XL97: "Out of Virtual Memory" Opening Many Workbooks with ActiveX or OCX Controls

ID: Q238570

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

If you open and close a large number of workbooks, a slowdown in computer performance and "out of virtual memory" messages can occur. Eventually, if left to continue, the program may stop responding (hang) or generate various errors. The amount of time before errors occur depends on the amount of memory available and the amount of memory the controls on each workbook use.


CAUSE

When opening a workbook that contains an ActiveX/OCX control, the Excel process acquires a minimum of 20 private bytes. It does not release this memory when it closes a workbook, but only releases it when the Excel process ends. The amount of the private byte leak can be greater, depending on which ActiveX/OCX control(s) you use in a workbook. You can observe this behavior within Windows NT Performance Monitor or other similar tool.


RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp
The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date      Time    Version   Size       File name     Platform
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   6/3/99    4:02PM            5,615,376  Excel.exe     INTEL x86
   5/18/99   4:30PM               18,944  Scanload.dll  INTEL x86

NOTE: If this product was already installed on your computer when you purchased it from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and you need this fix, please call the Pay Per Incident number listed on the above Web site. If you contact Microsoft to obtain this fix, and if it is determined that you only require the fix you requested, no fee will be charged. However, if you request additional technical support, and if your no-charge technical support period has expired, or if you are not eligible for standard no-charge technical support, you may be charged a non-refundable fee.

For more information about eligibility for no-charge technical support, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q154871 Determining If You Are Eligible for No-Charge Technical Support


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: August 3, 1999