Maybe...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=243495
XL: Calculate Message Remains in Status Bar If 65,536 Formula References

Clarence Crow wrote:

Hello

I have 3 workbooks linked together in this order
2 linked to lookup 1 database workbook of 1 worksheet
then 1 of the 2 others linked to the other. These 2 have multiple
worksheets with lots of formulae in each for comparing price results
at Tender and Completion of a large Construction Project to prepare a
line by line Claim for Extras for Variations.

My problem is, that when I load the last big workbook, "Calculate"
appears in the Status bar at the bottom of all sheets in all open
workbooks, even though Calculation is set to Auto. To allow me to keep
working, I have to set Calculation to Manual with provision to
calculate each workbook prior to Saving. (this wastes a lot of time
and is fraught with lurking disasters...I've had a few Excel crashes)

Using Office 2000 Excel on Win 98SE (locally) on a Pentium 500 with
256mB Ram, floating Swapfile and all the files are on our office LAN
Server.

Is there some limit to what Excel can do before it chokes down or
should I be looking for some other glitch in the setup of the
workbooks?

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-- CC

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Dave Peterson