Back End Gone Missing

[Boz]

Help....I am running a database that is used at 5 different sites. Each site
has a stand-alone version of the front end and back end that is kept on a
shared drive.

A few months ago, the back end file at my site disappeared. I left one day
and it was there, came back the next and it's gone. Since we are a 24/7
operation I assumed that somebody deleted the file. Luckily, I had a backup
that was only 2 days old so I restored it and went on my way.

Last week I got a call from another site....seems their back end has
disappeared. I have searched their shared drive, all the pc's on site...no
go...it's not there. Unfortunately, they had not performed a back up since
last year so all data was lost.

Today I got a call from a third site....same problem. Same back up situation.

My questions are:

1. Is this common? I can't imagine that files just 'disappear'.
2. Is there any possible way to recover this?

I'm pretty sure the answers are no to both questions, but I had to ask.

 

[Fred]

You're going to have to ask yourself what's in common with the missing files.
Your post implies that only our Access files are disappearing. And
implicitly you're exploring whether the issue and a possible recovery may be
Access related.

There aren't many functions in Access that get even close to deleting
entire files. Maybe a "compact and repair" or "splittter" gone haywire.
Or maybee somehting in you implmentation or code that messes with the files.
If not, my first guess is that your problem isn't in Access.

Could be IT issues but again, what's in common with those two locations.

Probably the first thing I'd be thinking about is malicious deletion, at
least to the point of immediately backing up the other 3 back ends and
reviewing this possibility.

 

[Boz]

Here's a question....

The company that we work for runs a back up daily of their shared files. If
the database is open is will just skip the back up. Is it possible that
there is something in the backup software that is causing the file to be
deleted?

 

[Fred]

The real answer will be to look at the details of what the backup software /
implementation is doing.

But backup softwares / implementations often include file deletion (e.g. of
old backups) and so if one has gone awry or is set up wrong it could
certainly wipe out files.

 

[telly]

yes- it happened to me twice in a roll with 2007