Excel running very slow. Solutions sought.

Sawday · Apr 24, 2018

Over the last week or two my Office 2011 version of Excel has become exceedingly slow. Spreadsheets are increasing reluctant to open and copying/cutting and pasting even small areas gives me an excuse to go and make a coffer while it thinks about it. The status/progress bar is a now a very visible feature whereas I did not know it existed previously. We're not talking massive sheets - my latest is just 1000 lines by 8 columns, all text no calculations, macros, formulas or fancy formatting - in fact all one standard font. I use Excel daily - in fact my work depends on it - so this is becoming a major issue. I've run Onyx and repaired permissions so looking for something to try.

ferrarr · Apr 24, 2018

I would try a new user account, to test if this is a hardware/software issue, or a user issue.

Sawday · Apr 24, 2018

ferrarr said:
I would try a new user account, to test if this is a hardware/software issue, or a user issue.

I'll try this this evening and report back.

Sawday · Apr 24, 2018

ferrarr said:
I would try a new user account, to test if this is a hardware/software issue, or a user issue.

You've certainly hit on something here. I used a separate user account and spreadsheet loaded instantly. Copy/cut and paste were slicker than I ever remember. So that narrows it down to something in my user account. Next step is what can be causing the trouble and what can i do to resolve the issue.

pm-r · Apr 24, 2018

So that narrows it down to something in my user account. Next step is what can be causing the trouble and what can i do to resolve the issue.

I have no guarantee, but have a look for a: Microsoft User Datafolder, and/or, Office 2011 Identities folder, and take a look inside and see if there's anything excessive or any bloated folders of old stuff.

The old AppleWorks would do the same thing when it got too many aliases etc. in it's users/Documents/AppleWorks User Data folder.

Just a thought. :Smirk:

- Patrick
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Alan90 · Apr 25, 2018

Try to update Excel. It slyghtly improves performance (for me it works). I update my 2011 version to 2016.

By the way - did you check from the activity monitor how much memory Excel uses?
Maybe add more RAM to the Mac will be the best solution?

Sawday · Apr 25, 2018

pm-r said:
I have no guarantee, but have a look for a: Microsoft User Datafolder, and/or, Office 2011 Identities folder, and take a look inside and see if there's anything excessive or any bloated folders of old stuff.

The old AppleWorks would do the same thing when it got too many aliases etc. in it's users/Documents/AppleWorks User Data folder.

Just a thought.

- Patrick
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Worth a try but nothing untoward there. The folder mostly has empty embedded folders and in any case is very small.

Sawday · Apr 25, 2018

Alan90 said:
Try to update Excel. It slyghtly improves performance (for me it works). I update my 2011 version to 2016.

By the way - did you check from the activity monitor how much memory Excel uses?
Maybe add more RAM to the Mac will be the best solution?

Don't want to spend £110 for a version that I don't like and do not intend to rent software either so i won't go there. My Mac is maxed out at 4GB. Planned upgrade to new 27" is on hold as new car beckons. As regards memory, yes it uses a lot but less than Firefox. Not sure what is good/bad as far as that goes.

Incidentally, or not as the case may be, since logging on as another user then reverting to my account Excel has been running better (not great but better). The logging out and rebooting (possibly) wasn't to account for this as I'd done both many times over the last couple of weeks - as well as repairing permissions and running Onyx.

I'm coming up to a busy period for work when I'll be using Excel quite heavily so as a workaround I'll simply logon as the second user for the duration but will check back here to see if anyone has more suggestions - and thanks to those who already have.

pm-r · Apr 25, 2018

Worth a try but nothing untoward there. The folder mostly has empty embedded folders and in any case is very small.

OK. Maybe try booting up using Safe Boot Mode in your normal user account and see how things work.

My Mac is maxed out at 4GB.

Just for the record, that iMac can use 6GB RAM memory, but using Activity Monitor.app would give you some indication if you needed more.
See: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-extreme-2.8-24-inch-aluminum-specs.html

BTW: There might be something useful here if you want to read through some of them:
https://support.office.com/en-us/Search/results?query=mac+Office+2011+Excel+very+slow

Or even here:
https://support.office.com/en-us/Search/results?query=mac+Office+2011+Excel+very+slow

- Patrick
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toMACsh · Apr 25, 2018

Why not copy all your files to the new user account that is bug free? Then you can delete the old account, and you don't have to switch back and forth.

pm-r · Apr 25, 2018

toMACsh said:
Why not copy all your files to the new user account that is bug free? Then you can delete the old account, and you don't have to switch back and forth.

Hmmm…??? And then what if there was some odd thing or contamination in one or more of those files or folders??? Not much to be gained then other than two goofed up users, oppps I mean, at least their files and folders. :Smirk:

- Patrick
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toMACsh · Apr 26, 2018

pm-r said:
Hmmm…??? And then what if there was some odd thing or contamination in one or more of those files or folders??? Not much to be gained then other than two goofed up users, oppps I mean, at least their files and folders.

- Patrick
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Except that the problem with Excel did not exist under the new account...

pm-r · Apr 26, 2018

toMACsh said:
Except that the problem with Excel did not exist under the new account...

As long as they maybe only copy over only the excel files they want to work on, but not "copy all your files to the new user account that is bug free" and hopefully they aren't contaminated.

Sawday · Apr 27, 2018

pm-r said:
As long as they maybe only copy over only the excel files they want to work on, but not "copy all your files to the new user account that is bug free" and hopefully they aren't contaminated.

But then I'd have to switch from one account to the other. Don't need that sort of hassle - macs are supposed to be 'user- friendly'. Besides I'm Admin and want to keep it that way not switch to another user account just to run Excel. Also, I'm often running Excel in conjunction with other software copying or at least using data from Excel with Word, Email, website management tools etc so that won't work.

BTW Patrick, thanks for those links I'll review those as soon as able. Interesting about being able to go to 6Gb but I'm planning to get a new 27" iMac sometime soon - purchase delayed as the money is going on a new car and now I'll wait to see what, if any new models are announced later in the year. I do so wish they would bring back the 24" as it was a very sweet size.

MacInWin · Apr 27, 2018

Sounds like something mucked up in the plists or other files that MS insists on storing all over the place. Maybe a reinstall of Excel is in order to wipe out those files and start fresh. May have to reinstall all of Office to really make sure. I would un-install Office completely and then reinstall.

pm-r · Apr 27, 2018

But then I'd have to switch from one account to the other. Don't need that sort of hassle - macs are supposed to be 'user- friendly'. Besides I'm Admin and want to keep it that way not switch to another user account just to run Excel.

Maybe a reinstall of Excel is in order to wipe out those files and start fresh.

I was about to suggest the same thing, and emphasize doing a clean reinstall and I'd especially at least drag the "MicroSoft Users Data" folder to the desktop or somewhere other than its default location and also any associated MS .plist files/folders.

I'd also try booting using Safe Boot Mode just in case there may be something user specific causing the problem.

But I'd bet on the "MicroSoft Users Data" folder or any MS .plist file being the cause of the problem. And it can't hurt things much to Trash them as they'll get rebuilt.

BTW: Does the problem still exist if booted from a cloned backup??? That would be strange if it didn't I'd say.

Good luck.

PS: In case you need it and it still works:
Troubleshoot Office 2011 for Mac issues by completely uninstalling before you reinstall
https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...einstall-ba8d8d13-0015-4eea-b60b-7719c2cedd17

It seems the suggestions here are well founded suggesting the same thing!! I guess MS learned by reading some of the mac-forums threads on their products!!! :Mischievous:

PPS: Also just a suggestion to run Font Book.app and test/verify all your user installed fonts. You could be getting a Font conflict and they can be a PITA to track down of fix.

- Patrick
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Sawday · May 1, 2018

Thanks all for your suggestions. I ran Font Book which gave me some conflicting info - it reported no 'enabled duplicates' but for some individual fonts there were duplicates but these were not enabled. Rather than mess with these reinstalled Office and low and behold all appears to be sweet again.

I'll look into the font issue (if it is an issue) at a later date.

pm-r · May 1, 2018

Rather than mess with these reinstalled Office and low and behold all appears to be sweet again.

Glad to read you got things fixed Sawday but it sort of leaves one wondering what caused the problem or corruption in the first place eh??? :Smirk:

- Patrick
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Sawday · May 1, 2018

pm-r said:
Glad to read you got things fixed Sawday but it sort of leaves one wondering what caused the problem or corruption in the first place eh???

- Patrick
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Old age?

It gets to all of us and my iMac is aged 12 now and it does get a lot of hammer. Meanwhile, my wife is on her third Windows laptop in that time and that's always slow... at everything!