maximise Excel performance

I doubt I can help since I don't have an environment anything like yours, but since nobody else has, let me ask you this. Assuming that you are talking about Excel hanging, is there any particular action that causes it to happen?

Hi,

Maybe the processor is maxed out, without requiring any more memory.

What are the processor stats when this happens?

Thanks,

Alan.

Martin,
It can happen anytime. It just seems to freeze then when I click on the sheet it turns white at is non reponding. Then it is a matter of time before it returns to normal.

Alan,
The CPU stats are
Processors 81
Threads 1137
Handles 3564
Max Speed 2.93ghz
Sockets 2
Cores 8
Logical Processors 8
Virtualisation  enabled
L1 Cache  512kb
L2 Cache 2.0 MB
L3 Cache  16.0 MB

CPU  99%   Memory  32% 2,995 MB  Disk 0%

How can I check what configuration I have ?  How much memory is allocated to Excel by Windows 8.1
and how to check Excel settings to see if memory settings are correct ?

Thanks

Ian

Hi,

It sounds like the issue is CPU if it is nailed at 99%.

Please can you check that does not include anything that should not be there (or conversely, is it Excel that is nailing it at 99%)?

Thanks,

Alan.

Hi Alan,

There are two situations where there are problems
1) when suddenly the screen becomes white when clicking on it. That is when it is non responsive and the CPU is only around 30%
and memory around the same and disk around 10%.
2) when I run some very complex formulas and that is when the CPU maxes out
There are no other processes using any significant memory

I need to know if either or both Windows 8.1 and/or Excel have settings where I can check to see how much memory is being allocated
to Excel . I feel it is only using the resources available for a 32 bit version when in fact this is a 64 bit version.

Thanks

Ian

Hi Ian,

According to Microsoft, the 65Bit Version of Excel 2016 (and Excel 2013 is the same) has no limit to what memory it can access (subject to what you have installed of course).

They specifically, say, that the '64-bit environment imposes no hard limits on file size. Workbook size is limited only by available memory and system resources.':

Microsoft Excel 2016 Specs & Limits

It is probably possible to limit how much total memory your machine can access by changing BIOS / UEFI settings, but that would depend on your specific motherboard I would think.  Is it possible someone (or even you) has set that in the past, and it is still in effect?

Are you able to get other applications to use more memory?

Thanks,

Alan.

I don't have other applications only Excel and emails.

Those specs as shown on the link are always impressive.
My program falls massively under the limits but still get not responding.
It is not the computer settings as task manager only shows around 30% memory
leading me to think it must be some setting in Excel.
Maybe I need to ask Microsoft

Ian

Hi Ian,

I don't recall ever seeing anything in Excel itself that would limit the available resources it can utilise.

But yes, a call to Microsoft might well yield an answer.

Fingers crossed :-)

Alan.

Are you using SSD not HDD?

Launch resource manager and post back the results before and after you open the said excel file.

The problem was partly solved by allowing the program to run to completion
which took approximately 17 hours due to the complex formulas.
Once run all future runs took seconds rather than hours. I also freed up space
on the HDD. The not responding problem still appears occasionally.
Thanks for all your participation
Ian