Slow Opening - Program or Processor?

[MC]

PowerBook G4 12"
1.33 Ghz
Leopard - latest updates installed.

I find opening existing documents in Word 2008 is S-L-O-W compared to
all my other apps -- including Word 2004. Many of the documents are .doc
files, as opposed to .docx files.

Is this common? Is it more likely to be because of the app or because of
the processor in my machine?

 

[John McGhie]

Well, it could be a combination of a slow processor and not enough memory.

See if the following helps:

* Turn off the display of WYSIWYG Fonts and "Show project gallery at
startup" in Word>Preferences>General.

* Close the Project Gallery and Word.

When it restarts, it should be a bit quicker.

Hope this helps

PowerBook G4 12"
1.33 Ghz
Leopard - latest updates installed.

I find opening existing documents in Word 2008 is S-L-O-W compared to
all my other apps -- including Word 2004. Many of the documents are .doc
files, as opposed to .docx files.

Is this common? Is it more likely to be because of the app or because of
the processor in my machine?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

One thing you don't list is how much RAM your Mac has, which is another key
factor in performance. OS X 10.5 & Office 2008 benefit greatly from more
than what "minimum system requirements" would lead you to believe - but so
does *anything* you wish to run That unit shipped with only 256 MB, so if
you haven't added *at least* 1 GB it would pay to boost it up - preferably
max it out @ 1.25 total.

Also, you make no mention of what else may be running at the time - If you
have other programs running & other files open as well as other processes
(such as iDisk) active, performance will suffer.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[MC]

I already had the Project Gallery Off. Just did the Fonts... and there
is a a minor gain -- and since I don't use a lot of fonts I won't miss
the WYSIWYG.

Thanks.

 

[MC]

Just took a look at "About this Mac"

Built-in 256
DDR SDRAM 512

NOt realy sure I want to add any more. The machine is about 4 years old
and needs a bigger hard drive more urgently than extra memory -- OR it's
time to start thinking about getting a new one.

And indeed, I do usually have several other apps running simultaneously.

The thing is, this slowdown in opening never happened in Word 2004...
but at least the program itself runs normally once the docs are open, so
I can live with it.

 

[Phillip Jones]

Probably would be a good time if you have the funds to get a new
Machine. Even if it cost a fortune to do so. Get apple to stick in the
Maximum the system can take On my PowerBook when I bought two years ago.
I had them load up with 2GB.

It wouldn't surprise me is the new machine couldn't take 3 or 4 GB.

The more you can put in the better off you are.

Just took a look at "About this Mac"

Built-in 256
DDR SDRAM 512

NOt realy sure I want to add any more. The machine is about 4 years old
and needs a bigger hard drive more urgently than extra memory -- OR it's
time to start thinking about getting a new one.

And indeed, I do usually have several other apps running simultaneously.

The thing is, this slowdown in opening never happened in Word 2004...
but at least the program itself runs normally once the docs are open, so
I can live with it.

--
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616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
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[John McGhie]

Yeah. Office 2008 needs a total of about a gig of memory to run "well".

In other words, to be responsive when used with lots of other applications.
As Phillip says, you can't have too much

Get into the habit of quitting applications you are not actively using. Tat
will help a lot.

And if you're working in larger documents, make friends with Draft view.
Yes, it is an acquired taste, but it's a HELL of a lot more efficient.
That's its purpose: it turns off all the power-guzzling WYSIWYG so you can
skip around the document quickly.

Stay in Draft view until you are ready to finalise for printing and your
life will be a lot more pleasant.

Cheers

Just took a look at "About this Mac"

Built-in 256
DDR SDRAM 512

NOt realy sure I want to add any more. The machine is about 4 years old
and needs a bigger hard drive more urgently than extra memory -- OR it's
time to start thinking about getting a new one.

And indeed, I do usually have several other apps running simultaneously.

The thing is, this slowdown in opening never happened in Word 2004...
but at least the program itself runs normally once the docs are open, so
I can live with it.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[MC]

Thanks -- helpful.

Yeah. Office 2008 needs a total of about a gig of memory to run "well".

In other words, to be responsive when used with lots of other applications.
As Phillip says, you can't have too much

Get into the habit of quitting applications you are not actively using. Tat
will help a lot.

And if you're working in larger documents, make friends with Draft view.
Yes, it is an acquired taste, but it's a HELL of a lot more efficient.
That's its purpose: it turns off all the power-guzzling WYSIWYG so you can
skip around the document quickly.

Stay in Draft view until you are ready to finalise for printing and your
life will be a lot more pleasant.

Cheers