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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

80+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

60+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

139 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2011-06-14T15:18:48+00:00

    The answers offered by Microsoft so far are not getting at the root of the problem.  I am on Windows 7 and Office 2010.  I have had the same laptop/memory for 1.5 years and have only had this problem for about 6 months.  It is not realistic for many of us to re-install windows and/or Excel.  Some of us work at big companies where pc build out is centrally managed.

    I have made an additional discovery since the problem started happening:

    When I get the message, I can open another instance of Excel (without closing the first) and then open new files or outlook attachments.  For this reason, I am finding that I now often have two instances of Excel running just so that I can do the same work I have always done without getting these errors.

    The "fix" suggested by Microsoft seems to be an excuse - - similar to the first troubleshooting step we would get from a technical support helpdesk to reboot.  I say this because my work habits have not changed.  Thus, system resources are not being utilized in any different manner.  It does not matter how big the files are or how many other applications are open.

    Something is WRONG and I think some of the other threads suggesting it may have something to do with an update are probably right.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-06-02T17:39:32+00:00

    I see this all the time now on multiple PCs - it is ridiculous.  I see it when trying to open an .xls attachment in an outlook email and once it happens, you can't open ANYTHING in Excel without completely closing it and sometimes even killing the process then starting from scratch.  

    MS please step up to the plate and fix this it is a productivity destroyer!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2011-05-11T14:10:34+00:00

    I just started getting this error yesterday.  I'm running Win7 x64 Pro with Office 2010 x64.  Trying to open very small Excel files as attachments and getting this error.  Installed several Win7 x64 updates over the last couple of days but nothing specific to Office 2010.  I have plenty of available system resources so it makes no sense.  This is very frustrating!

    BTW, I can open files within Excel so there does seem to be an issue with opening attachments and launching Excel.

    Microsoft, please help!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments