Office & productivity software: Outlook makes winword.exe eat extreme amounts of RAM
Outlook makes winword.exe eat extreme amounts of RAM
by PeteThePain - 3/19/08 11:41 AMEvery time a user on my Terminal Server launches Outlook, an instance of winword.exe is also launched. I've gathered that this is default behavior, but lately every instance it taking up about 90MB of RAM, making it impossible for all users to check their email without the Server slowing down to a halt. This has not been the issue in the past so now I wonder if anyone knows what's going on.
This is the Office 2003 suite on Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
I think you know the answer.
by R. Proffitt
- 3/19/08 12:06 PM
In reply to: Outlook makes winword.exe eat extreme amounts of RAM by PeteThePain
"Doctor it hurts when I do this."
"Don't do that."
-> Stop using Word as the email editor.
Bob
(NT) Psst... Normal.dot. Pass it on.
by R. Proffitt - 3/19/08 12:08 PM
In reply to: I think you know the answer. by R. Proffitt
Constant removal
by PeteThePain - 3/19/08 12:18 PM In reply to: (NT) Psst... Normal.dot. Pass it on. by R. Proffitt
So I am forced to remove these files once in a while? That is a pain in the rear end.
Alternative editor
by PeteThePain - 3/19/08 12:17 PM In reply to: I think you know the answer. by R. Proffitt
What should I use instead? Wordpad?
Updates regarding Word
by PeteThePain - 3/19/08 12:32 PM In reply to: Outlook makes winword.exe eat extreme amounts of RAM by PeteThePainWhen I start Word by itself, it eats just as much memory as it does when an instance is launched when Outlook is launched. However, if I minimize the Word window and maximize it again, it jumps all the way down to 10MB which is an acceptable level. But I have to minimize it and then maximize it before that happens. But after that Word behaves like it should.
When launching Outlook, minimizing Outlook does not change winword.exe's RAM consumption at all and it stays steady around 60-90MB
Exit them all, delete normal.dot and retest.
by R. Proffitt - 3/19/08 2:08 PM
In reply to: Updates regarding Word by PeteThePain
But given the patches to OL, Word and more I can't tell if you are current. Also there are patches you can only find when you call it in.
Bob
More bisarre bahaviour when tested with Normal.dot
by PeteThePain - 3/20/08 9:06 AM In reply to: Exit them all, delete normal.dot and retest. by R. Proffitt
I am up to date on all patches, both for Server 2003 and Office 2003. At least the patches available via Microsoft update engine.
Ok, so I deleted the Normal.dot from ever user and tried it out. Lo and behold, Word started with normal memory usage. Sure there is a difference between minimized and maximized, but now it is behaving like Windows intended it to. However, it is not all good.
If the user closes out of Word, a new Normal.dot file is created (just like it should) but when Word is opened again the memory levels are back to abnormal and starts out with 70MB. Again, the user has to minimize Word and maximize it in order for it to use normal amounts of memory. I deleted the Normal.dot file again to see, and Word behaved normally.
So the conclusion is this:
As long as there is a Normal.dot present, Word eats abnormal amounts of memory and the user has to go through the minimize/maximize ordeal in order for it to work normal. But if the file is missing, Word works just like it should.
So what are my options here?
Try the safe mode of word.
by R. Proffitt - 3/20/08 9:43 AM
In reply to: More bisarre bahaviour when tested with Normal.dot by PeteThePain
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827706 notes how to do that. Your issue also smacks of an issue I ran into with a Word addin. Norton's been known to do that ram memory use thing. I can assure you that Norton does not consider this an issue or bug.
Bob
Safe Mode is a rather dirty solution
by PeteThePain - 3/20/08 10:04 AM In reply to: Try the safe mode of word. by R. Proffitt
Forcing Word into safe mode is not a pleasant option. I rather solve the issue than dance around it. Safe mode presents other issues with actual functionality that I cannot be without.
There is no other way of telling Word not to recreate the Normal.dot file?
/a switch
by PeteThePain - 3/20/08 11:01 AM In reply to: Safe Mode is a rather dirty solution by PeteThePainI can launch winword.exe with the /a switch (bypassing the usage of the template), but how I do I enforce this so that this happens every time a user opens word, or when word is launched via another program, such as Outlook?
That's the registry.
by R. Proffitt - 3/20/08 12:12 PM
In reply to: /a switch by PeteThePain
In Tools, Folder Option, etc. I could have that happen.
Why is safe mode not an option? It doesn't reduce functionality here but just stop addins that may eat ram.
Bob
/a is safe mode
by PeteThePain - 3/20/08 1:14 PM In reply to: That's the registry. by R. Proffitt
I confused Office in safe mode with just Word.
Yes, Word safe mode is an option (the /a switch forces it into safe mode), but there is no way of enforcing this to happen when an instance of winword.exe i launched unless you manually launch it via Start - Run.
That's not entirely true.
by R. Proffitt - 3/20/08 1:21 PM
In reply to: /a is safe mode by PeteThePain
When I double click on a .doc file the Explorer, Tools, Folder Options and how I edited what to do with the .doc file has some ...winword %1... in it and I just drop in the /a.
That is a registry edit for some IT staffers so use the method you like best.
Bob
HERE'S WHERE I TELL HOW.
by R. Proffitt - 3/21/08 11:00 AM
In reply to: That's not entirely true. by R. Proffitt
"Explorer, Tools, Folder Options and how I edited what to do with the .doc file has some ...winword %1... in it and I just drop in the /a."
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