Can't Open BCM Database

[P Fruin]

Like Denmarfl, I can't open my database but his resolution will not work for
me! The first time this happened, I too got the same error message "Business
Contact Manager database cannot be loaded. Data is not Online. Do You want
to change the database configuration?" Now when Iopen Outlook and go to
Contacts. My Accounts and BCM Contacts show on the lft but nothing comes up
when I click either. If I uninstall BCM and reinstall, will I lose my data?

 

[Luther]

Like Denmarfl, I can't open my database but his resolution will not work for
me!  The first time this happened, I too got the same error message "Business
Contact Manager database cannot be loaded. Data is not Online.  Do You want
to change the database configuration?" Now when Iopen Outlook and go to
Contacts. My Accounts and BCM Contacts show on the lft but nothing comes up
when I click either. If I uninstall BCM and reinstall, will I lose my data?

Uninstalling BCM does not remove database files. Existing databases in
your BCM folder should show up in the BCM "select database" UI.

 

[P Fruin]

Thanks Luther but please explain what UI means and how to get to BCM "select
database"! Sorry I don't know the lingo but I don't! Thanks!

 

[Luther]

Thanks Luther but please explain what UI means and how to get to BCM "select
database"! Sorry I don't know the lingo but I don't! Thanks!






- Show quoted text -

BCM will ask you to select a database in two places.

1) In the first use wizard, when you first run Outlook after
installing BCM.

2) When you select the create or change database item in the BCM menu.

In both cases you will get a screen that lets you either create a new
database, or select from a list of existing databases, on the current
or another machine.

 

[P Fruin]

Thanks Luther. I've not yet uninstalled and reinstalled BCM. Before I do
that, I'm thinking I may have a problem wth my SQL Server? It shows as being
installed in Contral Panel list of programs but does not show up (MSSMLBIZ)
as running in Task Manager - and it should, right? Could this be the problem
and if so, how do I get SQL running?

 

[P Fruin]

By the way Luther, FYI, I just ran services.msc and see that the SQL programs
are listed - all with a Status of "Started" except for "SQL Server Active
Directory Helper" which shows no Status and "Disabled" in the "Starup Type"
column.

 

[P Fruin]

Ok Luther, I uninstalled and reinstalled BCM. I selected my database and it
shows up in the Navigation Pane but it still wo't open! HELP! I need this
database!

 

[P Fruin]

OK Luther, I discovered that I have two BCM databases - one titledHCAW which
is what I want my database calledand the oher titled MSSmallBusiness. When I
select the first one, nothing opens, when I select the second, there is my
database! So, how do I delete the HCAW database and rename the
MSSmallBusiness database to HCAW?

 

[sweeneyworld]

OK Luther, I discovered that I have two BCM databases - one titledHCAW which
is what I want my database calledand the oher titled MSSmallBusiness. When I
select the first one, nothing opens, when I select the second, there is my
database! So, how do I delete the HCAW database and rename the
MSSmallBusiness database to HCAW?

If your BCM Folders contain a lot of items, try deleting some. I was
a beta tester for BCM and found that BCM will present such messages
when you have too many BCM history items. It's a major flaw with BCM
and MS is aware of it.

 

[Luther]

OK Luther, I discovered that I have two BCM databases - one titledHCAW which
is what I want my database calledand the oher titled MSSmallBusiness. WhenI
select the first one, nothing opens, when I select the second, there is my
database! So, how do I delete the HCAW database and rename the
MSSmallBusiness database to HCAW?









- Show quoted text -

Database files are stored in this folder:
Xp: C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data
\Microsoft\Business Contact Manager
Vista: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Business Contact
Manager

Windows won't allow you to delete database files if they are still
attached to a Sql Server instance. If that's the case, you'll have to
use a Sql command to delete the database, or use Sql Studio.

Regarding renaming, my advice is not to do it. You'll probably have to
rename it in several different places, and getting one step wrong will
result in additional trouble.

 

[Lon Orenstein]

Sweeneyworld:

Could you elaborate on your statement below "If your BCM Folders contain a
lot of items, try deleting some"? Which folders -- Communication History,
Tasks, ToDo's? And, what do you consider to be a "lot"?

Thanks,
Lon

___________________________________________________________
Lon Orenstein
pinpointtools, llc
(e-mail address removed)
Author of Outlook 2007 Business Contact Manager For Dummies
Author of the eBook: Moving from ACT! to Business Contact Manager
www.pinpointtools.com

 

[sweeneyworld]

Sweeneyworld:

Could you elaborate on your statement below "If your BCM Folders contain a
lot of items, try deleting some"? Which folders -- Communication History,
Tasks, ToDo's? And, what do you consider to be a "lot"?

Thanks,
Lon

___________________________________________________________
Lon Orenstein
pinpointtools, llc
(e-mail address removed)
Author of Outlook 2007 Business Contact Manager For Dummies
Author of the eBook: Moving from ACT! to Business Contact Managerwww.pinpointtools.com

If you click on the folder list icon in Outlook so that the entire
folder tree is visible, you'll see the BCM folder containing Accounts,
Contacts, Project, Com History, and Deleted items,et. al. We found
that if any of these sub folders contained too many items ie. email
files, task files, projects, opportunities, etc. then we received the
'BCM cannot access DB'. The question is how many is too many. If I
remember correctly the first time i got this particular error message
my history items and deleted items were larger than 1.5 GB. When I
look at my current set up, I have a little more than 1/2 GB of BCM
items. You can check your's via 'Folder Sizes'. Now as part of my bi-
weekly regular BCM maintenance, I go into the Comm History and BCM
Deleted Items folders and permanently delete items.