Excel 2013 High CPU Usage

Anonymous
2013-10-21T13:21:14+00:00

We work on a product that uses Excel, we are now testing all aspects of Excel 2013. During these tests, we seem to have encountered a problem where excel suddenly causes high CPU usage by only drawing some shapes. We have been able to minimize the problem into the following few steps:

  • Open a new, clean workbook
  • Draw an oval, give it a material (right-click, choose “Format Shape”, click “Effects”, “3D Format”, “Material”. Choose any material.)
  • Duplicate the Shape four times, producing Oval2, 3, 4 and 5.
  • Group Oval2 and 3. Group Oval 4 and 5.
  • Press Alt-F10, in the selection window, hide the group containing Oval2 and 3.
  • Deselect everything (!) by clicking in an empty cell.

Now observe the task manager. On an I7 Windows 7 PC, Excel now runs 4 cores at around 50%. Also, OnTime functions are not being called anymore because of this rendering bug. Once you select any shape, or un-hide the hidden group, Excel becomes quiet once again. Also, the problem can be prevented from happening by removing the materials in the shapes.

This bug (?) seems to happen also on most of our more complicated applications, and it would take lots of work to re-design everything not to use materials. Can anyone confirm this problem, provide a workaround?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-03-07T18:03:22+00:00

    Hi all,

    Let me add that to the case here...

    I'm on Excel 2013 and I have uninstalled the 3 KBs mentioned above and it seems to have fixed the excessive demand on the CPU but after a while, it goes back to high demand (don't have details on how long but my laptop fan warns me).

    I only have one Excel file open at this time and several other programs (around 8 to 10). So, to bring back the demand down, I can open any other excel file and then close it right back. Demand returns to normal.

    Anyone has a clue on what could cause that?

    Dan

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-03-03T08:28:15+00:00

    Confirmed, uninstalling those 3 updates really fixed High CPU issue. (tested on 1 client computer)

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-03-03T08:15:21+00:00

    Does anyone can  confirm this? 

    Hi julienSybille

    Here is an official link from Microsoft stating that KB3114717 is no longer available because it causes slow down or freeze of excel 2013. (view print screen)

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114717

    Try uninstalling this update first , if it solves your issues that's great. if not uninstall both of these :

    KB3114734

    KB3114736

    good Luck

    Meron

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-03-03T07:41:45+00:00

    Does anyone can  confirm this?

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-03-02T21:14:54+00:00

    http://devopssurf.blogspot.co.il/2016/03/office-2013-high-cpu.html

    Short and Simple

    Microsoft support suggested I uninstall three updates that cause excel 2013 , word 2013 or outlook 2013 to consume high cpu usage .

    uninstall the following KB's and you are good to go.

    KB3114717

    KB3114734

    KB3114736

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