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Copper Contributor

Aug 22, 2022

Microsoft Excel 365 HUGE Memory Leak (50 GB RAM)

Hi! I read this article yesterday and I was wondering if you could take a look at a very tiny program I created in Microsoft Excel. I can email you the Excel file if you are interested. T...

excel

Macros and VBA

ExcelClaro

Copper Contributor

Aug 31, 2022

NeedMoreRAM Thanks for your reply!

Yes, same symptoms here: video freezes and Windows crashes eventually if the Excel file is NOT closed immediately. I think it has to do with the freeze panes, switching among sheets, *4K display* and MAYBE thousands of records. By curiosity, this error does NOT come out when using one of my lateral monitors which are Full HD, not 4K.

Really annoying! 😬

Here is my setup:

DELL Precison T5820 Workstation
Intel Xeon(R) W-2145 @ 3.7GHz 8 Cores / 16 Threads
64GB RAM DDR4 @ 2666 MHz
Western Digital Black 500GB SN750 NVMe™ SSD 3,100MB/s read 1,600MB/s write
NVIDIA Quadro M2000, 4GB GDDR5, 75W, 106GB/s, PCIe 3.0 x16, 4x DPs
1x BENQ PD3200U 32" 4K Ultra HD LCD Display Port
2x DELL P2719H LED 27'', Full HD, Widescreen, DisplayPort

EDIT: 2022/SEP/14

I have attached some pictures using Sysinternals Process Explorer and DLL Export Viewer. Somehow this library Mso40UIwin32client.dll has something to do with this error. It exposes these 4 functions:

MsoDoFontLinkRgwch 0x000000018026c530 0x0026c530 485 (0x1e5) Mso40UIwin32client.dll C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16\Mso40UIwin32client.dll Exported Function

MsoPwlfFromFlinfo 0x000000018030b1b0 0x0030b1b0 1150 (0x47e) Mso40UIwin32client.dll C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16\Mso40UIwin32client.dll Exported Function

MsoCrCbvGet 0x00000001801ee190 0x001ee190 1933 (0x78d) Mso40UIwin32client.dll C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16\Mso40UIwin32client.dll Exported Function

MsoFreeFlinfo 0x000000018030b970 0x0030b970 2751 (0xabf) Mso40UIwin32client.dll C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16\Mso40UIwin32client.dll Exported Function

NeedMoreRAM

Copper Contributor

Sep 01, 2022

ExcelClaro I'll start documenting specifics here whenever I observe this phenomenon. One other note for now is that I've had instances where RAM usage has spiked to 80GB-90GB before returning back to the normal range for the file I'm using (generally 200MB-500MB). In those cases, video begins updating normally, and I can work with the file again -- even though subsequent memory spikes seem to happen more frequently. In other instances, the RAM usage goes past 90GB, but I've always closed Excel before reaching my system limit.

tomoam2
Copper Contributor
Sep 14, 2022
NeedMoreRAM
Same here...
My PC: AMD 5900X + 64GB + RTX3080Ti + 3440x1440x60Hz + Windows 10 Pro + Excel 365
If Excel works normally, it consumes 150-500MB of RAM. When it starts to lag, it consumes 40+GB. Usually the image freezes for a while and the only solution is to save the sheet and reopen Excel.

For me, the problem has been present at least from June 2022... I tried to solve the problem with a clean installation of Windows 10, then Windows 11 (no comment), drivers update or outdate... then I screamed at my PC and threatened him with a hammer... 😉

I noticed that there is no problem if:
- using Excel 2010
- using Excel 365 with "Hardware Acceleration" disabled
(this option has been removed some time ago - big "thanks" to Microsoft)
- Clifton_Cline
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 23, 2022
  tomoam2 My Excel lockup is also on an AMD/nVidia laptop. Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, AMD 5800H + nVidia 3070.
  - tomoam2
    Copper Contributor
    Sep 26, 2022
    Clifton_Cline Hi again (everybody),
    Did you try this one:
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/excel-hardware-aceleration/35721975-ab66-4534-9384-f1a873503b31
    "Assign application to specific GPU
    [...]
    To make Outlook to use a specific graphics card (i.e. use a basic driver so it disables hardware acceleration).
    Open Graphics Settings
    Windows 11
    Start> Settings> System> Display> (section) Related Settings> Graphics
    Windows 10
    Start> Settings> System> Display> (section) Multiple displays> Graphics settings
    Select: Desktop app
    Use the Browse button to add Outlook.exe (you can use Process Explorer to find the path if it is running or right click on the shortcut and go to properties.)
    After you’ve added Outlook, select it from the list and press the Options button to select your GPU.
    Use the Power Saving GPU: Microsoft Basic Render Driver to turn off hardware acceleration like you used to be able to do an easier way."
    Excel 365 works much worse than the 2010 version, but maybe this method will speed it up until the patch is released?
    
    I don't understand why Microsoft can't just restore the Disable Hardware Acceleration option?!
- ExcelClaro
  Copper Contributor
  Sep 15, 2022
  Thanks for your reply! It was fun to read. 😁 I can feel your frustration. 😕
  
  Yes, the very same symptoms are there: specially the 4K monitor. I think that's the main variable suspect.
  
  Hope Microsoft gets it fixed ASAP. 🙏🏻
  - Clifton_Cline
    Copper Contributor
    Sep 22, 2022
    ExcelClaro Mine spikes memory leaks, then my CPU usage goes to 79% of just System Interrupts and locks up until I can get enough CPU free to kill the process, then reboot. Only Excel seems to cause this. Seriously needs a fix.