MS Word for Mac - SLOW!

[tulaniak]

I have a MacBook, about a month old (1.83GHz, 512MB, 667Mhz, OSX 10.4.8)

I recently installed the student-teacher edition of MS Word. It runs very slow - sometimes I type five words before the computer catches up with what I've done.

Everything else about this computer works great. I don't really have other software on here, other than what came with the computer. I just want to be able to 1) type and 2) get on the internet.

Anyone know how I can make this run better?
Thanks

 

[searay345]

Hello tulaniak and welcome!!

Let's try repairing your disk permissions. Goto your Applications folder --> Utilities --> Disk Utility --> click on your Macintosh HD on the left hand side, and select Repair Disk Permissions. After that is done, restart your computer. Let us know how this works out for you!

Searay

 

[tulaniak]

Hey, thanks for the response. I've been repairing permissions on occasion, and it definitely speeds things up a bit, although the problem seems to recur . . .

Another concern I have is, how frequently can I repair permissions? Is it bad for the computer to do it all the time?

Thanks a lot!

 

[searay345]

Hello again!

Have you tried updating Office? If you go into your applications folder, there should be a program called Microsoft AutoUpdate. Open that and check for updates. After the updates are applied, restart your computer. Then Try repairing permissions again and do another restart. If you don't see that program, open a office program and goto help and Check for Updates that way. Let us know how this works for you!

My sister has a MacBook running Office S&T. It is really fast on her machine! I have Office S&T on my MacBook Pro and it works beautifully. So hopefully, updating office and repairing permissions after that solves your problem.

Searay

 

[Kyomii]

Could it be because it runs through the Rosetta emulator by any chance?

Like Searay says, if you update it, the issue may be sorted

 

[searay345]

Hey Kyomii!

Yes, Office is not universal yet. So it automatically runs in Rosetta. (Come on MS, hurry up)

I shouldn't be running slow. What are you computer specs?

 

[Ric]

...512MB of RAM really is a bit stingy, Apple shouldn't really have sold any with that amount of RAM...I would stick another 1GB chip in, if it's financially viable, it will help no end !

regards

Ric

 

[tulaniak]

Hey, I just saw that last post about replacing the 512 MB RAM with 1GB . . . I don't know if that was in answer to my question, but . . .

I have 512 and I'd like to speed this bad boy up. Would it help with MS word, etc?
Any idea how much this'll run me?

 

[searay345]

Hello tulaniak!

Yes, adding a Gig of RAM will give your whole system a speed boost. It will make your applications run faster. My sister has a Gig of RAM in her MacBook and Office is freaking fast on her machine. I believe your MacBook has 2x256 chips in it totaling 512 MB. So you will need 2x512 chips to equal a Gig of RAM. Through Apple.com, it will cost you $200 US. Shop around. If you decide to shop around, make sure you buy "Mac Friendly RAM' for your MacBook.

Apple Store MacBook RAM

Searay

 

[Ric]

...personally I would take out one of the 256MB chips and stick in a 1 GB chip...giving 1.25GB then if you wanted too update again you could take out the 'other' 256MB and replace with a 1 or 2GB chip.

It may work out better (cheaper) in the long run.

Kingston and Crucial are also good places for 'compatible' memory.

As far as I am aware the MacBook does not have to have chips put in in 'pairs'...

regards

Ric

 

[tulaniak]

Well awesome, I may well do that. It looks like it'll run me about $200.

My only concern is, do you think it's the *processor* that's giving me problems, so that I'd be flushing money on extra RAM that won't clear up the processor bottleneck?

Thanks a lot!

 

[searay345]

Hello!

Do you have the 1.83 processor or the 2.0 Processor? I have a friend who has the 1.83 processor with a Gig of RAM and he loves his machine. It is fast. My sister has the 2.0 processor and I can't tell a difference side my side. That is my honest opinion.

Searay

 

[tulaniak]

Hey,
Yeah i have the 1.83 . . . I can imagine it's too different from the 2.0.

That's certainly good to hear about your friend; I haven't checked but I imagine the new processor would be quite pricey. And by that point, i might as well have just bought the black macbook.

Thanks a lot!

 

[searay345]

Hello!

No problem. But as I said, I cannot tell a difference when running office between a 1.83 and a 2.0 machine side by side.

I would suggest upping the RAM and letting us know if that solves the slowness.

 

[Ric]

If you are able to, pop into a local Apple Store and see if they have one with that amount of RAM in it and give it a test drive !

regards

Ric