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Access Database file keeps corrupting?

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KLewisBPM

Technical User
Jan 11, 2002
294
GB
I have been running an access database on our network now for 18 months. we are running it as a standalone file and with a security workgroup also. Half of the people that use it are on access2000 and the other half are on access2002 XP.The database itself is about 5.5mb when compacted. I have had 2 instances in 3 weeks where someone has gone to enter the database and has returned an error and is then non runnable (get the backup tapes out for restoring from last backup). the error itself is : "This database is in an unexpected state;Microsoft Access can't open it." "This database has been converted from a prior version of microsoft Access by using the DAO CompactDatabase method instead of the Convert Database command on the tools menu(Database utilities submenu). This has left the database in a partially converted state.
I don't what has caused this to happen but I would really appreciate any tips on stopping it from happening again.

Kind Regards.
 
Have your 2002XP users opted to convert the database when prompted? (I believe as with prior versions, it just asks the first time any individual enters the database).

If so, this would leave the database innaccessible to 2000 users and even worse, if other users had the db open at the time and Access wasn't smart enough to not even try the conversion while users are in, I would think this could lead to your problem.
 
Vidar13.

I dont think this is the problem because we have been using 2000 and 2002xp for about 6 months now. and we have only just started getting the problem.

I am just wondering whether or not the database is now too big to cope with the amount of users logging into it. It runs just as a single mdb file. should i be considering something like SQL server or maybe a skeleton front database with linked tables.

Thanks
 
I have a customer using NT server and NT workstations that has had this problem and I have been unable to get any help from Microsoft or anyone. It's not even mentioned on their Knowledgbase.

I re-wrote the database from scratch in case there was any old code in it (using Version 2000) but the problem reappeared.

It may be a network/hardware problem but I think the error message is totally inappropriate. It also states you can rebuild the database by importing, but you can't!

I have separated the database into two sections using the Link Table wizard and although the front end crashes from time to time (or is unable to open it), the back end remains intact (thank God!).

The system seems to work better if the front end is on the workstation.



 
For your question on db size I have a db I started in 2.0 and it has migrated thru all versions till now it is in 2000. It has grown from a humble 1 meg to just under 600 meg today with about 60 total users.
2000... Problems arose!
As of today, the front end is in 2000 and I placed the back in 97. This stabilized things and my "unable to access" errors went away. Due to this I am debating on whether to convert into XP or go ahead and spend the time to rewrite.
Thought about a VB front end also....
This was running on a Novell network and did seem to tie into a recent server update/upgrade. Never could pin it down.
Either way, as MSAccess has evolved, problems like this seem to arise with Microsoft saying "who, me?!?"

Best of luck.
Rhonin
"seppuku is NOT an option"


 
Does your network backup from time to time? If the DB is open, then it can be hurt (corrupted) and sometimes, hurt really bad. We have a DB that is near 1G with 30 users and it works great. But we had a similar problem and ours was caused by the Novel and NT Servers backing up when the DB was open and in use. Stopped that and problem has not re-appeared. That app is all 2000

Heehaw
 
I have a split database on a network server. It is used by a few people in different offices. If an ldb file is created for the frontend, is there a way that I can tell who is in the database?

Thanks
 
Has anyone found a solution to KLewisBPM's issue?

I'm having a similar problem occur. 25 users running Win98, 2000 and XP, accessing an Access DB (80mb) on an NT 4.5 server.

Thanks and have a nice day!
 
I have found that moving the main table off to SQL and linking it while maintaining the other elements (forms, queries, macros, etc.) has worked wonders. In fact, if you are bold enough, advance it all to ASP and the speed becomes quite incredible.
 
This message is only relevant because it started with the same error message. The environment was Access 2002/2003. The user saw the message: "This database is in an unexpected state;Microsoft Access can't open it. This database has been converted from a prior version of microsoft Access by using the DAO CompactDatabase method instead of the Convert Database command on the tools menu(Database utilities submenu). This has left the database in a partially converted state."

Attempts to compact were unsuccessful. However, he was the only user to see this message! It was not a problem with the database.

The answer was that the user was created programmatically, and was not a member of the Users group. I don't know which part of my startup code it was choking on, but it showed me the corruption error instead of a permissions problem.
 
Ensure that all users are on the most current service pack for office 2000. I was running into the error messages you are reporting when some users were not on the most up to date service pack.
 
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