Possible registry fix for a "Not enough memory to run Microsoft excel" error

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Just rename the key, and see what comes from it. And rename it back if trouble happens.

Of course, nobody can guarantee anything, but I doubt anything too bad would happen. Worst case, Office will not run, with very strange errors; best case (and probably) it will run and everything will be clean and fresh.

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Bo01
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Bo01

Updated on September 18, 2022

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  • Bo01
    Bo01 about 1 year

    Background:

    The other day, on my Microsoft XP laptop, I started getting "Not enough memory to run Microsoft Office Excel. Please close other applications and try again." when trying to start Excel 2007. Also, all other Office applications refuse to start with various error messages. I tried the repair option from the install image and also uninstalled/reinstalled but the error persist.

    I found this superuser thread with a link to a suggestion that this is a user account error in the registry

    It says:

    "I am aware of the error you are getting, in order to get rid of it you will have to delete below key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\SID of the affected user> You can follow below steps for doing that. Go to start > run > type "regedit" without quotes and click on ok. Navigate to above registry key and delete it. Make sure that you are backing up current registry to be at safer side, best of luck."

    Just to check if this could be a user account error, I set up a new test account on my laptop and using this account Office works as usual.

    So, the proposed registry fix is to delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\SID of the affected user>

    This registry key holds loads of sub folders and keys and I'm feeling reluctant to remove it without knowing more of what it's for and possible implications.

    So are there any registry gurus out there who can tell me wether it's safe to remove this key to fix this Office error?

    Edit: Type wmic useraccount get name,sid in your command prompt to find out your SID.

    • Aganju
      Aganju almost 8 years
      you can always rename it, and see what comes from it. And rename it back if trouble happens
    • Bo01
      Bo01 almost 8 years
      You mean rename the key? My fear is getting a BSD
    • Aganju
      Aganju almost 8 years
      well, I can't guarantee anything, but I doubt that would happen. Worst case, Office will not run, with very strange errors; best case (and probably) it will run and everything will be clean and fresh
  • Bo01
    Bo01 almost 8 years
    I tried running excel in safe-mode but generates the same error. What do you mean by "review Excel Plugin & remove it"? I don't have any excel-plugins to my knowledge.
  • tuantm
    tuantm almost 8 years
    Is your disk free enough? (Technical Reference: blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ericlippert/2009/06/08/…)
  • Bo01
    Bo01 almost 8 years
    Yeah, using another account on the laptop everything is ok.