Access 2000 can't open *.mdb files after updating witn XP/SP2, ca.

[Guest]

I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access 2000
to the correct file locations?

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi Billy,

Open Windows Explorer (hold down the Windows button near spacebar and the E key).

Click on Tools > Folder Options...

Select the File Types tab and wait for the list to populate

Scroll down the list until you find "MDB Microsoft Access Application"

Click on the Advanced... button. Select the Open action, and then click on the Edit... button.

Verify that you have the following settings shown:

Action:
Open

Application used to perform action:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP "%1"

Note: Your path to MSAccess.exe may be different. Make sure that you have double quotes
surrounding the last parameter %1. In fact, I can duplicate your issue if I remove this set of
double quotes, as in the following:

===> INCORRECT <===
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP %1


Use DDE
Checked

DDE Message:
[SetForeground][ShellOpenDatabase "%1"]

Application:
Msaccess

DDE Application Not Running:
[SHELLNOOP]

Topic:
ShellSystem



Tom
_________________________________


I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access 2000
to the correct file locations?

 

[Randy Balbuena]

I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using
the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and
that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it
used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to
be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access
2000
to the correct file locations?

Billy,

The defragmentation process is done at the file system level, so it does not
change the user's logical location of the files, but rather the physical
binary location of the data indexed on the file allocation table.
Defragmentation reduces files fragments (which are not apparent to the
user), resulting in faster file access. After defragmenting your disk, all
files remain in the same location the user has placed them.

If your hard drive had bad sectors, or you had power fluctuations, or the
defragmentation was abruptly interrupted, it is possible to have some
missing fragments, which cause file corruption. I have to tell you the error
("The Microsoft Jet database engine could not find the object "XXXXX". Make
sure the object exists and that you spell its name and the path name
correctly") belongs to a list of symptoms indicating database corruption.

However, since you made tons of system changes, you should test if Access
integrity still remains OK, by creating a new database file. Close it and
re-open it by double-clicking on the new file icon. Then open Access from
Start ->All Programs-> Microsoft Access. Browse through the files, find and
open any of your old databases. If it opens, then your database file is OK,
but you have a problem with the Access/Windows shell, that you can fix
manually through the registry at the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Access.Application.9\shell\Open\command

or by running the Office setup program with the repair option.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Tom and Randy, but all the parameters are already as you specified,
Tom. Randy, you suggested essentially the same fix you did, but by edilting
the registry. Again, that parameter is as Tom and you specified.

I was able to create a new database and reopen it, As Randy suggested as a
diagnostic tool. I could also open a database originally on CD (but without
the CD in the drive) by copying the dbf file on CD to my HDD, renaming the
file, then importing the data from the CD. The database now opens without the
CD in the drive.

Doing this brought the concept of linked files to my slowly widening
database awareness. I suspect that the files I've been clicking on (thinking
they were old databases) are actually linked files to a database that I
haven't as yet found. When I clikc on the file linked to the missing
database, the database engine can't find the database the file is linked to.
I will try the "repair" scenario that Randy suggests, and if I still have
problems, I'll update you both.

Thanks for your responses!

Bill

Hi Billy,

Open Windows Explorer (hold down the Windows button near spacebar and the E key).

Click on Tools > Folder Options...

Select the File Types tab and wait for the list to populate

Scroll down the list until you find "MDB Microsoft Access Application"

Click on the Advanced... button. Select the Open action, and then click on the Edit... button.

Verify that you have the following settings shown:

Action:
Open

Application used to perform action:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP "%1"

Note: Your path to MSAccess.exe may be different. Make sure that you have double quotes
surrounding the last parameter %1. In fact, I can duplicate your issue if I remove this set of
double quotes, as in the following:

===> INCORRECT <===
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP %1


Use DDE
Checked

DDE Message:
[SetForeground][ShellOpenDatabase "%1"]

Application:
Msaccess

DDE Application Not Running:
[SHELLNOOP]

Topic:
ShellSystem



Tom
_________________________________


I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access 2000
to the correct file locations?

 

[Guest]

Thanks Tom and Randy, but all the parameters are already as you specified,
Tom. Randy, you suggested essentially the same fix you did, but by edilting
the registry. Again, that parameter is as Tom and you specified.

I was able to create a new database and reopen it, As Randy suggested as a
diagnostic tool. I could also open a database originally on CD (but without
the CD in the drive) by copying the dbf file on CD to my HDD, renaming the
file, then importing the data from the CD. The database now opens without the
CD in the drive.

Doing this brought the concept of linked files to my slowly widening
database awareness. I suspect that the files I've been clicking on (thinking
they were old databases) are actually linked files to a database that I
haven't as yet found. When I clikc on the file linked to the missing
database, the database engine can't find the database the file is linked to.
I will try the "repair" scenario that Randy suggests, and if I still have
problems, I'll update you both.

Thanks for your responses!

Bill

I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using
the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and
that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it
used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to
be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access
2000
to the correct file locations?

Billy,

The defragmentation process is done at the file system level, so it does not
change the user's logical location of the files, but rather the physical
binary location of the data indexed on the file allocation table.
Defragmentation reduces files fragments (which are not apparent to the
user), resulting in faster file access. After defragmenting your disk, all
files remain in the same location the user has placed them.

If your hard drive had bad sectors, or you had power fluctuations, or the
defragmentation was abruptly interrupted, it is possible to have some
missing fragments, which cause file corruption. I have to tell you the error
("The Microsoft Jet database engine could not find the object "XXXXX". Make
sure the object exists and that you spell its name and the path name
correctly") belongs to a list of symptoms indicating database corruption.

However, since you made tons of system changes, you should test if Access
integrity still remains OK, by creating a new database file. Close it and
re-open it by double-clicking on the new file icon. Then open Access from
Start ->All Programs-> Microsoft Access. Browse through the files, find and
open any of your old databases. If it opens, then your database file is OK,
but you have a problem with the Access/Windows shell, that you can fix
manually through the registry at the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Access.Application.9\shell\Open\command

or by running the Office setup program with the repair option.

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi Billy,

I could also open a database originally on CD (but without
the CD in the drive) by copying the dbf file on CD to my HDD...

Careful with the use of abbreviations. My first thought was that you were dealing with a dBase
file
http://filext.com/detaillist.php?extdetail=dbf&Submit3=Go!
until it occurred to me that you probably meant dbf = "data base file".

The database now opens without the CD in the drive.

You really don't want to open databases from a CD-RW disc, just in case you are in the habit of
doing so. That's just asking for corruption problems, in my opinion.

Doing this brought the concept of linked files to my slowly
widening database awareness. I suspect that the files I've
been clicking on (thinking they were old databases) are
actually linked files to a database that I haven't as yet found.

Not sure what you mean. Do you suspect that you were actually clicking on 1 KB shortcut files,
and that the target for the shortcuts could not be found? If that was the case, you should have
received a "Missing Shortcut" dialog box, with a waving flashlight symbol and text that reads:

"Windows is searching for DatabaseName

To locate the file yourself, click Browse..."

where DatabaseName is the name of your filename without path for your database.


Tom
_____________________________________


Thanks Tom and Randy, but all the parameters are already as you specified,
Tom. Randy, you suggested essentially the same fix you did, but by edilting
the registry. Again, that parameter is as Tom and you specified.

I was able to create a new database and reopen it, As Randy suggested as a
diagnostic tool. I could also open a database originally on CD (but without
the CD in the drive) by copying the dbf file on CD to my HDD, renaming the
file, then importing the data from the CD. The database now opens without the
CD in the drive.

Doing this brought the concept of linked files to my slowly widening
database awareness. I suspect that the files I've been clicking on (thinking
they were old databases) are actually linked files to a database that I
haven't as yet found. When I clikc on the file linked to the missing
database, the database engine can't find the database the file is linked to.
I will try the "repair" scenario that Randy suggests, and if I still have
problems, I'll update you both.

Thanks for your responses!

Bill

Hi Billy,

Open Windows Explorer (hold down the Windows button near spacebar and the E key).

Click on Tools > Folder Options...

Select the File Types tab and wait for the list to populate

Scroll down the list until you find "MDB Microsoft Access Application"

Click on the Advanced... button. Select the Open action, and then click on the Edit... button.

Verify that you have the following settings shown:

Action:
Open

Application used to perform action:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP "%1"

Note: Your path to MSAccess.exe may be different. Make sure that you have double quotes
surrounding the last parameter %1. In fact, I can duplicate your issue if I remove this set of
double quotes, as in the following:

===> INCORRECT <===
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2000\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /NOSTARTUP %1


Use DDE
Checked

DDE Message:
[SetForeground][ShellOpenDatabase "%1"]

Application:
Msaccess

DDE Application Not Running:
[SHELLNOOP]

Topic:
ShellSystem



Tom
_________________________________


I am unable to open any *.mdb databases on my HD (which were previously
accessible). I recently updated WinXP with SP2 and defragged the HD using the
WinXP defrag tool.

Double-clicking on the database in Windows Explorer opens the Access 2000
program, but returns the message: "The Microsoft Jet database engine could
not find the object "[database name]". Make sure the object exists and that
you spell its name and the path name correctly."

I have not specified the path, except by double clicking. I suspect that
defragging has moved the physical location of the file from the place it used
to reside, and Access is looking for it in the old physical location,
although the folder names and locations have not changed.

I have more than a dozen databases that I cannot open. I would expect
Access to find the file I double-clicked on, but it does not. There has to be
a way to manually point the program to the file. How do I point Access 2000
to the correct file locations?