Word on Macbook

[Udinpetot]

guys...
just wondering..
while i was doing my thesis...
i had itunes, mozilla, adium and word running
at 1st the computer is okay..
but inside word, when scrolling up and down, the CPU usage gwent to 98%!!!!!!!
the word is 1.2mb big, and it has some graphs in it..
is it normal?
i mean....., word?, uses 90%+ of the cpu?
does upgrading ram helps?, or perhaps hard disk with 7200 rpm?
need advise

 

[kflook]

That sounds like a high percentage, mine has never gone up that high. How much RAM do you have?

 

[McGiord]

Upgrading the RAM may help if you have the MB with the Intel video that uses a portion of the RAM for the graphics.
________
vaporite solo

 

[CalBoy]

Like the other poster, I'd like to know how much RAM you have. If it's the stock 1GB, I think that's your problem.

I'm assuming you're using Word 04 (you didn't mention it) because it runs under Rosetta and needs more RAM than usual. If so, more RAM will definitely help smooth things over a bit.

 

[Udinpetot]

my ram is standard 1 gig....
hmph.., i see.., getting 4 gb ASAP, hehehehe
and also when i played warcraft in windows, it takes bloody long ot alt tab?
it made me died thousands time already lol
well i guess this is rams problem as well, but thx guys

sooo.., btw r u guys saying that if youre running out of ram.., ur cpu usage goes high? (im a computer noob)

 

[goose1873]

could just be a "glitch". close and try again. Typically that should not be very hard on the cpu. Also increasing ram is the easiest/cheapest way to up performance.

 

[kflook]

More RAM never hurts, though I don't think it necessarily makes your cpu usage higher. I have 2 GB of RAM and everything runs pretty smoothly.

 

[CalBoy]

my ram is standard 1 gig....
hmph.., i see.., getting 4 gb ASAP, hehehehe

You don't need to go for a full 4GB if you don't need it (or can't afford it). 2GB would solve your problems as well.

Also, remember that unless you have a Santa Rosa macbook, you'll only be able to use 3.3GB of RAM, so a 4GB would be a bit much.

 

[Udinpetot]

just updated my signature

 

[Hankster]

I've had Safari, iTunes, MS Word, and Adium running at the same time and have had no issues. I also only have 1GB. Though, my Word is 2008.

 

[Udinpetot]

i was using word 2004..
could that be the reason why?
and i had so many graphs.., oh well
lets see after my new ram comes along

 

[Udinpetot]

soooooooooooooooo
i finally got my transcend 4gb RAM
however when i use windows, it only recognize as 3gb?
but anyway
i was playing warcraft..., and YEAH my cpu usage
again, bloody high :S, is it normal
well i use the highest setting, and im jut wondering why my memory wont kick in coz when i alt tab.., there like 2/3 secs of complete stunned screen
hmph...., any ideas?

oh yeah, on WORD 2004 (mac).., still i had the same problem, a bit faster, but not fast enuf for me..
especially when scrolling through pages..
and when i look at cpu usage, it was like 98 %?
and the highest % was from CMFA or somethin like that, and occasionally some application kicks in as well (forgot the name)
any ideas?

 

[Udinpetot]

heres the pic, the later slope was when i finished playing Warcraft., DOTA to be specific, any1 tried this before?

 

[Udinpetot]

guys, heres another pic with microsoft word 2004..
hmph
the process is ALOT FASTER THAN MAC...
i dont know whats happening?
how can mac be so slow, and windows is alot faster?
i used the same file, and i also use endnote.., but the cpu usage never goes above 30% in windows, whereas in mac is like 98%?
need help, dun wanna switch back to windows while doing my thesis :S

 

[SFStateStudent]

Are you using...

the new Mac Office 2008?

 

[CalBoy]

the new Mac Office 2008?

i was using word 2004..

OP, does your CPU still go through the roof if it's just Word+non game stuff?

I think it's normal if WOW spikes CPU, but Word definitely shouldn't.

 

[Udinpetot]

yep, thats the point..
warcraft i can undestand..
microsoft word.., is fast in xp...
but in mac.., it hits the roof :S
and it also took longer time to start the program..
hmph...
im not changing to 2008 coz im still in the middle of writing my theiss, and i dont wanna screw al the formatting and stuff.., and also try to learn how to use it..
coz its quite different (not much of a reason considering im learning to use mac for the 1st time lol, mac rocks)
so yeah.., any1 currently using word 2004 on mac and expiriencing this?
ir its probbaly my endnote?

clueless

 

[SFStateStudent]

Sorry, but I wasn't sure...

im not changing to 2008 coz im still in the middle of writing my theiss, and i dont wanna screw al the formatting and stuff.., and also try to learn how to use it.. clueless

if you were still utilizing 2004 because you stated "I was using word 2004... and oh yeah, on WORD 2004 (mac).., still i had the same problem, a bit faster, but not fast enuf for me.." and I'm utilizing 2008 so I'm not experiencing anything like your experience. I've also worked with three different files at 2-3 mb and they were transferred over from 2004, just recently. I'm not suggesting that you make the move, but just passing on my experiences.

 

[Burnsey]

yep, thats the point..
warcraft i can undestand..
microsoft word.., is fast in xp...
but in mac.., it hits the roof :S
and it also took longer time to start the program..
hmph...
im not changing to 2008 coz im still in the middle of writing my theiss, and i dont wanna screw al the formatting and stuff.., and also try to learn how to use it..
coz its quite different (not much of a reason considering im learning to use mac for the 1st time lol, mac rocks)
so yeah.., any1 currently using word 2004 on mac and expiriencing this?
ir its probbaly my endnote?

clueless

Word 2004 is slower and more resource intensive on the mac because it uses what's called "rosetta emulation" to run. Word 2004 was not designed for intel macs, it was designed for older powerPC macs. however because apple transferred to intel, and microsoft was too lazy to come up with a native version of word to run on the intels, they came up with a way to emulate word on the intel processors, and doing so requires a lot of ram and CPU.

word 2008 runs natively on intel macs, and is much faster and smoother. file types/formatting shouldn't be a problem, as you can save your work as either the new .docX or the older .doc depending on what you want. However it will not run endnote, yet. Speaking of endnote, it is incredibly slow and resource intensive (for the same reasons as word 2004). Most of your problems are likely due to it.

word on windows is fast because it's made by microsoft for microsoft, instead of on the mac, where you have "by microsoft to sabotage and deter users from its rival apple".

 

[McGiord]

Maybe you can minimize the processor usage by working with different files, for example one file for each chapter, and at the end when you are ready to index and print you combine them, therefore you have only one smaller file open at the time.
This approach has worked for me when the document was so big with a lot of graphics and images.
________
Mazda Carol specifications

 

[Udinpetot]

Word 2004 is slower and more resource intensive on the mac because it uses what's called "rosetta emulation" to run. Word 2004 was not designed for intel macs, it was designed for older powerPC macs. however because apple transferred to intel, and microsoft was too lazy to come up with a native version of word to run on the intels, they came up with a way to emulate word on the intel processors, and doing so requires a lot of ram and CPU.

word 2008 runs natively on intel macs, and is much faster and smoother. file types/formatting shouldn't be a problem, as you can save your work as either the new .docX or the older .doc depending on what you want. However it will not run endnote, yet. Speaking of endnote, it is incredibly slow and resource intensive (for the same reasons as word 2004). Most of your problems are likely due to it.

word on windows is fast because it's made by microsoft for microsoft, instead of on the mac, where you have "by microsoft to sabotage and deter users from its rival apple".

TOTALLY MAKE SENSE
thanks.., at least i know my macbook isnt doing something funny
well i guell ill just use windows for doing my thesis.. which gona finish in couple of months, hehehe

 

[CalBoy]

TOTALLY MAKE SENSE
thanks.., at least i know my macbook isnt doing something funny
well i guell ill just use windows for doing my thesis.. which gona finish in couple of months, hehehe

Actually, that doesn't fully answer why your macbook is soaking up CPU like crazy.

Rosetta is RAM hungry (and it certainly wouldn't use 4GB) but only needs some CPU strength. I use Office 04 all the time (Word in particular).

I think what's happening in your case is the size of your file coupled with the numerous charts and graphs. Because they all need to be "Rosetta'ed," the entire machine slows down.

I believe someone above mentioned splitting up your file. I suggest doing this as well. I think you'll find it'll improve much more, and you'll be able to save yourself some grief.

 

[nhtp]

I have the exact same problem. I just started writing, so my word document is just 17 pages, but still, office 2004 takes 100% cpu and my fan goes crazy. I have a suspicion that it's because I'm also running endnote 'cite while you write', but I'm not too sure.

Endnote is also the reason why I can't change to office 2008, since it doesn't work with that just yet. If ever.

3 months old MacBook with 2 GB RAM

 

[MerrieLu]

Word 2008

Hi, I wasn't sure if this was talking about Word 2004 or 2008... or World of Warcraft... so I started a new one for Word 2008. I have the same problem. My documents aren't longer than 16 pages and it doesn't matter if I have one or 5 open at once; the CPU is still at 80-100%. See this thread:

"Word 2008 running at 89% CPU? Is that normal???"

Pleeeease let me know if you get any solutions!

 

[MerrieLu]

Aha!

Hi, I wasn't sure if this was talking about Word 2004 or 2008... or World of Warcraft... so I started a new one for Word 2008. I have the same problem. My documents aren't longer than 16 pages and it doesn't matter if I have one or 5 open at once; the CPU is still at 80-100%. See this thread:

"Word 2008 running at 89% CPU? Is that normal???"

Pleeeease let me know if you get any solutions!

I think I found a solution! I have been writing in German (are you writing in another language?) I turned my Grammar Check off and voila! CPU right down to normal. Hope that helps!