Access DB locked - cannot open, replace or delete DB

[richand1]

Hi All

Got a bit of a problem and I'm not sure how the problem occured.

My DB is a relatively small one which uses MS Query to dump data into some Excel Spreadsheets.

Now, the problem occured about a week ago when I went to open the DB and append new data into it. The .ldb file was present, which I thought was quite strange because I'm the only user who accesses the DB. Upon opening the first time I was presented with a message stating that a major problem had occured and did I want to either open the database anyway or repair it. Naturally I selected repair and, after a couple of minutes, the "Disk or Network Error" message appeared.

I then tried to delete the .ldb file, as I have done this before when Access has a temper tantrum, and it usually sorted the problem out. This time, however, the error message of "Cannot delete ......mdb Cannot file the specified file" appeared. Hmmm... Interesting.

I called the IT dept and they haven't been able to locate the problem or sort it out. I have edited the .ldb file with a text program to see if I can glean the userid out of it of the user who has it "open", but there is no userid in there.

I now cannot open the database, delete it or replace it which leaves me with a major problem: all the queries in my Excel spreadsheets reference the name and location of the database. I cannot replace it with a working copy which means I have had to change the name of the directory that the DB sits in, create a new folder with the name of the folder that the DB used to sit it, and had to copy the working DB into this "new" folder to negate the need to change every file path reference to the folder in every Excel spreadsheet that utilises the DB.

Has anyone else come across this problem and overcome it?

 

[DogLover2006]

richand1,
Have you try to inport it in to another database? Try that and then rename the database.

 

[JoanneM]

Nice prob
had it myself about 3 years ago and its not your db it's your network .
When your db was last closed the network was having a whooopsy unbeknownst to you and the way around is your security mdw (if you have one)- put a clean backup copy in place of you old one close, reboot and shbang off you trot.

at least that was how my prob pannedout

nb if it is the same daily copy of mdw to floppy is a routine with sbs 2000

 

[richand1]

Thanks Joanne. I thought so ;-)

Well, I've since found out that you're absolutely correct; the network drive ran out of space while I was compacting and repairing the db.

My IS dept, in their infinite wisdom, neglected to tell me that they have a whole array of new NAS drives ready for them to mirror the current network onto, and these drives have better redundancy etc. I rang IS for an update and their man just said "I'll copy it over to the new drive and that'll sort your problem out". Excellent. Thanks for making me wait two weeks.

So, there you have it: problem solved.

Thanks Joanne and DogLover for your replies - much appreciated.

Richard