Power Pivot will not update

Question

Hello,

we do have a problem here with updating the Power Pivot add-on. When we try that, window pops up and sais updating. But it gets stuck in this step and Excel starts to consume all the remaining storage of my PC. What should I do with that?

Thank you

Answer 1

Hello,

Thank you very much for your support.

We managed to get the issue working again in some way. However, we are not completely sure whether it was fixed only by using Data → Refresh All, or by a combination of that and running Excel in safe mode. In any case, it seems that this workaround — or this combination of steps — is currently working.

So the steps are:

Instead of opening PowerPivot and updating it there you have to

Open Excel --> go to Data tab --> click on Refresh all (if this does not work check if all of your sources are updated and saved then try again)

If this still does not work do the same but in SAFE mode.

Win + R --> type "excel.exe /safe"

Thank you again for your help, and have a great day.

Best regards

Answer 2

Dear @Jan Vorel,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand you're experiencing issues with updating your Power Pivot add-on in Excel. As a forum moderator, I genuinely wish I could directly access your account or delve into the backend systems to diagnose and fix this for you. However, our role here is limited to providing general guidance and solutions that can be applied by users. 
From my research, when Power Pivot updates, it doesn’t just change the numbers; it decompresses the entire data model into your local temp folder. If the model is large or the update process hangs, it can create a large .tmp file that fills up your storage space.

Here are a few steps that may help resolve the issue:

1: Clear the Power Pivot Cache

This issue is often caused by a "stale" preview or a corrupted temporary backup that Excel is trying to rebuild repeatedly.

1. Open Excel (but do not click update yet).
2. Go to Data > Get Data > Query Options.
3. Under the Global section on the left, select Data Load.
4. Look for "Data Cache Management Options" and click Clear Cache.

2: Manually Delete Hidden .tmp Files

Even if you close Excel, the files consuming your storage might still be sitting in your Temp folder.

1. Press Windows Key + R, type %temp%, and press Enter.
2. Look for folders starting with IMBI_ or large files ending in .tmp.
3. Delete everything in this folder. (If a file is "in use," just click Skip). This will immediately reclaim your missing storage space.

If the above solutions don’t resolve the issue, I recommend that the Global Admin in your organization create a service request with Microsoft Support. A technical support engineer can perform a remote session to investigate the situation, verify the backend configurations, and run any necessary synchronization tools to resolve the problem. If the issue requires further attention, they can escalate it to a specialized team for deeper analysis. Ask The Global Admin in your organization to create a service request with Microsoft support to get advanced technical assistance and diagnostics. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support 

For additional assistance, use this link to find the appropriate contact number from your region: Global Customer Service phone numbers - Microsoft Support 

I hope this information helps clarify the situation and provides you with workable solutions. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always here to help. Have a wonderful day! 

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