Retrieve Back End Data!!!!!!!!!!

[TheTomCat]

I have a Backend that should contain a large amount of data. All of my Front Ends lost their links to the Back End. I went and checked the Back End and it is still there.
The Back End is named ReportCopWashinton_be.mdb.
The problem is I can NOT open the Back End. It gives me some kind of error mesage about do not have permission and something about msysobjects (or something like that).
The problem also is that the size of the Back End is only showing 96KB, which is impossible. It should be more like 100MB or larger.
This is on a customers network. I have no idea what happened to cause this and of course the customer has NO Backup.
Any ideas what caused this ot how to fix it? I can't even open it while holding the shift key.
Also, the Backend has no security built into it. While it was working right, it just opened up. There was not password, etc. The Front Ends are .mde's.

Thanks for any help,


Thomas Bailey
a/k/a TomCat

http://www.reportcop.com

 

[ceill44]

If your customer has a backup then restore the back end to an alternate location and see if you can open it.

 

[KenReay]

Hi

If there is no security on the backend, you can get at the data by creating a new mdb, then import the data from teh BE into the new mdb, or by linking from the new mdb to the backend, see menu item file\get external data

Regards

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

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

UK

 

[TheTomCat]

I have tried all of the above. The customer (much to my dismay) does NOT have any backup. I can not relink and I can not import into another .mdb.
The problem is that I can Not open the corrupted file AT ALL.
If I try to re-link I get a Table Links error.
I ca not open the file if I try to import inot another file.
Again the file size is 96 KB.
Any idea what caused this?

Thomas Bailey
a/k/a TomCat

http://www.reportcop.com

 

[danvlas]

Most likely one electrical crash that shut down the database while in use and caused a severe corruption on the file.
Try a decompile, although I don't think it will work, as you only have tables, no code...

And...whether you solve the problem or not, make one easy-to-use backup routine to save the back-end periodically (whenever user shuts down the front-end, fire up a batch file to

Copy strBackEndFile strBackupFile

HTH


Daniel Vlas
Systems Consultant

http://www.geocities.com/danvlas/AutoMail.html

 

[WillYum]

Well 100MB is such a far cry from 98KB, I'd say the data is lost. If you can't open the database at all, you could change the file extension to TXT and see if there is even any recognizable data in there.

Otherwise some even took place to severly corrupt the file (though I'd have no idea why it wouldn't just effect a single record, instead of wiping out the rest of the database). An event, could include anything from improper shutdown to malicious attack.

You might try and get an file restore (or undelete) utility and see if that 100mb is still somewhere in the hard drive. If a lot of saving takes place on the hard drive, it may already be lost. Even if you could only get the raw data and print it, I'd imagine that would still be somewhat helpful.

Good Luck, though.

- William ~^~ ~^~

~ W . I . L . L . Y . U . M ~
wOrLd WiDe WhAt?

 

[TheTomCat]

Thanks for all the tips. I will try the .txt extension change and see what happens.
I have told my customers numerous times about the importance of backing up their files. This particular customer has a contract with another computer company for all other needs other than my application.
I have suggested they get this company to install an automatic backup program.
Again, Thanks for the tips, but I believe the data is lost.
I did, by the way, find an old file on their server that I just left on there about six (6) months ago. I upgraded them and left the old complete file there. So I was able to make them a new Back End to the Tables in the old App.
Now they have all data (about two to three years worth) except for the past six months.
Oh Well, Better than none at all, huh.

Backup, Backup, Backup, Backup, Backup, Backup, Backup!!!!!

Thomas Bailey
a/k/a TomCat

http://www.reportcop.com