Changing from 98 to XP workstations, will Access runtime work?

[Gregg Hill]

Hello!

I have a client with several Windows 98 workstations that they want to
upgrade to XP Pro with SP2. They have an Access MDB file on a network server
in two formats, 97 and 2000. Some stations have the 97 version, some have
the 2000 version. I don't know why it was set up this way and their Access
developer is no longer around. I was the lucky winner to inherit the setup.

I believe most of the stations do not actually have Microsoft Access
installed, but use a "runtime" version of Access. I really do not know what
that means. Is it a mini-version of Access that just allows the MDB to be
opened and used?

If that is true, how would I make the new XP Pro SP2 workstations use the
2000 format of the Access database without purchasing Access for each
workstation? I have Office 2003 Professional on my XP Pro station if that is
needed to change the MDB somehow.

Thanks for helping an Access newbie!

Gregg Hill

 

[Allen Browne]

Hi Greg

You can purchase the runtime version of Access as part of the Developers
version of Office. It does allow you to create an installation disk so you
can install your application onto machines that don't have the full Access.

If this company has the instalation disk for their program, you could run
that disk as part of the software to be set up after Win XP is installed.
There may be some configuration required after that, e.g. defining which
server to use for the back end data file and security (mdw) file.

A mix of A97 and A2000 front ends was fairly common in companies that had
some machines running A97 and some running A2000. It doesn't make much sense
though if using the runtime.

Once all machines are converted to an A2000 front end, consider converting
the back end file to A2000 also. This does give a noticeable performance
difference, since all the JET 4 calls can be handled natively instead of
converting to JET 3.5.

 

[Gregg Hill]

Allen,

I just searched their server and found an Access 2000 runtime file. I loaded
it on my lab workstation with a rather bare XP installation and then changed
the linked tables to point to the local drive for the MDB file, and the MDE
works perfectly. Way cool! Thanks for your help!

BTW, how can I tell in what version the file was created? When I open it in
Access 2003, it just says it was created in an earlier version, but not
which one. Looking at the file properties, even the Advanced screen, reveals
nothing.

Gregg Hill

 

[Allen Browne]

If Acc 2003 has to "convert" the file, then it is A97 or earlier. A2003 can
use an A2000 file without converting it.

 

[Gregg Hill]

Allen,

That makes sense now why they have two front-ends for it, A97 and A2000. I
have Office 97 that I can load and look at it.

I know virtually nothing about Access, but I will get daring and take a copy
of the MDE and MDB and convert it to Access 2000 format to see what happens.

Thanks for your help!

Gregg Hill

 

[Rick Brandt]

Allen,

That makes sense now why they have two front-ends for it, A97 and
A2000. I have Office 97 that I can load and look at it.

I know virtually nothing about Access, but I will get daring and take
a copy of the MDE and MDB and convert it to Access 2000 format to see
what happens.

You will only be able to convert the MDB (from which you can then make another
MDE).