Word cannot complete the operation because too many files open

Anonymous
2011-08-08T18:05:14+00:00

I've upgraded to Lion and am now having this error message every time Word 2011 tries to auto save:

word cannot complete the operation because too many files open

I click OK and then it says:

Word is unable to save the AutoRecover file in the location you have specified. Make sure that you have specified a valid location for AutoRecover files in Preferences, and that you have permission to write files to the location you specified.

I've tried changing the location for autosave and also made sure that the folder has read/write privileges for all users. I've done some Googling and not been able to find any other references to this problem since 2004ish.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2017-06-19T13:34:35+00:00

You should have added "for me" because that solution did work for at least 18 other users.

So let's try this, which I'm surprised we did not suggest before. It's called a safe boot. It's a simple procedure that will attempt to load in your Mac only software, add-ins, fonts, etc. etc. that are official versions of Apple software and other approved vendors. If Word works, it probably means that some software is interfering with it (i.e. software that was not allowed to execute under safe boot conditions).

  • Shut down you Mac
  • Turn it on
  • As soon as you hear the initial "boing" sound, press Shift (that's Apple's instructions; I press is as soon as I see the screen turn on)
  • Hold it down until you see the Finder and it seems to stop loading

Once the Finder loads, test Word. If it works, the problem is caused by non-Apple software added to your user account or your Mac.

There is a similar procedure involving the creation of a brand new user. This ensures the user does not have any additional stuff in their account. You could try that and then test word from that new user.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-31T20:55:36+00:00

    Repair permissions usually doesn't do anything for anyone. It's the default answer to every single problem with Word on the Mac. The solution is a properly coded version of Word. We're still waiting.The product is demonstrably inferior to Word for Windows.  

    For once, a sensible on this forum… A bit of fresh air, as opposed to Its Master's Voice…

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-31T20:49:02+00:00

    Repair permissions usually doesn't do anything for anyone. It's the default answer to every single problem with Word on the Mac. The solution is a properly coded version of Word. We're still waiting.The product is demonstrably inferior to Word for Windows.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-09-14T07:18:18+00:00

    The solution to the similar problem was to increase the limit for simultaneously open files (which is 256 by  default:

    In the in /etc/launchd.conf add line 

    limit maxfiles 16500

    and reboot.

    Done this too. Never worked.

    Maybe now with Ballmer out at last someone with do the homework at M$oft…

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-07-03T17:54:14+00:00

    I’m having this problem since 1 or 2 days ago ( july 2013).

    It is so ANNOYING!

    Anyone has found a solution yet?

    Are on risk of not having our text saved properly because of this?

    Bug is there since at least Word X (1998). I suffered this with every iteration of Word since then.

    Welcome to Microsoft…

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