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Level 1

0 points

Excel 2004 continually crashes OS 10.6

On 9 separate occasions, Excel has crashed my MacBook Pro running 10.6. The crashes have occurred when simply entering data. The screen goes blue for a second and then returns to my desktop with all applications closed. The dialogue box that typical appears after a crash is not triggered. However, in the console under Diagnostic Information --> System Diagnostic Reports. The issue seems to be related to WindowServer process. A portion of the log output is below. Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Process: WindowServer [1920]
Path: /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer
Identifier: WindowServer
Version: ??? (???)
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]

Date/Time: 2009-08-31 15:23:07.863 -0700
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6 (10A432)
Report Version: 6

Exception Type: EXC BADACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS at 0x00000001918a6860
Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Thread 0 Crashed: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x00007fff87d732a6 UCKeyTranslate + 464
1 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82c32d79 CGSUniCodeForKeyAndFlags + 161
2 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82ca888b CGXCheckForHotKey + 3184
3 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b180b9 sPostContinuation + 1808
4 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b612a2 postAfterTapID + 277
5 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b17149 CGXFilterEvent + 88
6 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b175b3 CGXProcessHIDEvent + 164
7 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b1739c sHIDContinuation + 528
8 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b1713a CGXFilterEvent + 73
9 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b16ee5 CGXGetNextEvent + 133
10 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b16e48 CGXRunOneEventPass + 36
11 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b19758 eventNotificationHandler + 80
12 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b196c1 CGXPostPortData + 175
13 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b194cb CGXRunOneServerPass + 451
14 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b167e6 CGXRunOneServicesPass + 357
15 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82b1f3ea CGXServerLoop + 139
16 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x00007fff82aeabd6 CGXGetRootAdminCredentials + 0
17 WindowServer 0x0000000100000f29 main + 9
18 WindowServer 0x0000000100000f18 start + 52

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Aug 31, 2009 3:37 PM

61 replies

hvg

Level 1

0 points

Sep 12, 2009 4:55 AM in response to Steff Stringer

Dear Steff Stringer
I would agree with you if it wasn't for the fact that I use VBA for macos. Numbers doesn't have it and M/S in it's wisdom removed it from Office 2008. This means that anyone in my position can't upgrade to Office 2008 and is seriously wondering about Snow Leopard.

Sep 12, 2009 11:35 PM in response to hvg

Fair point - I consider my knuckles rapped.

S

Sep 14, 2009 5:25 AM in response to Steff Stringer

I'm in the same boat. As far as I am concerned Microsoft took a giant step backwards when they updated to 2008 and eliminated VBA. I have too, too many macros that I utilize to even consider a downgrade to 2008.

Sep 14, 2009 7:19 AM in response to WD Stephens

Add another to the Office Mac crash club.

Did a regular upgrade to SL (maybe should be named ("Alley Cat"?).
Got all the updates
Checked the fonts for dupes....Excel, Word, Eudora still force a logoff.

Sooo...did the option install of Rosetta.

Once finished, the Install said I had installed files older than the OS and that I should go and install the combo file for the previous OS. So, download that - and Surprise! - it said it couldn't install because it needed 10.5!

Is this a joke? Before the Apple apologists start their "it's not Apple's fault" mantra, for them not to check for backwards compatibility for a very commons software package is negligent. I am talking Excel here - not some obscure terminal program. I have NEVER had a forced logout until I upgraded to SL. Now, my Mac is running like a PC - I open an application with some trepidation, fearing that I will get booted out again. I had to download OpenOffice - which works fine - but then I am left with Office 2004 detritus on my machine. Upgrading to 2008 would be nice, but I do not need any of the new features it offers...unless working as described is now considered a feature. Apple, Microsoft - this is unacceptable in the extreme. I manage IT projects, full life cycle. Try looking up "regression testing", "backwards compatibility", and "user acceptance testing." For now, my impression of Snow Leopard is that it came from Redmond, not Cupertino.

Sep 16, 2009 9:54 AM in response to WD Stephens

Add another user to the list... Not only does excel crash me back to the login but documents are becoming corrupt. One spreadsheet that I update everyday and email to others at work won't open some times. I pull down the version from my sent mail and it opens fine.

Sep 18, 2009 10:25 AM in response to David Hoerl

David,
I am getting same with Outlook 2004. Do you have a ticket number or something from Apple I can track?

jpcarr

Level 1

10 points

Sep 20, 2009 9:23 PM in response to WD Stephens

I have exactly the same issue in 10.6.1 My Excel is from 2002: 10.1.0, and also with VueScan 8.3.12, so both use Rosetta. I can not reliably reproduce it yet - it is sporadic. I've also been sent back to the Login Window.
I did a font check and also had duplicate Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, and Wingding fonts - which I've now deleted from my user account. My crash reports did include WindowServer and fontparser, but not UKC. I'm going to restart and keep my fingers crossed - and Save - a lot.

OS X 10.6.1, MacPro3,1 dual quad core 2.8 GHz 2008 "Harpertown", 10GB, Radeon HD 2600

Sep 21, 2009 11:25 AM in response to David Hoerl

This issue is also known as:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10261503#10261503
strange thing is that last time it happened to me, I clicked the mouse, not the keyboard. I have a unibody MacBook , but I use an external (Apple, USB, non-extended, keyboard on which Apple mouse is attached).
Excel 2008 is one of the applications that it occurred in. Word 2004 as well. I have one Rosetta application apart from that.

Level 5

7,075 points

Sep 21, 2009 11:38 AM in response to WD Stephens

10A432 is 10.6, not 10.6.1.

First, run Office updater and verify your version of Office is up to date.
Second, update to 10.6.1.

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Sep 21, 2009 3:07 PM in response to Luc Beaudoin

Interestingly, I've had no windowserver crashes when using Excel 2004, although I've had a couple as detailed in the other thread.

Davert

Level 1

12 points

Sep 22, 2009 6:25 AM in response to nnojj

Can crash experiencers tell me - whether you had Retrospect installed or not at some point in the past? I've had Retrospect for many versions, finally dropping out with version 8 (which still has numerous issues!) -- and am only now going on a search & destroy mission with the remains of Retrospect 6 (and, I suspect, R4). I'm thinking maybe that was an issue... Retrospect had stuff all over the place and is remarkably persistent about recreating its RetroRun.

Sep 22, 2009 6:33 AM in response to Davert

I have the client installed on the machines showing these crashes. Not the application.

But the crashes are not occuring when the client machines are being backed up (if that's what you were getting at...)

I have the application (Retrospect 8) installed on a couple of 10.6 machines (including my own) where I also run PPC apps and that one has not had the blue screen crash in almost two weeks (and I only had one crash like that so far...)

Davert

Level 1

12 points

Sep 22, 2009 7:32 AM in response to Steve Maser

I've been looking for a pattern. The client would be enough, I think. Anyone else care to weigh in, to either demonstrate or reject the theory? Steve, what version of Retrospect have you used? I noticed that 8 did not uninstall the extensions and such from 6.

jpcflyer

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2009 10:59 AM in response to Davert

I've never had any version of Retrospect, but I have hadt Excel and older VueScan crashes to the login screen on 10.6 - ie Rosetta apps. Did have some duplicate fonts, which I removed and haven't crashed since - fingers crossed.

Davert

Level 1

12 points

Sep 22, 2009 11:01 AM in response to jpcflyer

Well, so much for that theory 😉 ... it's been stable today since I dumped the Retro stuff. However it's early to declare victory. I'll look for Vuescan just to be sure.

Excel 2004 continually crashes OS 10.6