DB needs repair message - Please help

[jhirsch]

I have a fairly simple db on a shared drive. There is only one table, a few forms, and a bunch of reports run off queries that are set up. The table and queries are hidden so the users (about 15) only access the forms and the reports. We keep having problems and get the message:

Database needs to be repaired or isn't a db file.
You or another user may have unexpectedly quit MS Access while an Access db was open

When I get all users out and try to repair it says Description file not found.

What is causing this and how can this be prevented?

Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[gusbrunston]

Never saw this, but I've got advice about everything...doesn't always fit the question, but...

(If you get another post from someone that has had experience with this, then ignore all that follows...you won't hurt my feelings.)

I assume your db is split, back end on the shared drive, front end on the users' boxes.

I'd copy the one table to a new directory, see if the problem continues. If not, then re-link the users' workstations to the table in the new directory. If it does continue, then

I'd create an empty database, copy the one table to the new database, along with a one or more commonly used queries/forms. See if the problem continues. If the problem is not repeated in the new database, then your old database is probably corrupt. Copy the queries and forms from your last back up before the problem started. If you don't have it, then copy them a few at a time and test them as you go along. OR...

Does the error occur on all workstations? It might be a problem caused by the front end on one (possibly more) workstations. Try isolating the workstations to find one that might be causing the problem for all the others.

When a db I built was corrupted somehow, I reinstalled Office2000Premium (no help), defragged a big hard drive (no help), reinstalled W2K (no help), got about 4 hours sleep in three days. Finally, some friendly fellow on tek-tips suggested I copy everything to a new database. I moved tons of tables, queries, macros, reports, modules. That worked.

Cheers, good luck, Gus Brunston An old PICKer, using Access2000. I manage

http://www.rentdex.com.

Suggestions welcome. padregus@attbi.com

 

[shamaor]

I have faced this problem many times in the last 4 months. Microsoft has an excellent explanation for reasons why this occurs, what is actually occurring, and remedies. I'll try to find the article that helped me and get back with you.

 

[DaveShmave]

It's been my experience that this error message occurs when a database becomes partially corrupted (or at least temporarily unusable) due to one of the following:

1. Power loss or loss of network connection at a terminal that's currently logged into the database.

2. Someone terminates their database session via the Windows Task Manager (Alt-Ctrl-Del), powers down or restarts the workstation without FIRST exiting the database-- or any other application for that matter.

So it's been my experience that most of the time it's operator error and education is the way to solve the problem. Or else there's a hardware problem.

HTH

Dave

 

[shamaor]

Okay, to find pretty good explanations:
1. go to

http://www.microsoft.com

2. on left side of page under "Resources" select "Support"
3. in the "Search" dropdown, select your version of Access
4. in the input box directly beneath, type "database corruption" and press "Search Now"

I found the articles very helpful.

My database was not split, was networked, with up to 30 users. I was getting the corruption message 6-10 times a day. Very bad.

In various steps we did the following:

1. Made certain all users were on the same operating system with identical service packs. We had quite the variety, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP. We settled on Windows 2000 for all users. (NT seemed to be a troublemaker)
2. Redesigned some forms, reducing number of bound forms, thereby reducing network traffic.
3. Had our network guy fine tune the network. (I don't know exactly what he did)
4. split the database into a BackEnd (the tables) on a dedicated server, and wrote a .bat file that runs each time a user opens the program that makes a copy of the Server FrontEnd, places the copy on the users local hard drive, opens that local copy and connects to the server BackEnd. This makes it so that all the BackEnd is doing is serving up records and keeping track of record locks. Think of it this way, instead of 30 users hitting a single FrontEnd (trying to keep track of who is in what form, requesting what data) 30 users are using there own frontends that are dedicated to them. This means that I can develop on the Server FrontEnd, implimenting fixes and solutions that the users can access simply by logging out of there local front end and logging back in (which makes copies a fresh copy of the Server FrontEnd to their local drive).

Hope some of this helps

 

[gnosis13]

One more thing to check.....I know my profile says programmer but I wear a lot of hats. I had this problem and it took me along time to figure it out. It turned out to be a bad patch cable on one of the users machines. That day I was wearing network support hat. The user accidentally kicked his patch loose, I replaced it because he broke the connector....the problem went away. After looking the cable over good, it had a spot where the user had apparently crushed it with his shoe...

I haven't had to fix that database in nearly a year now. A+, N+, MCP

 

[WildHare]

Choctaw - is that not a B**** when that happens?

I just read your post and had to smile - I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago and it drove me nuts for a few days.... just goes to show it's not ALWAYS Microsoft's fault...

Ex-JimAtTheFAA
78.5% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Another free Access forum:

http://www.forumco.com/jmhare

More Neat Access stuff at

http://www.jmhare.com/wildhare2.htm

 

[gusbrunston]

Dear Shamoar:
Could you possibly give some more information on that .bat file? I need to do exactly that.
Thanks so much in advance.
Gus Brunston An old PICKer, using Access2000. I manage

http://www.rentdex.com.

Suggestions welcome. padregus@attbi.com