Pivot tables causing repeated crashes in 2008

[Claire]

I use pivot tables a lot, and am experiencing near-constant crashes on even small or medium size files, especially when more than one file is open. If I have to change a field or the data source in a pivot table on a large file, it crashes as well.

This problem happens frequently no matter what else is going on. I have tried shutting down everything but Excel, rebooting in between just in case memory is corrupted somehow, you name it. I have also noticed how much slower pivot tables, complex calculations and VLOOKUPs are on this version - not sure if the problems are related.

I have a MacBook Pro with 2GB RAM running the latest version of Tiger, and have not had trouble with FileMaker or anything else. I love the interface but am considering going back to 2004, as this problem is a huge time waster for me.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions?

 

[Tsuyoshi]

I have this problem as well ... unfortunately, the best way I've found to avoid these issues is through working PivotTables with the previous version of Excel I had to keep just because 2008's glitches.

Hope Microsoft soon fixes these issues!
Tsuyoshi

 

[James_Connolly]

I have been having multiple crashes and FAILED SAVES with Pivot Tables in Excel 12.1.2 (080729). Right now I'm at the point where I have to downgrade to 2004 because I can no longer get work done.

The current document I'm working in cannot be saved as an .XLS or .XLSX without generating different errors (the document is not saved). I guess I'll try copying the tabs to a new document and hope that saving there is possible. It makes me *want* to use Windows. How scary is that?!?

UPDATE: the copy to a new document crashed Excel. Autorecover was disabled for the current session because it couldn't save. Now I'm out over 40 minutes of work.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Would it be possible to either send a file that is causing these crashes or
failed saves, or a complete crash log from the Microsoft Error Reporting
application that launches when Excel crashes?

Thanks,

Pat McMillan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[gr43023]

I'm having repeatable crashes in Excel 2008 (updated to 12.1.2) when I try to sort a pivot table. The data itself is confidential, but I'd be happy to send a log if I knew how generate one. I can't find a standalone 'Microsoft Error Reporting application. How do I get a crash log? (FWIW If I'm online when I have a crash, I usually click the 'report to Microsoft' option in the window that pops up.)

 

[Pat McMillan]

When the Microsoft Error Reporting window comes up, click More Info, then
select all the text in the error report and copy/paste to an email message
and send my way. Please do also update your version of Office to 12.1.3,
which was released yesterday. I believe the crash you're seeing, though, is
not fixed yet in 12.1.3, but is high on our list of issues to fix in an
upcoming update. Getting your crash log would help us verify that.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[gr43023]

Pat:

My attention drifted away from Excel and pivot table crashes for a few days. I've now installed 12.1.3, and when I opened the problematic file and tried to replicate the crash, the pivot table sorted perfectly and Excel didn't go bang. If I have trouble again, I'll send you the log.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Pat McMillan]

That's great news! I'm glad the 12.1.3 fixed the crash for you.

Pat