Excel.exe process hanging

Question

Since the recent updates we have a number of users who are complaining of Excel not opening.

We are all using Office 365 Business (mainly 32 bit but a few 64 bit).

Upon closer inspection, the culprit is an existing Excel.exe process running in the background. 

This is happening for local spreadsheets, spreadsheets on network drives, small & large spreadsheets of various file types - .csv. xls, .xlsx etc  

There's no consistency with what causes Excel.exe to hang, but it's only started happening in the last week.  

There's no VB in the sheets, we have no add-ins running, no virtual printers - so I believe a recent Office update is causing the issues.  

We've also tried repairing the installations on a number of machines.

What can we do to resolve?

Answer 1

Hi Dave,

First as there are multiple situations on different bit Excel, although the appearance may look similar, the root cause may be different, we would like to suggest posting one thread for each scenario so that we can handle them separately.

On this thread, let's focus on the one with Excel.exe process hanging in the background of 32 bit. Then, please perform the following steps and check if there is any improvement:

1. Press the  Windows + R keys at the same time, type excel /safe and press Enter to start Excel safe mode.  Note: there is a space before the /.
2. Create a new workbook with .xlsx format in local drive.
3. If you have not tried Online Repair, please perform it.

If the issue persists, could you please provide the following information to help better understand your situation so that we can better assist you?

1. A screenshot to show the symptom that "an existing Excel.exe process running in the background".
2. Does the issue occur to all users?
3. Does the issue occur to all the existing workbooks?

Your current Office version (we also would like to know your channel, version and build information .) .

For Office version, you can find it by clicking File > Account > Product Information. Please capture a screenshot of the entire information under Product Information.

Note: Please mask the Personal Identifiable Information to protect your privacy.

Thanks,

Tina

Answer 2

Hi Tina,

Part 1

1. Press the  Windows + R keys at the same time, type excel /safe and press Enter to start Excel safe mode.  Note: there is a space before the /. - Done
2. Create a new workbook with .xlsx format in local drive. - Done
3. If you have not tried Online Repair, please perform it. - Already done (see my original post).

Part 2

1. A screenshot to show the symptom that "an existing Excel.exe process running in the background". - This is running after I've closed all existing spreadsheets.

2. Does the issue occur to all users? - It's intermittent but happening on various spreadsheets for multiple users.
3. Does the issue occur to all the existing workbooks? - It's intermittent but happening on various spreadsheets for multiple users (local and shared drives).

4. Your current Office version (we also would like to know your channel, version and build information .) .

**I did provide all this information in the original request. You've mentioned putting a different thread for different scenarios, but it is the same scenario. Excel.exe is hanging after closing various spreadsheets, and the issue has only been happening for about a week**

What other information do you need?

Thanks

Answer 3

Hi Dave,

We need to try reproducing the same environment, have one variable test to isolate the issue and would like to know more about the situation. Please provide the below information:

1. You mentioned the issue is intermittent. Please share with us the common features when the issue occurs so that we can try reproducing it.
2. Does the issue occur if you create a new workbook?
3. Did your organization recently add or edit some configuration (e.g. group policy)?
4. Please confirm if the issue occurs in safe mode. Is it Yes? If so, please perform clean boot and share with us the results.

Thanks,

Tina

Answer 4

Hi Tina,

1. You mentioned the issue is intermittent. Please share with us the common features when the issue occurs so that we can try reproducing it.

Here's the scenario that's been happening today. A user tries to open Excel and it fails to open. We see the existing 'excel.exe' process running and we look at the previousfile to see why it didn't close correctly. Upon opening the previous file we get this error:

"This error may appear if you attempt to open a file marked as damaged or disabled by a Microsoft Office program. Each time the file is opened, even if the file was recovered or repaired, this error appears and other open files or programs will be suspended.

The file is in the Disabled Items list because, in previous attempts to open the file, it has caused a program error or shut down more than once.

If the file was properly recovered, replaced, or deleted, you can remove the file from the list of disabled files (re-enable the file) by clicking the File tab, clicking Options, and then clicking Add-Ins. In the Manage list, click the arrow and select Disabled Items, click Go, and then select the disabled item that you want to re-enable.

Re-enabling a file does not guarantee the application can open it. The file must be recovered from either a backup or undamaged recovered file."

As far as I can see we don't have any 'Disabled items'. I can't see anything unusual in the 'damaged' spreadsheet either, and we can open it as normal the second time around.

2. Does the issue occur if you create a new workbook?

We can't seem to replicate the issue with an empty/new workbook. When closing an empty workbook, the excel.exe program closes too.

3. Did your organization recently add or edit some configuration (e.g. group policy)? 

We haven't applied any GPO policies to Excel.

4. Please confirm if the issue occurs in safe mode. Is it No? If so, please perform clean boot and share with us the results.  

I will set Windows 10 to clean boot, and will also get the user to run excel.exe /safe for the next day to see if it makes a difference.

I will confirm the results soon.

Thanks

Answer 5

Hi Dave,

From your description, it appears the issue only occurs to some specific workbooks intermittently. To move forward, please confirm the information below to make sure we are on the same page:

1. How many workbooks are affected? Are all the users affected?
2. A screenshot of the error message.
3. Did the user double click the workbook and then encounter the error message? If no, please clarify it.
4. To protect your privacy, please share an affected workbook with us in Private Message?

And feel free to share with us the test results at your convenience.

Thanks,

Tina