Experiencing the "Excel ran out of resources" error can be frustrating, but thankfully, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take. Here's how to tackle this issue based on common solutions:
Troubleshooting Steps
Here's a structured approach to resolving the "Excel ran out of resources" error:
1. Basic Steps
- Restart Your PC: This is often the simplest and most effective initial step. Restarting can clear out temporary files and processes that might be consuming system resources, thus freeing them up for Excel ([Reference 1]).
2. Excel and Office Related Solutions
- Reinstall Excel or Office: If restarting doesn't work, consider reinstalling your Excel application or the entire Office suite. This can resolve problems caused by corrupted installation files ([Reference 2]).
3. Adjusting Excel Settings
- Disable Multi-threading: Excel's multi-threading feature can be resource intensive. Turning it off can reduce load.
- Go to File > Options.
- Click on Advanced.
- Scroll to the Formulas section.
- Uncheck "Enable multi-threaded calculation" ([Reference 3]).
- Reduce Processor Usage: Limiting the number of processors Excel uses can reduce the overall system strain.
- Follow the steps above to get to the Formulas section.
- Change the "Number of calculation threads" to 1. This forces Excel to use only one processor core ([Reference 4]).
4. Other Considerations
- Check File Size and Complexity: Large and complex spreadsheets with numerous formulas and formatting can consume significant resources. Consider simplifying your spreadsheet, breaking it into multiple smaller files, or using data connections instead of direct data within the file.
- Close Unnecessary Applications: Ensure other running applications are closed, especially those consuming a lot of memory or CPU resources.
- Update Excel: Make sure you are running the latest version of Excel, as updates often include bug fixes and performance enhancements.
- Check for Add-ins: Disable any unnecessary add-ins to see if one is causing the resource issue.
- Go to File > Options.
- Click on Add-ins.
- At the bottom, next to "Manage:" select "Excel Add-ins", then "Go..."
- Try disabling them one by one to isolate the issue.
Summary
By systematically going through these troubleshooting steps – from restarting to adjusting Excel settings and managing file complexity, you can effectively tackle and fix the "Excel ran out of resources" error. Remember to apply these steps methodically and test after each change to identify the root cause of the issue.
