Error on opening a Database in Access

[Guest]

When we try to open a chared database on a simple network via a shortcut we
get the hourglass, but it won't open. If we open Access first, then go to
File/Open we can open the database, but we get an error about downloaded
files with an Unknown Publisher. How can we solve this?

 

[Joseph Meehan]

When we try to open a chared database on a simple network via a
shortcut we get the hourglass, but it won't open. If we open Access
first, then go to File/Open we can open the database, but we get an
error about downloaded files with an Unknown Publisher. How can we
solve this?

While this dose not sound like the usual problems, you should be aware
that Access requires a high quality network. If the network is not up to
professional standards, you should not be expecting it to work.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

I am not sure (my usual set-up is different, see later) but it sounds like
(network )security / Macro security. If you are using Access 2003, try
setting Macro Security to Low . You can access Macro Security using the
Menu command Tools / Macro / Security ...

I think Allen Browne has a few articles about Macro Security. Search his
Access tips at:

http://www.allenbrowne.com

It seems to me that your users shared the same single database file on the
file server if I read your description correctly. If that's the case, you
really need to split the database application to Back-End MDB file (Tables
only) and Front-End MDB/MDE file (other Access objects). The Back-End
resides on a shared directory on the server so that all users can access the
same data and each user should have a copy of the Front-End on his/her PC.

Check Access Help topic "Split an Access database" and Tony Toews'

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp/index.htm

 

[Guest]

thanks - but we did that and it is set for Low. We checked DEP to make sure
it would allow it to open. We checked to make sure Norton was disabled and
not causing a problem. Although Norton has never stopped it before. We
checked the XP Firewall and it is shut off. We checked to make sure this
type of file always opens with Access. There is no security or Admin-Group
levels on this database.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Have you disabled the NAV Office Plug-In?

Does this happens on a single PC and other PCs OK or this happens on all PC?

Are you on a a network with server or peer-to-peer network?

It may be time to split your database as sharing a single unsplit database
can increase the chance of corrupting the database file. All of my users'
databases are split and only databases exclusively used by me are unsplit.

 

[Guest]

There is no server. This is just two computers hooked together through a
hub. The one computer that cannot open the database, simply uses the
database to look things up. No record changes take place. The database just
won't open on this one computer without opening Access first and the Unknown
Publisher error. It has been working just fine for years. Now it does not
open by using the shortcut. We repaired the database and it all looks good.
Yes, we disabled NAV Office Plug-In. Doesn't help.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

We repaired the database and it all looks good.

Does that mean it is OK now?

 

[Guest]

Sorry - no. It just means there is nothing wrong with the database. It
opens fine on the main computer, it works and we can add new records, etc.
We repaired it in case it was a corrupted database, but that is not it. We
just can't open it from the other computer, and there are only two comptuers
connected and involved.

We repaired the database and it all looks good.

Does that mean it is OK now?

--
HTH
Van T. Dinh
MVP (Access)

There is no server. This is just two computers hooked together through a
hub. The one computer that cannot open the database, simply uses the
database to look things up. No record changes take place. The database
just
won't open on this one computer without opening Access first and the
Unknown
Publisher error. It has been working just fine for years. Now it does
not
open by using the shortcut. We repaired the database and it all looks
good.
Yes, we disabled NAV Office Plug-In. Doesn't help.

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Try repairing the Access software on the problematic PC using the Menu
command Help / Detec and Repair ... You may need the original Office /
Access BD ...

 

[Joseph Meehan]

We have been using this network and this database for years. And we
have always just clicked on the shortcut to open the database on the
other computer. It opens fine on the other computer. If we open
Access on this adn go to File/Open it opens fine. It will not open
through the network and we have remapped the drive, restarted both
computers, etc. We have delted and reset the shortcut. The target
is correct.

If we go to My Network Places and through the tree to the other
computer and try to open it from there, (bypassing the mapped drive),
it will not open either. It basically will not open on this computer
without going to File/Open. Other databases on this computer will
open in usual fashion with no trouble. Only this one database gives
us the "Unknown Publisher" error and will not open.

:

That makes me wonder if Windows has lost the association of the MDB or
MDE file type with Access.

Have you tired copying the file to the computer you are having problems
with and clicking on the file to see if it will start there?

 

[Van T. Dinh]

Just an idea you can try:

Have you got a "local" database on the hard-disk of the problematic PC? Even
the sample database "NorthWind" will be fine.

If you do, create a test icon to it on the Desktop and try double-clicking
the icon (also try opening Access and then navigate to the icon or the
file). If you don't experience any problem, then you know that Access
software is likely to be OK and it is a network comms problem or permissions
problem on the shared folder(s) ...

 

[Van T. Dinh]

It sounds like Access software on the problem computer is OK.

Confirming what you wrote before on the problem PC:

* Windows (or other) Firewall has been disabled.
* NAV Office Plug-In disabled.

Try:

1. On the main omputer, open Access, use the Menu File / Open ... then
navigate to the database and select it then use the "Open" command in the
dialog to open the file.

While it is still open (in shared mode) on the main computer, go to the
problem computer and try both double-clicking the icon & Access / Open /
file and post the results here ...

2. It is possible that the connection has intermittent faults. Try
switching the connection for the problem computer to another port on the hub
(Is it a hub or a switch?) If you have spare network cables, try replacing
the cables also.

3. Can you post the network connection settings such as IP address, mask,
DNS (may not be available in peer-to-peer) as it seems that the problem
computer considers the main computer is outside the LAN (possibly, giving
you the unknown Publisher message for this reason).

 

[Guest]

After facing the same problem and searching the communities, I found
that this was caused by Internet Explorer 7. Evidently, even if you aren't
using IE at all, the newer security affects access as well.
The solution, copied from another thread:

Open Internet Explorer 7.
Tools/Internet Options/Security/Local Intranet/Sites
UNcheck "Automatically detect intranet network."
CHECK ALL THREE subsidiary option boxes: "include all..."
Click OK.
Click Apply/OK.
Close Internet Explorer 7.
Attempt again to open your Access file across your network.

Don't know the implications of this change completely, but
I am happy to have worked around the issue.

Chris