroex]

Hello Pat:
I am also having similar issues.
I'm running Office 2008 on Leopard 10.5.4.
The problem is that Excel lags constantly when I type or use graphics,
works soo slow...

Nombre del modelo: MacBook
Identificador del modelo: MacBook4,1
Nombre del procesador: Intel Core 2 Duo
Velocidad del procesador: 2.4 GHz
Número de procesadores: 1
Número total de núcleos: 2
Caché de nivel 2: 3 MB
Memoria: 2 GB
Velocidad del bus: 800 MHz
Versión de la ROM de arranque: MB41.00C1.B00
Versión SMC: 1.31f0

 

[JORGE R S ALVES]

I have an original Mac os x 10.5.4 and an original office 2008 and I got the "insufficient memory" messages when I was working (not starting neither saving any file).

Yesterday the message appeared in several boxes (one after the other...) and I was obliged to force the program close...

 

[Melissa Scott]

Hi
I am also having similar problems with my Excel 2008 on my mac, every time i go to copy paste and it always says 'not enough memory'
is there a software update for this yet?
cheers
mel

 

[Pat McMillan]

Sorry. We haven't released an update with a fix for this problem yet.

Pat

 

[L Parker]

I am having the same issues in Excel, but also happening in Word. Can't copy and paste without system freezing up. Also happens when I try to print from Excel, Word or Entourage. Any help will be appreciated!!

Sorry. We haven't released an update with a fix for this problem yet.





Pat

Hi > I am also having similar problems with my Excel 2008 on my mac,

every time i > go to copy paste and it always says 'not enough memory'

is there a software update for this yet? > cheers > mel

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

 

[Cali]

Hi Pat,
I am also having trouble with Excel 2008 (version 12.1.2) on my Macbook Pro, system profiler listed at the end. I have now experienced problems in at least two documents. Originally, I would get insufficient memory warnings randomly when working (file size= 36KB), but the program did not close.

Now the problem has progressed and upon saving a document, I receive an error message saying microsoft encountered an error and had to quit.

After speaking to Microsoft Support for the second time, I was again told that my file was too large and overloading the program. So I copied two of the sheets and moved them to a new document. I also have removed any links to other excel files and deleted at least half of the graphs. My file size is now at 156 KB, smaller than some of my others at 400-600 KB.

Now while trying to modify some of the graphs in the document, the program shuts down. I know you were collecting files, and mine seems to shut down religiously. I have also been sending the error reports to Microsoft.

I was also having word 2008 shut down when using the NB view (no longer using it, but in case it might be related) I have also cleared templates and removed and reinstalled Office at least 3 times under the advice of Microsoft Support.

And advice on the above problem, or how to limit some of the feature of excel 2008 so that I can actually use the data processing capabilities?

Thank you in advance,

Cali

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.6 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP41.00C1.B03