When converting from Access 97 to Access 2000 nothing happens

[rebeccabarker]

I have an Access 97 database that I am trying to convert to Access 2000. I double click on the database to open it and I get a message that says something like "You can't make changes to this database. It was created in an earlier version." And then it gives instructions on how to convert it.

So, I closed the database window and selected Tools - Database Utilities - Convert Database. It asks for the database I am converting from and I select it. Then it asks for the name of the database I am converting to and I create a name and select the path I want it located in and I click CONVERT.

What happens next is I see in the bottom left corner a little status bar that says "converting" and then when it is done it says "ready." The problem is that nothing happens. I have no database that is named the name I said to name it when it is converted. It does not open the new converted database like I have read should happen. It is like it says it is converting the database but it is not really doing it. Any suggestions on what could be happening or what I am missing?

Thanks,
Rebecca

 

[MoLaker]

Just some thoughts...

Can you open the Access 97 database in read only mode?

Have you tried searching for the newly converted database?

Although I would expect error messages...

Do you have write & delete permissions in the directory where the old database resides and where the converted database is to go? (in case this is on a network)

Do you have admin permissions for the Access 97 database?

 

[rebeccabarker]

Yes, I can open the 97 database in read-only, although that is not how the database is setup normally.

I have tried saving the newly converted database both to a network drive and to my local drive. I have searched both places for the database and nothing is found.

Yes, I do have both write and delete permissions in the network directory where this database is located.

As for your last question, let me explain a little more about what I am trying to do. One of our users created this access database and started having trouble with people deleting information out of it. She came to us and asked if we would put security on the database. So, right now I am in the process of learning how to put security on an access database.

I set up a workgroup that I joined and I gave myself Admin rights. I was in the process of adding users to the database when I was told that we are thinking about going to Access 2000. We have a computer here that has 2000 on it so I thought I would make a copy of the database and try to convert it. I started having problems and so I removed the security that I had already setup and tried again. I had the same problem both times. It might be possible that I missed some security aspect, but I don't what it could be.

I hope I have answered your questions and I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Rebecca

 

[MoLaker]

Although you're not getting any error messages, some of the following link may apply.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;224341&Product=acc

As discussed in this link, you might try first creating a new Access 97 database and import all the objects (forms, tables, queries, modules, etc.) into it then convert ot A2K

Or

Create a new blank A2K database and import objects.

 

[rebeccabarker]

Thank you so much for all of your help. I was able to get the database converted.

The problem was that I had created a new workgroup file on my PC and I had joined that workgroup. Access 2000 is on another PC so I logged onto that PC and joined the workgroup on that PC as well. I thought that Access would see all of the users, groups and permissions that I had set up from my PC, but it did not. When I checked the security from the other PC I was not even a user; it only had the two default groups: Admins & Users. So I had to set myself up as an Admin from the other PC and then I was able to convert.

That brings me to another issue: Access should had seen the permissions in that workgroup file I created (it is on a shared drive) and I should not have had to re-add all the groups and users and permissions on this new PC. I need to check the forums to see if anyone else has encountered this, but if anyone has any suggestions as to what may have happened I would appreciate it. I don't want to setup permission on each of my users PCs when we get ready to put this new database in production.

Rebecca

 

[MoLaker]

I'm more inclined to believe you somehow did not actually join the secure workgroup on the network when you tried from the A2K machine. Both A97 & A2K should show the same information when viewing the security file settings. You didn't by chance keep the name system.mdw for the file on the network, did you? If so, you may have thought you were joining the network workgroup, but actually joined the default system.mdw on the computer. Common mistake if that's what happened. And, if that's what happened, rename your secure workgroup file to something else which describes it's purpose a little.

 

[rebeccabarker]

Thanks for tip. I actually did name the file something different because I read about that mistake happening. After I logged on to the A2K machine, I ran the workgroup administrator and joined the new work group. I then went and checked the registry to see what work file it was using and it said the test file that I had created.

What's weird is that after I joined the test work group file that I had created, I had to add myself as an admin because I wasn't showing up. I changed the admin's password - which causes the log in screen to start appearing whenever you start up Access. After I was able to convert the database, I was trying to figure out what happened with the work group file and so I rejoined the system work group and deleted the test workgroup file completely. But, when I tried to log into Access after that, it asked for a password. This should not have happened since the system file is not setup to prompt for a password and I had deleted the test workgroup file. It almost seems like Access never joined the test work group that I had created originally and when I thought I was adding myself to the test work group file again, I was really adding myself to the system file. I don’t know how this could have happened since the registry pointed to my test file.

This computer did happen to have A97 loaded on it at one point and then it was upgraded to A2K. I don’t know if that is somehow playing a part in this. Perhaps there are two system.mdw files – one for A97 and one forA2K – and maybe they are getting crossed. Ever heard of that being a problem before? Also, once I removed all security from the A97 database and tried to convert it to A2K I got the original problem again. The only way I could convert it was by adding security and adding myself as an Admin to the database.

 

[MoLaker]

That's a good possibility. A97 and A2K store the system.mdw file in different locations. A2K keeps it in

C:\Program Files\Common Files\System

While, I think A97 keeps it in

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office

I don't know what went wrong for you in the first place, but it sounds like you've got it under control.