# Office 365 >  >  Sort stops working with more than 524161 rows

## mitch_s

Excel 2013 Sort stopped working with large data.  It will work with data up to 524,161 rows (single column).  When one more row (cell) is added it will not sort.  I have searched for anyone else having this problem and can not find anything.   Has anyone ever heard anything about this or experienced this same problem?

Thank you for any help anyone can offer.

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## FDibbins

Hi and welcome to the forum  :Smilie: 

I just sorted 1 000 000 (1 million) rows without a problem.  What error message are you getting?

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## mitch_s

It does not give an error message.  It just does not do anything.

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## mitch_s

I have had others in my office sort the file and it sorts just fine.   I know I have sorted large files before.  It just stopped working.  It will sort up-to 524,161 rows but won't work larger than that.

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## FDibbins

When someone else sorts it, it is the exact same file on another pc?

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## mitch_s

It is the exact same file.

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## mitch_s

Same file....but another pc.

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## FDibbins

hmm so uploading here wont help  :Frown: 

You are using this in an excel version > 2003, correct?

Try this...
close excel (maybe reboot as well, just to start "clean")
open excel
in A1 enter 1
A2=2
highlight and drag down to row 200
copy that, paste to 201
repeat to 1 000
copy A1:A1 000 down to 1 001
repeat to 10 000
do this til you have values down to 1 000 000

Now, try to sort that and see what happens?

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## FDibbins

I just noticed you posted this in "Office 365", is that the version you are using?

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## mitch_s

Yes, I am using 365.   I have created a series like you suggested that is how I determined the number of rows it would sort and at what point it doesn't.   Some other information of things I have tried.   Yesterday I ran an upgrade/repair on Windows 7 Professional.   I also uninstalled Microsoft Office.  I then downloaded and installed Office again from the 365 Portal.  I still have the sort problem after all of that.   

I suspected add-ins could be causing the problem .   I have disabled all add-ins.   Still have the problem.

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## FDibbins

I will push this to other guru's, experts etc, I have not used 365

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## MarvinP

Hi,

I have 2013 365 Office.  Just created some random letters, 524161 rows and sorted it.  Added some more rows and no problem...

How much memory do you have on your machine?  Can you try the Task Manager to get rid of some other running programs and try it again?

Here is my sample file..  If it will fit as an attach.  Darn - file is too big to attach....

I created a formula of  A2 = Char(RandBetween(65,90)&Char(RandBetween(65,90)&Char(RandBetween(65,90)&Char(RandBetween(65,90) 
I then went to A 524161 and put some data in it.  Copy A2, Selected from A3 down to data and paste.  Formulas all the way down... Sorted using first row as a header.  
That worked great..  Added some more data and still sorted with more rows of data...

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## FDibbins

Thanks for the assist Marvin  :Smilie:

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## mitch_s

I have 8gb of memory.   I have created random numbers, numbers in a series and words (all different files and mixed together).  It will sort anything up-to 524,161 rows.   I created 1,033,905 rows and it will not sort.   I can take that same data and highlight the first 524,161 rows and it will sort those rows.   It will just not sort anything with more than that number of rows.  It is almost like the sort function thinks it is an older version of excel or something.   

The only thing I can think of is there is some program/add-in that has caused this.   I have disabled all the add-ins and it still does it.  I can't think of anything else that could cause such a strange thing.

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## MarvinP

You select the cells (entire range of cells) and then sort what is selected?  Did I read that?  Have you tried to select a single cell in the column and sort by that column?  What are we doing differently that lets me sort and you not sort?

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## mitch_s

I have tried all of that.   If I select a single cell and try to sort it will not sort if the column contains more than the 524161.  If I select cells within that column and sort they sort fine.  As far as you doing anything different you are not.  As I said I can take this same file and put it on another computer and it sorts everything just fine.  That is why I am thinking it has to be some program or some add-in that has reset something or screwed something up.   

Even after reloading Offfice it does the same thing.   The other thing I may try...just because I don't have any other answers...is new memory.  I just thought I would throw it out here first to see if anyone has ever experienced a similar problem.

Thanks for helping me think thru this!

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## romperstomper

Does it work if you start Excel in Safe Mode? (hold Ctrl while starting Excel and answer Yes to the prompt)

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## mitch_s

No it does not work in Safe Mode either.

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## romperstomper

That would at least seem to rule out an Excel add-in or startup file.

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## CVWill

I'm now having the same problem. Was there ever a resolution to this issue?
Thanks

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## mitch_s

It is resolved.  The only problem is I have know idea what fixed it.  I recently ran an Office update.  Not sure if that was the fix or not.

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