"Excel cannot complete this task with available resources" error message when you try to view the tracked changes in Excel 2002 (331863)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2002
This article was previously published under Q331863

SYMPTOMS

After you configure a shared Microsoft Excel 2002 workbook, the first time that you point to Track Changes on the Tools menu, and then click Highlight Changes, you can successfully view any changes that were made to the workbook. If you close the workbook and then later reopen it after other changes to the workbook are saved, when you click Highlight Changes you receive the following error message:
Excel cannot complete this task with available resources. Choose less data or close other applications.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when both of the following conditions are true:
  • You have turned on the Protect and Share Workbook feature.

    Note To locate the Protect and Share Workbook feature, on the Tools menu, point to Protection, and then click Protect and Share Workbook.
  • When you configured the Protect and Share Workbook feature, you typed a password in the Password (optional) box to password protect the workbook.

RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

This problem is corrected in Office XP Service Pack 3.To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Office XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

307841 How to obtain the latest Office XP Service Pack

Hotfix Information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Office XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
The global version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   11-Nov-2002  11:47                 12,827,200  Excel.msp
   11-Nov-2002  12:36                 15,007,308  Excelff.msp
After the hotfix is installed, the global version of this hotfix will have the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table:
   Date          Time    Version       Size        File name     
   ---------------------------------------------------------
   08-Nov-2002   13:47   10.0.4705.0   9,177,672   Excel.exe
This hotfix is a post-Office XP Service Pack 2 (SP-2) hotfix. To install the hotfix, you must have Office XP SP-2 installed. For additional information about Office XP SP-2, click the following article number to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

325671 OFFXP: Overview of the Office XP Service Pack 2

Additionally, you may have to install Windows Installer 2.0 to install this hotfix. For additional information about the Windows Installer requirement for post-Office XP SP-2 hotfixes, click the following article number to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

330537 OFFXP: Office XP Updates and Patches Released After September 2002 May Require Windows Installer 2.0


WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do not password protect the shared workbook.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. This problem was first corrected in Office XP Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/7/2006
Keywords:kbQFE KBHotfixServer kberrmsg kbofficexppresp3fix kbbug kbfix KB331863 kbAudEndUser
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