Microsoft KB Archive/132525

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

MXL5: Bus Error Running Setup with Low Memory
Last reviewed: September 12, 1996

Article ID: Q132525

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS
When you run the Microsoft Excel Setup program, while Setup is completing and the Finishing The Installation dialog box is displayed, you may receive a bus error and your system may stop responding.

CAUSE
This behavior occurs when your system is low on available memory. The behavior occurs when Setup is complete, as Setup adds icons to the Microsoft Excel folder.

The Microsoft Excel Setup program cannot run reliably under low memory conditions, because the Finder will run out of memory as soon as it needs to update any of the windows. This is why the Minimum and Preferred partition sizes for the Setup program are both set to the same value. These values should always be the same; that is, if you change the Preferred size to 2100, change the Minimum size to 2100 as well.

Additionally, if your computer does not have much available memory when you run the Microsoft Excel Setup program, Setup may complete without an error message; however, the Microsoft Excel file may not complete, and Microsoft Excel may not run.

WORKAROUND
To avoid this problem, free up available memory by closing any applications that are running. You can also turn on Virtual Memory to create more available memory.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.