Excel uses only one core when saving file

Question

I am working on a i7-6700 CPU with 16GB RAM and Samsung SSD. Excel 2016, installed 32bit on a 64bit Windows 10.

I am using large excel files (up to 40MB) with multiple links and vlookups to other files. When recalculating formulas, excel is using up to 100% CPU on 8 cores.

But when saving the file to the Harddisk, excel uses only 16% CPU and often stalls for approx. one minute until the file is saved to the disk. However, while stalling, excel does not write to the disk or anything else.

How can I speed up the saving process so excel is also here using multiple cores?

Thank you for your support

Answer 1

Here is one more article, from MS, that I think is worth reading

The real and complete story - Does Windows defragment your SSD?

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheRealAndCompleteStoryDoesWindowsDefragmentYourSSD.aspx

December 3, '14  Posted in Win7 | Win8

There has been a LOT of confusion around Windows, SSDs (hard drives), and whether or not they are getting automatically defragmented by automatic maintenance tasks in Windows.

Answer 2

I agree with Ferdz, you are probably looking for a problem outside of Excel. 

Now, in theory, your saves (and opens) should all be MUCH faster than a minute because you do have a SSD drive.  Unlike traditional "spinning disk" hard drives where the drive head(s) have to physically move to find free space and the disk has to spin to expose that free space to save files, SSD are all electronic, like RAM.  And writing to SSD is different than writing to a HD.

There are some things you can check to see if your computer is fully optimized to handle the SSD. Granted, in theory it should already be, but YNK.  Then I found this article that basically says there no longer is any need to optimize ... (I generally trust their articles, so I guess ... )

https://www.howtogeek.com/256859/dont-waste-time-optimizing-your-ssd-windows-knows-what-its-doing/

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-ssds-solid-state-drives-work-increase-lifespan/

This article may potentially explain the cause of your problem

[PDF]SSD Performance Tips: Avoid The Write Cliff - Cresting Wave

crestingwave.com/sites/default/files/.../velobit_whitepaper_ssdperformancetips.pdf

Optimize Data for SSD and Avoid the Write Cliff Without Overspending on ... SSD write cliff is the effect where SSD write performance drops off after all the free ...

If none of that helps you will have to do some deep diving into Windows optimization.

Answer 3

Hi

thank you for the answer.

Is there a way how to speed up the "basic tasks"?

Which other hardware configurations are you thinking in to maximize the resources for such task?

best regards

Answer 4

Hello,

Looks like you are experiencing a scenario that is normal.

When Excel is calculating data, it requires more power from your CPU to execute and finish the formula faster, that's why it's using all of the cores available. When you are performing basic tasks on your system like saving a file, it requires less amount of power from CPU resources to perform the task.

Since that you have a powerful processor, a huge amount of RAM, and a fast solid state hard drive, there are other hardware configurations that you can try to maximize all the resources for such tasks.

Regards.