Excel Freezes - version 2003

[Steve Jones]

Hi

I have one particular which is 2.57mb in size. It was created in May 2006
and 95% of the time it does everything I want it to.

For no apparent reason ( to me) it periodically freezes causing me to go
into Task Manager and close the file. The CPU reads 100%. It has just
happened six times in succession and I have rebooted pc twice. But each time
I try and type some text it locks up.

I send the error report each time but have no idea what causes this.

I am assuming there is a bug somewhere which I have created unknowingly.

Are there any facilities to check my code or is it best just to recreate the
file bit by bit?

Thanks

Steve

 

[Jon]

Steve
This also happens on Excel 2002 and is a nuisance. A tech guy I know could
find no reson for it. It started to happen when excel 2007 came on the market
- why such a coincidence should occur is beyond me.
Jon

 

[JLatham]

Steve,
Could be a tough one to figure out based on the info you've provided. When
is it freezing up? You mentioned trying to type some text and it locks up.
Is that always when it does it or just freeze while 'just sitting there'? Is
it one particular cell or sheet that you are using when it happens? Or does
it sometimes freeze right after opening the file without you getting a chance
to do anything at all with it?

You mentioned code - are you talking VB macro code, or does it just have
worksheet formulas and functions in the workbook?

With a file that size I suspect that the problem may just be that it's
gotten very busy recalculating formulas - while Excel is recalculating it
will be unresponsive. If you've got time, you might just try waiting for a
long time (5 minutes? 10? 30?) to see if it will pull itself out of its death
spiral.

It is also possible, especially in light of having to force it to be shut
down on numerous occassions, that the file has become corrupted. You could
try making a copy of the file and seeing if the copy gives you the same
problem.

You might also try opening the file and turning Autocalculate off and see if
it freezes during use. Tools | Options | [Calculate] tab and set Calculation
to manual. You'll have to use [F9] to update calculations while its in this
mode. Also, the setting will affect other files you open later, so next file
you open you'll need to set things back to auto-calculate.

This might tell you if it's calculations that are somehow freezing the
application or not. If it doesn't ever freeze while in manual calculation
mode then there is (most likely) some series of inter-related worksheet
functions that are getting all knotted up or just take a ton of time to
process.

Hope this helps at least some little bit.