windows 8.1 - Excel 2013 Hangs when loading a number of Files

08
2014-07
  • jlb333333

    I have 2 machines: Windows 7 with Office 2007, and a new Windows 8 desktop machine(6GB memory) with 8.1 and office 2013. I have a large project with +- 70 Excel files. They are linked and need to be all open to update one another. The "old" Windows 7 machine with Excel 2007 opens them quickly and correctly. The new machine stops at about the 50th file and can't open any more, and hangs or crashes. It also loads the files considerably slower. Also this is a the desktop version of Office 2013 but I think the machine "thinks" its a office 365 setup. I have it updated with the newest version of Office 2013. I've tried all the tips picked up online to improve the situation.(printer settings, com addins , eveything.) No improvement. Anyone had this issue.?

    I've loaded the files in Excel 2013 in different orders to try and see if there is any pattern in the process. During one or two file load sessions a notification came up to select a printer. This happened at about the 50th file when Excel is using +- 400mb of ram. At this point Excel's ram useage jumps to 750mb and it hangs. Online advice indicates that the (Default) printer is a problem with Excel 2013 and can be solved by setting the default to Microsoft XPS Document Printer. I have tried this, and setting it to my standard printer, and the "Send to OneNote 2013" option. No change in the behaviour of the file loading process. Changes in the file loading order do not alter the result. At about 50 files, when memory useage is about 400mb, memory useage jumps to 750mb and Excel hangs.

    I could try and delete all the printers but I think windows probably requires at least one to be installed. I really think I am close to the key to the cause of the problem now.

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  • jao

    I have a new PC with a fresh install of Office 2007. This computer freezes randomly when I open or close an Excel or Word file. It seems to freeze more often when the file is from a network share.

    What happens is the following:

    I open an Excel file by double clicking. Excel opens. It shows something in the statusbar like 'communicating \...' some share (where the file is stored). The the message disappears and Excel is frozen. After a while (one minute, or more), the file is shown.

    Same happens when I close a file. Excel just freezes. There's no high CPU, or high memory usage.

    Some other websites suggested that this might have to do with network printer drivers. I deleted all of them. I also disabled all addins.

    What should I do to fix this?


    • Related Answers
  • Richard

    This can be due to non-operational or non-accessible printers (especially network ones).

    Sys Internal's Process Monitor might show what is taking time, but can be hardwork given the size of logs that will create.

  • kmarsh

    Any non-responsive network share (not just printers) can cause pauses and freezes in Windows.

    Remove any suspect drive letter network shares, and also any in My Network Places.

    Mismatches between server O/S and client O/S can cause problems too, for example early unpatched Server 2003 versus Vista.

  • kamleshrao

    Have you tried this?

    • Do not double click on your XLS/DOC File.
    • Instead, open Excel/Word application and then do a File->Open

    Share your findings of above.

  • Jared Harley

    Try disabling any antivirus software you have running and see if Word/Excel are still hanging.

  • jao

    I think I fixed this by disabling Offline files in Windows XP.