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what spec for excel ???

Tags:
  • Computer
  • Excel
  • Spreadsheet
Last response: in General UK & Ireland Discussions
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October 1, 2008 7:19:27 AM

Can anyone tell me what is the best spec for my needs.

I only use a computer for spreadsheet use.
I have 10 sheets open in one workbook.
Sheets are over 50,000 rows deep and 30 columns wide.
Array formulas run down several columns.

When I run macro to fill down array formulas the machine freezes.
Computer is AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2600+.

I have maximum of £400 but don't require monitor.

Any suggestions??
Thanks.
Colwyn.

More about : spec excel

October 1, 2008 10:55:38 AM

how much memory do you have and how much are you using (task mamager). Is the Harddrive trashing away to itself?

Memory might be the limiting factor, and patience.

I've worked with similar sizes on a little laptop with only 512Mb back in 2003. Turn off screen updates as the first thing in the macro, turn them back on at the end. I also ended up implementing a little timer, that turned screen upadtes back on again on a blank sheet with a simple formula that showed how long it has been running for and updating it every 1000 iterations or so, hence every time it updates you know it is still doing something and hasn't stalled.
October 1, 2008 11:07:56 AM

email enabler, ignore this post
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October 1, 2008 12:31:16 PM

13thmonkey, thanks. Have 1Gb of DDR SDRAM.
Tried the turn off screen updating in macro but waited over an hour and still frozen up.
Be interested in the macro/formula you devised for showing how long it was running.
Colwyn.
October 1, 2008 1:52:27 PM

at the start I just set a single cell to =now() say a1

Then every 1000? interations I turn on screen updating set b1=now()-a1 then i turn screen updating off again. Do this on a blank sheet, and format b1 as hh:mm:ss

Also turn calculations off as well and then just do the on lot of re-calcs at the very end.

Have you checked task manager to see memory usage, and is the HDD trashing away to itself. If they are then you'll get a lot more benefit from more memory. Process spped increases will merely decrease the time to running out of memory and then grinding to a halt as the HDD comes into play.

won't be on line for a few days, if the clock keeps ticking away, go to the pub till its complete, you could even include a counter to tell you where it has got to, i.e. which sheet and which line it is entering. let me know what task manager tells you, cpu temps might be good to monitor too.
August 17, 2010 11:10:03 PM

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey
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