Conversion form Microsoft 2000 file format to 2002 file format

[W. Guy Delaney]

I just converted my Access 2000 database file format from Access 2000 to
Access 2002. The 2000 database file was 5088 kb and the converted 2002 file
is 1568 kb.

Why is the 2002 file so much smaller than the 2000 file?

 

[Allen Browne]

Try compacting the A2000 file: Database Utilities on the Tools menu.

 

[Davin Mickelson]

I just discovered the same thing.
I converted Repair and Compacted Access 2000 database to Access 2002.

Before: 4.5 MB Access 2k
After: 300 KB Access XP

I was worried that something was lost but, no, it's all there.

Davin Mickelson

 

[Allen Browne]

Davin, just out of interest, what happens if you create a new (blank) A2000
database, and import all the objects? How large is the result?

The A2000 (and A2002) compact/repair function is known to actually bloat the
database in some cases. Sometimes a decompile can help, but other times
importing into a new mdb is the only way to get rid of the spurious stuff.

 

[W. Guy Delaney]

This is not Davin; it's Guy and I followed your advice about importing the
objects into a new database.

The original database was 5088kb and the new database after importing the
objects was 1280kb. I had complied the database before importing into the
new database and I had also compacted it.

I am a little shocked that the old database had become so blotted. I am more
shocked, however, that none of the references or documentation that I have
read on Microsoft Access has ever even hinted at this problem. Why do you
suppose that this is so?

I had noticed that my database had begun to grow, even after only small
inserts. I assumed that Tools>Database Utilities>Compact and Repair Database
.. . . would take care of all that. Apparently not.

Any explanation why importing into a new database is such a well kept
secret? Or better yet, why Compact and Repair really doesn't finish the job
or at least why Microsoft doesn't tell us that it falls short of its
mission?

 

[Allen Browne]

This may help:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=810415