can't find database you specified or you didn't specify a databaseaddre at all

[Thomas]

I am using Office 97 with MS Windows 97.
Microsoft Access will not load and execute.
I get the message " can't find a database or you didn't
specify an address at all"

Tried the license tool that another post mentioned. It
didn't solve the problem.

Thanks for you help.

Thomas

 

[Wayne Morgan]

Right click the shortcut, choose properties, on the Shortcut tab highlight the entire
Target entry, press Ctrl+C and paste the target in a message so that we can see what is
trying to be opened.

 

[Thomas]

Wayne:

I did as you suggested. This is the result of the target
field in the properties tab of MSAccess shortcut.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE"

A word of explanation: I have used MSOffice 97 for three
years on a Windows 98 laptop but I have never used the
Access application until recently.

When I execute the target field I obtain a window with an
error message in a dialog box:

"""
Error

i Can't find the database you specified, or you
didn't specify a database at all.
Specify a valid database name in the command line and
include a path if necessary. ok
"""

The main window has three menu bars at the top (file,
window, help) but I am unable to use these menus because
the error dialog box must be selected "OK" first and then
the entire window disappears.

I tried using the Run command on the specified target but
I obtain the same window and error message.

My Office 97 CD states that MSAccess is part of the Office
suite but I cannot even open a new database or one
generated on another computer. I tried re-loading the
Office suite from the CD but I obtain the same result on
Acess. The other suite applications work ok.

I appreciate your help.

Thomas

-----Original Message-----
Right click the shortcut, choose properties, on the

Shortcut tab highlight the entire

Target entry, press Ctrl+C and paste the target in a

message so that we can see what is

 

[Thomas McAdams]

Wayne:

I did as you outlined. I did a FIND and found two system
databases:

c:\windows\system\system.mdw 68kb created 7/13/03

c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\system.mdw
created 11/6/98

When I executed Wrkgadm.exe in the Windows\System
directory, a dialog box popped up.
---------------------------------------
Name: Thomas McAdams
Workgroup: c:\Windows\System\System.mdw

Create Join Exit

------------------------------------
I wondered if it was supposed to point to the system.mdw
in the office directory, so I set the workgroup address to
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\system.mdw
and clicked on "join". I then restarted the machine and
tried to start MSAccess the same way but it failed with
the same message.

Which of the two files (system.mdw)does it need to point
to in order to launch MSACCESS?? How do I accomplish this?

Thanks for you continued patience.

Thomas McAdams

-----Original Message-----
The command line appears to be correct. I'm guessing that it is looking for the system
database. Do a search for the file system.mdw then run

Wrkgadm.exe, the default location

for this is Windows\System. Does it point to the

system.mdw found previously? If not, what

 

[Wayne Morgan]

I would expect it to use the one in the Windows\System directory. Is there a chance that
someone would have installed the Run Time version of Access on your computer, although the
path doesn't appear to be that? What service pack do you have installed for Office 97,
open Word and go to Help|About Microsoft Word, are you at the SR2 level? You may need to
uninstall then reinstall Office, reboot in between. Also, once it is uninstalled here some
options to make sure it is really uninstalled. The first one is probably the one you want.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;158658
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;173310
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;254250

 

[Wayne Morgan]

You could try the SR2 or SR2a update first, it may be quicker than an uninstall and
reinstall, but I doubt that will fix it. You'll probably still wind up needing to do the
uninstall. When you reinstall you'll need to apply SR1 before applying SR2, there are some
CDs that have SR1 in them already, so you may be able to skip the SR1 step. The Help|About
screen after the install will let you know.