Excel crashing on MacBook only when MB notplugged into 2nd monitor.

[Neilium]

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

Here's a weird one. I tried searching for an answer on the forums, but I didn't have much luck.

Anyway, I have MS Office 2008 (12.1.7) loaded on a MacBook with Leopard 10.5.8. The end user, when he's in the office, plugs in a second monitor (a Sony flat screen). The displays are set up for side by side use; they are not mirrored. The external monitor is his main work screen. Excel works just fine in this configuration.

The moment the external monitor is unplugged from the MacBook, Excel crashes. It can't be opened afterwords without having the additional monitor plugged in.

We had the same problem with PowerPoint, too. I reinstalled MS Office and only updated it to 12.1.7, and the problem went away. This time, though, no such luck.

Any help or insight would be much appreciated. I will be checking in on this forum daily if you have any follow-up questions.

-n

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

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

Here's a weird one. I tried searching for an answer on the forums, but I
didn't have much luck.

Anyway, I have MS Office 2008 (12.1.7) loaded on a MacBook with Leopard
10.5.8. The end user, when he's in the office, plugs in a second monitor (a
Sony flat screen). The displays are set up for side by side use; they are not
mirrored. The external monitor is his main work screen. Excel works just fine
in this configuration.

The moment the external monitor is unplugged from the MacBook, Excel crashes.
It can't be opened afterwords without having the additional monitor plugged
in.

We had the same problem with PowerPoint, too. I reinstalled MS Office and only
updated it to 12.1.7, and the problem went away. This time, though, no such
luck.

Any help or insight would be much appreciated. I will be checking in on this
forum daily if you have any follow-up questions.

-n

I think you are asking for trouble by plugging and unplugging a monitor
while the system is running. Either put it to sleep, or shut it down before
changing monitors.

 

[Neilium]

Bob,

Thank you very much for your response. That's sane and reasonable advice, which means my end user probably won't follow it.

Anyway, I tried shutting down, disconnecting, and then restarting without the extra monitor. Same problem: excel crashes. Plug the monitor back in, and it doesn't crash. Safe boot mode doesn't change things, either.

Once again, any insight, help or off-color jokes much appreciated.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Bob,

Thank you very much for your response. That's sane and reasonable advice,
which means my end user probably won't follow it.

Anyway, I tried shutting down, disconnecting, and then restarting without the
extra monitor. Same problem: excel crashes. Plug the monitor back in, and it
doesn't crash. Safe boot mode doesn't change things, either.

Once again, any insight, help or off-color jokes much appreciated.

Well, I can't really offer any suggestions. I also use a macbook pro with an
external monitor, as additional real estate, not as a mirror. I turn off or
put it to sleep before removing the monitor and taking the macbook off site.
Likewise when I return, the macbook is sleeping, or off.

I have had this configuration for 18 months and have never had a problem
with the extra monitor. Yes, a few times the window locations are screwed
up, but nothing has ever crashed.

 

[CyberTaz]

If you're having a similar problem with more than one app it could possibly
be a system issue. I don't know that it *will* resolve the issue but I'd
suggest getting the OS X 10.5.8 COMBO Update from the Apple Downloads site.
The Combos are more thorough than the Software Update versions.

 

[Neilium]

Thanks, I will give that a try.
-n

 

[thurgood231]

Thanks, I will give that a try.

-n

was having this same problem. i came here to try and resolve it. the only thing i have found to resolve it is to take every window associated with excel (every toolbar, tool box, everything) and move it to the native display. after you have made sure everything from excel is on the normal display, close all programs and restart the computer without the extra display. when the os boots up, start excel. hopefully this will work for you like it did for me.