Excel 2016 freezes/crashes when adding data label to scatter plot series

Question

I have been struggling with a reproducible crash with Excel 2016. I am able to create a scatter plot of my data. However, when I add data levels for just a small series of data (2-5 data points) using values from cells, I am unable to the save the worksheet--Excel freezes then crashes. The same crash if I try to copy the chart (for use in Powerpoint). There is something about adding data labels with value from cells that causes Excel to crash when saving/copying the chart. I am able to add data labels using series name, x or y values but not values from cells.

I have tried safe and clean boots without luck. Here are the two errors I get in event viewer:

Log Name:      Application

Source:        Windows Error Reporting

Date:          2/19/2018 15:41:38

Event ID:      1001

Task Category: None

Level:         Information

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      XPS13

Description:

Fault bucket 1489230942820419240, type 5

Event Name: AppHangB1

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: EXCEL.EXE

P2: 16.0.9001.2171

P3: 5a7cdce9

P4: 659c

P5: 134217728

P6: 

P7: 

P8: 

P9: 

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B0F.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B2F.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B3F.tmp.txt

\?\C:\Users\kenta\AppData\Local\Temp{10C55008-A660-41C6-9056-6597919A1A1A} - OProcSessId.dat

\?\C:\Users\kenta\AppData\Local\Temp\WER4561.tmp.appcompat.txt

These files may be available here:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppHang_EXCEL.EXE_a3394c60217389ffc61f8b3e324fc599036b48e_9675e353_17ba6471

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: d7379302-4815-466c-bc80-2cf1be38ad6a

Report Status: 268435456

Hashed bucket: 064d4865bc4b7c08d4aacfa6f754c6a8

Event Xml:

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">

  <System>

    <Provider Name="Windows Error Reporting" />

    <EventID Qualifiers="0">1001</EventID>

    <Level>4</Level>

    <Task>0</Task>

    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>

    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2018-02-19T23:41:38.129550800Z" />

    <EventRecordID>23933</EventRecordID>

    <Channel>Application</Channel>

    <Computer>XPS13</Computer>

    <Security />

  </System>

  <EventData>

    <Data>1489230942820419240</Data>

    <Data>5</Data>

    <Data>AppHangB1</Data>

    <Data>Not available</Data>

    <Data>0</Data>

    <Data>EXCEL.EXE</Data>

    <Data>16.0.9001.2171</Data>

    <Data>5a7cdce9</Data>

    <Data>659c</Data>

    <Data>134217728</Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B0F.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B2F.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3B3F.tmp.txt

\?\C:\Users\kenta\AppData\Local\Temp{10C55008-A660-41C6-9056-6597919A1A1A} - OProcSessId.dat

\?\C:\Users\kenta\AppData\Local\Temp\WER4561.tmp.appcompat.txt</Data>

    <Data>C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppHang_EXCEL.EXE_a3394c60217389ffc61f8b3e324fc599036b48e_9675e353_17ba6471</Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>0</Data>

    <Data>d7379302-4815-466c-bc80-2cf1be38ad6a</Data>

    <Data>268435456</Data>

    <Data>064d4865bc4b7c08d4aacfa6f754c6a8</Data>

  </EventData>

</Event>

And:

Log Name:      Application

Source:        Application Hang

Date:          2/19/2018 15:41:38

Event ID:      1002

Task Category: (101)

Level:         Error

Keywords:      Classic

User:          N/A

Computer:      XPS13

Description:

The program EXCEL.EXE version 16.0.9001.2171 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel.

 Process ID: 1888

 Start Time: 01d3a9d95bea82db

 Termination Time: 19

 Application Path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE

 Report Id: d7379302-4815-466c-bc80-2cf1be38ad6a

 Faulting package full name: 

 Faulting package-relative application ID: 

Event Xml:

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">

  <System>

    <Provider Name="Application Hang" />

    <EventID Qualifiers="0">1002</EventID>

    <Level>2</Level>

    <Task>101</Task>

    <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>

    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2018-02-19T23:41:38.349272100Z" />

    <EventRecordID>23934</EventRecordID>

    <Channel>Application</Channel>

    <Computer>XPS13</Computer>

    <Security />

  </System>

  <EventData>

    <Data>EXCEL.EXE</Data>

    <Data>16.0.9001.2171</Data>

    <Data>1888</Data>

    <Data>01d3a9d95bea82db</Data>

    <Data>19</Data>

    <Data>C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE</Data>

    <Data>d7379302-4815-466c-bc80-2cf1be38ad6a</Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Data>

    </Data>

    <Binary>55006E006B006E006F0077006E0000000000</Binary>

  </EventData>

</Event>

Thanks for your help in advance!

Answer 1

Thanks for the prompt replies. I tried all the suggestions including installation repair, default printer change, and safe mode and the crash still happens reproducibly. Very frustrating.

Answer 2

Try following one by one and see after every step whether it resolves the issue-

1. Sometimes, add-ins can cause problems. To determine, if add-in is a problem start your application in safe mode and see if problem has gone away.

To start in Safe Mode -

Hold CTRL key and click on application icon and don't release the CTRL key till it asks you for Safe mode confirmation.

If yes, then start application normally and disable add-ins one by one and start application again every time you disable an add-in to determine the culprit add-in.

To disable add-in > File > Options > Add-ins > Down below you have Manage: Com Add-in : Press Go > Untick the Add-ins to disable and tick to enable them

2. Try repairing your office installation (Quick repair is good enough). Try repairing your Office installation. First try Quick Repair (takes 5 - 10 mins) , if that doesn't help then try Online Repair (Takes more than 30 mins but less than 1 hour in general)

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Repair...

3. Login to Windows with a new user profile and see if problem is resolved.
4. Sometimes, this is caused due to application not being able to access the default printer. Close all office applications and change your default printer through Start > Devices and Printers to another printer. It may be some physical one or One Note or XPS or PDF or anything else. If this is the problem, then you will need to update your printer driver for default printer.
5. Start your computer in Safe mode with networking and see whether the problem is solved. If yes, then some program is causing the problem. Many third party applications also cause the problem like Tuneup Utilities, Abby Finereader, Kaspersky / Avast Anti Virus etc. See if you have any of them installed. Close / Disable them one by one and see whether it helps.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12376/...

Answer 3

I'd suggest trying to repair the installation.

The instructions to follow to do this are here:

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Repair...