Excel cannot complete the task with available resources. Choose less data or close applications.

Anonymous
2010-05-05T14:25:22+00:00

Excel cannot complete the task with available resources. Choose less data or close applications. the size of the file is 640MB with over 250k records. I have 3.25GB of memory. It takes 5 mintues for the file to open.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-09-07T15:07:34+00:00

I have been experiencing this problem for months (i.e., Excel cannot complete the task with available resources. Choose less data or close applications).  I am running Windows 7 and Office 2010.  The problem can occur with very small spreadsheets so it has nothing to do with the complexity of the spreadsheets.  After reading the other posts, especially the one from Chuthor, I began to suspect incompatibilities between Excel and other MS software that I've downloaded.

Anyway, I just uninstalled Windows Live Essentials and Microsoft Outlook Social Connector for Live Messenger, which came with an update from Microsoft on 4/7/2011.  This appears to have solved the problem.

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Anonymous
2012-04-09T18:19:33+00:00

We eventually opened a ticket with Microsoft. Apparently this is on their radar, with no real fix just this work around. The users were experiencing this error daily, and by disabling preview pane in the 3 necessar locations completly fixed the issue. Here is the workaround MS sent me.

Windows 7 is new with Preview/Details panes. These Preview/Details panes contribute to the "Available resources" issues, as well as our "Locked for Editing by another user" issues. We consider turning them off in these 3 locations as a valid test:

Windows:

1. Right click on Start Ribbon.

2. Click Open Windows Explorer.

3. Click Organize | Layout  |

4. Uncheck Details Pane and Preview Pane.

Excel:

1. Click File | Open.

2. Click Organize | Layout  |

3. Uncheck Details Pane and Preview Pane.

Outlook:

1. Open a new e-mail.

2. In the "Include" group, click Attach File.

3. Click Organize | Layout  |

4. Uncheck Details Pane and Preview Pane.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-01-05T22:11:20+00:00

    I just did a search and found on another forum (Technet) the following fix - and dare I say it seems to have worked:

    If using Windows 7, delete all files from this folder: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel

    I noticed a folder with a filename of a file I was working on frequently around the time the nonsense started. Let's hope that was the fix...

    Deleting the excel binary worksheet files (.xlsb) in the ...\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel did work for me, at least so far.

    However, looking in my recycle bin I see that these files seem to be automatically generated and then deleted by Excel over time as resources are required, maybe? Unclear.

    If the problem comes back I'll reply to my post.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-12-21T19:44:15+00:00

    My issue was trying to delete columns on a file that had 5000+ rows with many worksheets and it wouldn't work.  Tried different computers with diff RAM.  This is what solved my issue:

    The file was in 2007 .xlsx, I uninstalled 2007 and installed 2003 with the Compatibility Pack for 2007. I was able to delete columns and saved it.  It saved as .xls.  Opened in 2007/2010 and was able to delete columns now.  Did a Save As xlsx file and the file was now working.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-12-15T17:46:08+00:00

    I dont know if you are experiencing this issue still - I am with over 250 systems in our facility, the only work around I have found is = 

    Open Excel 2010

    File/Options/Advanced - Scroll down to General - Look for Ignore Other Applications That Use DDE and check the box.

    The only down fall I have found is you cannot open any files through Excel, you have to open the files them-self - If you have found a cure better then this can you please email me the fix?

    ******@gmail.com

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