Any tips for recoving corrupt database?

[cpudoktr]

I have a access 2000 database the has user level security (mdw file). The file is accessed by 25 users daily. For some reason, this morning the file will not open. The mdb file is smaller (down from 3.5MB to 2.6MB). I get an error when I try to open it stating "Unrecognized database format". Compact and repair will not work, I get the same error. I can't export, same error. I am a network admin by trade, but I was volunteered to recover this data. It was not backed up. Any suggestions on how to recover the data would be greatly appreciated. I have no knowledge of VB...I've seen some articles about using it to recover data but they are over my head... Thanks!

 

[Tranman]

Hi,
That "Unrecognized database format" message is **almost** always a result of having a database that is of a later version than the Access program you're trying to open it with. Is there any chance that someone opened the database with Access XP, converted it, and saved it? Or maybe installed a copy of Access 97 over your Access 2K installation?

The other thing that happened to me once was that I had an Access 2K database that could not be opened (or obviously, repaired). I created a new database, and I was able to import all of the objects into the new database from the old one, and the new one worked fine. Never did figure out what happened, but it's almost 2 years later, and the fixed one still works fine....

Good Luck,
Tranman

 

[psemianonymous]

I agree with the above--it's probably because someone opened the database with a newer version of Access. If you're the admin, it should be easier to find out if someone got a new version of Office installed.


If you think it's corruption, you can check the FAQ below--very good information. I didn't write it--I just think it's really good.

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Find common answers using Google Groups:

http://groups.google.com/groups?group=comp.databases.ms-access

Corrupt MDBs FAQ

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm