Word File Takes Longer and Longer to Save

Question

I’ve been working daily on the same 100-page document for several months. I had no problems with the document under Word 2003. However, under Word 2010 the file grows in size over time, and saving the file takes longer and longer to the point where there
are significant timeouts (Word is “not responding”) whenever an automatic save occurs. 
I don't want to diable automatic saves because Word does crash for me on rare occasions, generally if I do something "too fast".
I’ve found a workaround for the problem, and every three weeks or so after the automatic saves have become painfully long I copy the document to the clipboard (except for the last paragraph mark) and then I open a new document based on the relevant template
and I paste the clipboard contents into the new document. I rename the old version of the document and the new version becomes the working version. This reduces the file size (currently around 1.4 MB) by about 150 KB and the problem goes away for another three
weeks.
Certain aspects of my situation are unusual, and these may or may not be relevant to the problem:
At the end of each day I use (via a macro) the Review, Compare feature of Word to compare the document with the previous day’s version to allow me to reread any changes I made to it.
I use various other macros for intelligent page-turning, resizing windows, smart Find, etc.
I maintain the document as a DOC file (Word 97-2003 Compatibility Mode) because I need to share the document with an organization that requires this format.
The document flips back and forth a few times between being a one-column and two-column document.
The document has a table of contents on the last page.
The headings in the document have embedded section and subsection numbers.
The document has numerous embedded SEQ and cross-reference fields.
The document has embedded EMF pictures that were generated by a non-Microsoft application.
The long times to save the file and the temporary solution I’ve found to the problem suggest that some "junk" is accumulating “in” the last paragraph mark. This junk doesn't cause any operational errors, but it slows things down to the point where
the auto-save times out and I temporarily get the distracting "not responding" message. It would be nice if Word could automatically eliminate the junk in the last paragraph mark so that I wouldn’t have to do it manually.
Do you have any suggestions for how I might eliminate the problem?
I'd be pleased to send a copy of the slow-saving file to a Microsoft Word programmer for diagnosis of the problem.
I have up-to-date Windows 7 professional (64 bit) and Word 2010 14.0.6129.5000 (32 bit).
Thanks for your help,
Don Macnaughton

Answer 1

I am experiencing exactly the same save issue, although I cannot use the suggestion of copying to a new document as I have allot of references within the same document and I'm scared that I'll loose them (or mess them up).
It is nearly a year later, did you have any luck?
Francois,
I'm still experiencing the problem. However, I've now converted the document from a DOC to a DOCX, but that made no difference.  So every 18 or so days I copy all of the document into a new document except for the last paragraph mark
and the problem goes away for another 18 or so days.  For my document this solution is fully reliable although it's less convenient because it's a little complicated and I worry I may make a mistake or some text may be lost in the transition.
So I'm still looking for a solution to the problem. Is there anything unique about your document or your handling of the document that might be the cause of the problem?  Are you using macros, Compare Versions, switching back and forth between
one and two columns, or anything else that is common to the features that I list in my first post in this thread?
You might want to try my copying solution as a test while keeping your original document as the official version that you continue to work with.  You could then check the test document very carefully to see if my solution works with your
document.  You might find that you can trust my solution (or you might not). 
By the way, I make sure that the copy worked properly by doing a Compare Versions of the old and new documents.  (Surprisingly, sometimes the compare finds very minor differences between the two documents, but usually not.)
If the problem really bothers you, you can hire Microsoft Support, although that will cost you some money.  If you do that, please let us know the outcome.
Don Macnaughton