Database File Size

[Benny Van]

Hello All,

A quick question regarding the Database size:

We had an old Access database file protected by Security Wizard,
We created a new database file and import everything from the old
file, however the size is not exactly the same, the new database file
is way smaller than the old one.
Does that mean any data lost in the import process? Or is there any
other reason such as we used the Security Wizard on the old one not
the new one so that overhead was added...anyone could explain this?
Also is there a way to compare the two database file to see if they
are the same or not?

Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,
Ben

 

[Maurice]

Compact and repair the old database and see if the size still differs a lot...

 

[John W. Vinson]

Hello All,

A quick question regarding the Database size:

We had an old Access database file protected by Security Wizard,
We created a new database file and import everything from the old
file, however the size is not exactly the same, the new database file
is way smaller than the old one.
Does that mean any data lost in the import process? Or is there any
other reason such as we used the Security Wizard on the old one not
the new one so that overhead was added...anyone could explain this?

No, you haven't lost anything, and it probably has nothing to do with
security. Access doesn't clean up its own trash very well, or at all! If you
delete a record, or change the design of a form, or delete a report, the space
previously occupied is still there, just inaccessible and wasted.

Importing all objects into a new database leaves the trash behind, so one
would expect it to be smaller. Compacting the database (Tools... Database
Utilities... Compact and Repair) does the same thing, and whenever a database
gets bloated it would be a good idea to back it up and compact it.

Also is there a way to compare the two database file to see if they
are the same or not?

Not builtin to Access, but there are some third party tools to do so. Total
Access Detective from http://www.fmsinc.com is one such.