Consistently having to repair a database >:< Thoughts? 5

[newyorkny]

Hi guys,

I have had work stop several times because of the ol' (paraphrase) "this is either not a database file or it needs to be repaired" message.

I have created a new database and slurped the data in, and still got the doggone message in the "all new" database! This has always worked in the past.

Can anyone think of why this is repeatedly occurring? The database is not ponderous in size -- just over 1.4MB.

Thanks for any thoughts.

NY

 

[Hap007]

Dear NY,

When Access opens a database, certain startup procedures run. I have seen users running in an access db that was about ready to go bad. New users could not open, but some of the users were still working. This is strange, but I have seen it before.

So, a wild guess might be that one of the users who was in the database first (as you describe) is the one who wacked it. Perhaps you can isolate to checking those users first.

Also, are you sure that none of your users has a later version of Access and that Access attempts to convert before opening the db. Is there code and forms in the database that is being opened? If so, New Access will ask to convert, but if you say no, Access still does some temp stuff that older versions might not like.

Questions:
1) Is this application a FrontEnd (Programs, forms, queries,etc) and Backend(Data tables only) setup?
if not, you need to make this happen ASAP.
2) Assuming that the app is split into a FrontEnd and Backend, Is the FrontEnd located on the user's own PC and the backend located on the server?
if not, I would place the frontend on the local user's PC and link all tables to the backend, located on the server.

Good Luck,
Hap


Access Developer

http://www.fcs-software.com/fcsaccessdev.html

Access based Add-on Solutions
Access Consultants forum

http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=1121

 

[KenReay]

Hi

"My experience w/ Ms. A. db systems with corruption almost always resulted from some type of record locking problem. "

Michael - could not agree more, as I said several posts back

You need to check if ANY record locking is in place, if not put some in place, if it is, then TEST it

Hap - Also totally agree with the comments regarding Frontend/backend


Regards

Ken Reay
Freelance Solutions Developer
Boldon Information Systems Ltd
Website needs upgrading, but for now -

http://www.kenneth.reay.btinternet.co.uk

UK

 

[newyorkny]

Guys,

I will peer down those avenues this morning and see if I secure a resolution. If not, I'll be back. :O)

Thanks for the expert guidance!! Have a great morning.

NY

 

[newyorkny]

All,

I did the following:

- Reviewed the records from the corrupted database for non-alphanumeric stuff. Found nothing.

I then:

1) Created a new db
2) Imported the working (2004) database in - definitions only.
3) Split the 2005 database.

I married the 2004 front-end with the 2005 data. So, all new, clean code, forms, queries etc with my 2005 data.

It is currently in "production testing" (!!) with the users who input data. I am hoping that the diminution of data transmission between workstations and the server will reduce the possibility of corruption.

So far, she's holdin' together!

Thanks. NY

 

[newyorkny]

Michael,

To answer your questions about all users employing the same version of Access: we are all on the same image, here. There are hundreds of thousands of workstations all across our enterprise, and they all have the precise same loadout.

This, while convenient in some ways, gives me a rather limited toolbox as a developer. (I am endeavoring, ma'am, to construct a mnemonic circuit using stone knives and bearskins.)

Thanks again.

NY

 

[newyorkny]

Hi guys,

Almost two days of uptime now.

I think there is some strong suggestion that network errors are causing the corruption.

By splitting the database, I hope that we have lowered the opportunity for corruption to occur.

Investigating the network traffic has proved to be something of a boondoggle, with one obscure department of the network provider pointing the finger at another and saying "I thought this was you??"

We had a fellow open the database today get an outright data connection error.

Seems to fit a pattern. Thanks again everyone! Great thread!!!

NY