Excel crashing randomly

I find it arrogant to use the standard reply of "I haven't experienced that"
and I don't think that the world suddenly is full of corrupted workbooks that cause all these crashes - HELLO! - it's the software.
I've experienced so many crashes in Excel now - and - surprise, surprise - in different workbooks... and the same thing happens...
My crash pattern is usually linked to Pivot tables- change data source areas and have Excel update the Pivots - when finishing the new Pivot from the wizard - Excel crashes most of the times. I instinctively save all the time now - which is very annoying...
How new is this version of Excel? Why do we Mac users still have the ancient Pivot interface - while the PC version of Excel is far more advanced and professional in terms of toolbars, Pivot palette, etc?
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

I have the "random crashes" problem in spades. Happens with pivots consistently, with large files, when I add charts. It appears to be related to poor memory management (a specialty of Excel in the old days), though I have 2 GB of RAM which should be more than enough.

Clearly, this version of Excel was not properly tested, though it was late. In addition to this annoying problem, I also found out today that there is no simple way to add x-axis labels as there was in the old version. Did Microsoft have any real world users actually try this before releasing it? Based on just these 2 issues, I'd have to say NO.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

I have to say that I've always been saddened at Excel for Mac compared with for Windows. That being said, this version of Excel surprised me even with my lowered expectations. It is awfully slow and incredibly prone to crashes. I'm not using pivot tables, charts or large workbooks and Excel has crashed on me about 10 times in a few hours of usage. It's currently locked up...trying to open a menu with the spinwheel of death. This makes me want to just run the XP version on parallels...

Oh, and I keep getting an "out of memory" error. as though 3GB with nothing running isn't enough memory? It's not even doing calculations, it's just tables of text. How can you get this wrong?
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

So quick update...

I guess Excel has been storing recovered versions of the document so that I can recover my saved data after the crash... The problem is that the workbook itself seems to be crashing excel. So now, opening excel automatically opens the bad workbook which crashes excel... Any way out? It's now completely unusable.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

Did anyone realize that MS released an update on 3/11? It's on Apple's site- here's the link:

<http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/microsoftoffice2008formac.html>

the update supposedly fixes the issues discussed in this thread.

What's strange is the Office updater (as of 3/14) says there are no updates. Is MS delaying the release on their update server for some period?
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

On Feb 22, 9:14 am, Phillip Jones wrote:
> I wonder if you can copy all the information in the cells open a new
> document the paste information in new document and save.
>
> BTW: Pleas don't use all caps that's equivalent to shouting at the top
> of your lungs and that will never get you anywhere.
>
> Chris Lyle wrote:
> > I HAVE LOST HOURS OF WORK DUE TOEXCELRANDOMLY CRASHING. THE GREAT PART IS EVEN FREQUENT SAVING OF FILES DOES NOT HELP. THE RESTORED FILES CANNOT BE SAVED AND THE LAST COPY OF THE FILE BEFORE THECRASHCANNOT BE REOPENED BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN "MODIFIED OR DAMAGED"
>
> > THIS IS REALLY IRRITATING AND ANNOYING, THIS SOFTWARE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THIS CONDITION, FIX IT ASAP OR RECALL IT.
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Phillip M. Jones, CET   |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
> 616 Liberty Street      |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
> Martinsville Va 24112   |pjo...@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!
>
> mailto:pjo...@kimbanet.com
>
> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>
>
> <http://www.vpea.org>

Hi,

Does the problem cause corruption of your excel file? If so, I think
you can try a popular Excel file recovery tool called Advanced Excel
Repair to repair your Excel file. It is a powerful tool to repair
corrupt or damaged Excel files.

Detailed information about Advanced Excel Repair can be found at
http://www.datanumen.com/aer/

And you can also download a free demo version at http://www.datanumen.com/aer/aer.exe

Maybe the information will help.

Alan
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

Alen, the link you specify is a PC only link it only orks on Windows
only . This is a Mac newsgroup.

Alan124 wrote:
> On Feb 22, 9:14 am, Phillip Jones wrote:
>> I wonder if you can copy all the information in the cells open a new
>> document the paste information in new document and save.
>>
>> BTW: Pleas don't use all caps that's equivalent to shouting at the top
>> of your lungs and that will never get you anywhere.
>>
>> Chris Lyle wrote:
>>> I HAVE LOST HOURS OF WORK DUE TOEXCELRANDOMLY CRASHING. THE GREAT PART IS EVEN FREQUENT SAVING OF FILES DOES NOT HELP. THE RESTORED FILES CANNOT BE SAVED AND THE LAST COPY OF THE FILE BEFORE THECRASHCANNOT BE REOPENED BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN "MODIFIED OR DAMAGED"
>>> THIS IS REALLY IRRITATING AND ANNOYING, THIS SOFTWARE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THIS CONDITION, FIX IT ASAP OR RECALL IT.
>> --
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
>> 616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
>> Martinsville Va 24112 |pjo...@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!
>>
>> mailto:pjo...@kimbanet.com
>>
>> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
>> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
>> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
>> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
>> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>
>>
>> <http://www.vpea.org>
>
> Hi,
>
> Does the problem cause corruption of your excel file? If so, I think
> you can try a popular Excel file recovery tool called Advanced Excel
> Repair to repair your Excel file. It is a powerful tool to repair
> corrupt or damaged Excel files.
>
> Detailed information about Advanced Excel Repair can be found at
> http://www.datanumen.com/aer/
>
> And you can also download a free demo version at http://www.datanumen.com/aer/aer.exe
>
> Maybe the information will help.
>
> Alan

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |pjones@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto:pjones@kimbanet.com

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

I also get constant crashes. It happens for me when I attempt to maximize the workbook window. It is very frustrating since I work in excel on a regular basis and bought Office so I wouldn't have to go into Fusion all day.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

We are aware of this, and think it may be an Apple bug. Please see this
thread: http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Excel/822.

Thanks,

Pat


On 19/03/2008 15:28, in article ee8bca5.44.RemoveThis@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, "Bret"
wrote:

> I also get constant crashes. It happens for me when I attempt to maximize the
> workbook window. It is very frustrating since I work in excel on a regular
> basis and bought Office so I wouldn't have to go into Fusion all day.

--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

Pat,

I'm experiencing a different kind of crash situation than any i've
seen in the post thus far...

I have a file that was created in Excel 2004 with 3 worksheets. One
of the worksheets has 92 lines of data (the spreadsheet is a file I
use to log sales & revenue information on a daily basis, before it is
inputted in the accounting system). So the data is text, dates, and
numbers.

For some reason, there is a small area of cells that, when a number is
entered, causes Excel to crash. In the original file, it was the
group of cells at E85:G89. The only way I could enter new lines of
data was to insert blank rows above row 81.

Additionally, I had formulas at the bottom of each column, in row 92,
that summed the column. There was then a formula in cell L92 that
summed across that row of totals. There was a group of cells at
I81:J91 that, when numbers were entered, were properly totaled at the
bottom of the column, but the formula in cell L92 was unaffected.

I recreated the file from scratch after closing Excel and restarting
(just to be safe), never opening the old file and entering data from a
printout I'd made of the old workbook. When I reached the same area
in this new file, I get the same errors.

Have you EVER heard of this error? It ONLY happens in this one
particular sheet in this one particular workbook. There are no macros
or pivot tables. There are links from the "bad" worksheet to another
worksheet within the workbook, but no links in the workbook that go to
any other file (though there are links in another file to this
particular workbook; that workbook has had no issues).

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Tony


On Mar 19, 8:49 pm, Pat McMillan wrote:
> We are aware of this, and think it may be an Apple bug. Please see this
> thread:http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Excel/822.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Pat
>
> On 19/03/2008 15:28, in article ee8bca5... RemoveThis @webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, "Bret"
>
> wrote:
> > I also get constant crashes. It happens for me when I attempt to maximize the
> > workbook window. It is very frustrating since I work in excel on a regular
> > basis and bought Office so I wouldn't have to go into Fusion all day.
>
> --
> Pat McMillan
> Macintosh Business Unit
> Microsoft Corp.
> This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

Wow. That is a weird problem! I have not heard of a problem like this
before. Here are a few questions:

1. Are you opening the file in 2008 when it crashes, or in 2004?
2. Can you copy the crash log from the "Microsoft Error Reporting" window
and email that to me?
3. Is it possible to send me a file with this problem? Perhaps by changing
all text and/or numbers in the workbook so the data is meaningless? If so,
please send to patmcmil.RemoveThis@microsoft.com.

Thanks,

Pat


On 3/25/08 8:21 AM, in article
9e939611-bdd7-4d72-bb97-10d061932c68.RemoveThis@s13g2000prd.googlegroups.com,
"tonywayne@juno.com" wrote:

> Pat,
>
> I'm experiencing a different kind of crash situation than any i've
> seen in the post thus far...
>
> I have a file that was created in Excel 2004 with 3 worksheets. One
> of the worksheets has 92 lines of data (the spreadsheet is a file I
> use to log sales & revenue information on a daily basis, before it is
> inputted in the accounting system). So the data is text, dates, and
> numbers.
>
> For some reason, there is a small area of cells that, when a number is
> entered, causes Excel to crash. In the original file, it was the
> group of cells at E85:G89. The only way I could enter new lines of
> data was to insert blank rows above row 81.
>
> Additionally, I had formulas at the bottom of each column, in row 92,
> that summed the column. There was then a formula in cell L92 that
> summed across that row of totals. There was a group of cells at
> I81:J91 that, when numbers were entered, were properly totaled at the
> bottom of the column, but the formula in cell L92 was unaffected.
>
> I recreated the file from scratch after closing Excel and restarting
> (just to be safe), never opening the old file and entering data from a
> printout I'd made of the old workbook. When I reached the same area
> in this new file, I get the same errors.
>
> Have you EVER heard of this error? It ONLY happens in this one
> particular sheet in this one particular workbook. There are no macros
> or pivot tables. There are links from the "bad" worksheet to another
> worksheet within the workbook, but no links in the workbook that go to
> any other file (though there are links in another file to this
> particular workbook; that workbook has had no issues).
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks!
> Tony
>
>
> On Mar 19, 8:49 pm, Pat McMillan wrote:
>> We are aware of this, and think it may be an Apple bug. Please see this
>> thread:http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Excel/822.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Pat
>>
>> On 19/03/2008 15:28, in article ee8bca5....RemoveThis@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, "Bret"
>>
>> wrote:
>>> I also get constant crashes. It happens for me when I attempt to maximize
>>> the
>>> workbook window. It is very frustrating since I work in excel on a regular
>>> basis and bought Office so I wouldn't have to go into Fusion all day.
>>
>> --
>> Pat McMillan
>> Macintosh Business Unit
>> Microsoft Corp.
>> This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>

--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

> I am also experiencing random crashing of Excel, but I do not even cut and paste.
> I will be entering data then all of a sudden it will just close down losing the data.

I am also experiencing the same thing. I am typing data in an Excel Spreadsheet and in a couple of minutes the message appears stating that an error has occurred and it must shut down. I asked for an error report but it means nothing to me.
After having this happen a couple of times, I was able to save a few entires because anticipating this would happen, I closed the program after a few entries. This is not a very efficient way to have to work.
What remedy is there for this problem?
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly 

I have to add that having downloaded the latest Excel updates (12.0.1) the problem has gone away.

Maybe you were already using the updates, and couldn't reproduce it for that reason.
 >> Stay informed about: Excel crashing randomly