Help! I can't see my data in Access

[andrewmrichards]

Hi All

Firstly, apologies for the duplicate post - for some reason Google
wouldn't let me cross-post this properly...

I'm in real need of some help.

I have a database which was originally created in Access 2007, as an
MDB file (my client uses A2003 and A2007),

I have just purchased a new laptop, with Windows 7 and Office 2010
(both 64 bit).

If I open the application I have developed, and use it by means of the
forms that I've designed, all works well.

However, if I try to open any of the tables, whether in the front end
or directly in the back end, the table begins to open, I see the first
value in the first column of the first row, and the rest of the screen
is just grey, as though it can't be drawn, and Access goes to "Not
responding".

If it helps, I've posted a couple of screenshots:
As the data should look: http://theitservice.co.uk/access/data.png
As it looks if I open it in Access: http://theitservice.co.uk/access/accessissue.png

One or two more points in case they are of help:
1) I tried originally in Office 2010 (32 bit) on this laptop, and got
the same result (That's partly why I installed the 64-bit edition, in
case there was some conflict between the 32 bit edition of Office and
the 64 bit edition of Windows)
2) I tried in Office 2007 on this same laptop and got the same result
again.
3) In order to see if I could access the data another way, I tried
linking Excel to my database and opening the table in Excel, and it
worked perfectly
4) I then tried again to open the database in Access, and - because
Excel still had a connection to the database - was asked if I wanted
to open it as Read Only. I said "Yes" and then tried to open the table
one more time. It opened perfectly and I could see all the data.
5) When Access goes into its "Not responding" state, the CPU does not
seem busy (only around 5% utilization) and the hard disk was not being
accessed unduly.

HELP! Has anyone else seen or heard of this before? I'd be really
grateful for any help.

Best regards

Andrew

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

so you've installed and uninstalled three versions of office and you
wonder why you're having trouble?

the real problem is that Jet is depecrated and it has been for a
decade.

Move to SQL Server and Access Data Projects- you won't have any
trouble with the most popular processor architecture in the whole wide
world - X64

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

Arvin;

you're wrong, and a liar.

Only a ****ing retard would use Jet for anything for any reason
period.

-Aaron

 

[a a r o n . k e m p f]

seems to me like getting rid of 32 bit legacy software should be a
priority for all.. it's obvious, from a performance and scalability
perspective- X64 trumps all else

 

[Access Developer]

the real problem is that Jet is depecrated
and it has been for a decade.

That may be true, as "depecrated" is a word of your own invention, which I
take to be defined as "a a r o n doesn't like it". Jet has not, is not now,
and has not ever been _deprecated_ which is a Microsoft official word for
"don't use this, as it is not supported, and soon may not exist".

Move to SQL Server and Access Data
Projects- you won't have any trouble
with the most popular processor archi-
tecture in the whole wide world - X64

Hunh? ADPs are, as many experienced Access users/developers will confirm,
"de facto deprecated" and the Access product team at Microsoft now
recommends "linked tables via ODBC" as the method of choice for accessing
SQL Server from Access.

 

[Access Developer]

seems to me like getting rid of 32 bit legacy
software should be a priority for all.. it's obvious,
from a performance and scalability
perspective- X64 trumps all else

Have you explained that to the Microsoft people who have, indeed,
recommended using the 32-bit version of Office 2010 and avoiding the 64-bit
version at this time? I'll bet they would really appreciate knowing what
you know about their products that they do not.

Larry

 

[andrewmrichards]

 > seems to me like getting rid of 32 bit legacy
 > software should be a priority for all.. it's obvious,
 > from a performance and scalability
 > perspective- X64 trumps all else

Have you explained that to the Microsoft people who have, indeed,
recommended using the 32-bit version of Office 2010 and avoiding the 64-bit
version at this time?  I'll bet they would really appreciate knowing what
you know about their products that they do not.

 Larry

SO ANYWAY...... <trying to side-step the discussion>

I've now tried the following:

1) Updating the BIOS of my laptop
2) Updating the video drivers

Neither of which had any effect on the problem.

I also tried various other things which I thought might help:

1) I tried creating a new database file, and importing the objects
into it. The table in question (not the only table that does it, but
one which ALWAYS does) still caused Access to hang.
2) I tried exporting the table to Excel, then creating a new table
with the same column definitions, then copying and pasting the data
(only 40 rows and 6 columns) back in. I paste the data in, and all
looks great. Switch to design view, fine. Switch back to the datasheet
- hangs as before.
3) I tried saving the Excel file mentioned above to a CSV, then
creating a new table and importing the data from the CSV, to try to
remove any "funny stuff" in the background of the table. Hangs.
4) I tried creating a new table with the same design, and importing
the data by copying and pasting it from the Excel file line by line.
All works well for the first 30 lines or so, then it hangs. I though
"A-ha! must be this line..." so did the same again, but imported the
rows in reverse order. The line which had previously caused problems
imported fine, but again, when I got to about 30 lines, it stopped
responding again.
5) I have removed (with Revo uninstaller) office (both 2007 and 2010,
which I had installed) and then re-installed Office 2010 - still
hangs.
6) I have tried creating a blank database with just that one table in
it - same result.

Worth stating once again - if I put a form in front of the table, it
will open just fine and show all the data (even in continuous forms
mode, so showing all the data simultaneously). But the table, or a
select query based on the table, causes it to hang every time without
fail.

I guess the only thing left to try is removing the OS and starting
again... Perhaps using Windows 7 32-bit? Any other thoughts before I
do that and turn to drink?

Thanks so much for your thoughts...

Andrew

 

[andrewmrichards]

Okay - just to keep this updated, and to give you the full picture.

I've now installed Windows Virtual PC to allow me to run in XP mode.
I've installed Office 2007 in the virtual environment, and it opens
the table just fine....

Does this shed any light? I'm not sure. Does it nudge me further
towards removing 64-bit Windows and back to 32-bit version? I just
feel that's a backward step too far...

As always, any thoughts gratefully received. Don't like the idea of
having to do my work in a Virtual PC environment - just introduces
another way for corruption to creep in!

Andrew

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Have you tried using the 32 bit version of Office under Win 7 x64?

 

[andrewmrichards]

Have you tried using the 32 bit version of Office under Win 7 x64?

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVPhttp://www.AccessMVP.com/DJSteele
Co-author: Access 2010 Solutions, published by Wiley
(no e-mails, please!)










- Show quoted text -

Yup.... Combinations I've tried are:

Windows 7 64-Bit with
Office 2007 (32 bit)
Office 2010 (32 bit)
Office 2010 (64 bit)
all of which failed

Windows 7 64-Bit with Windows XP emulation, running Office 2007 - This
worked.

The table opens successfully on various other machines, running Office
2003 or Office 2007 on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32
bit).

This is what leads me to wonder whether it's a 64-Bit windows issue.
But surely that shouldn't be the case?!

Andrew

 

[David W. Fenton]

m:

I have just purchased a new laptop, with Windows 7 and Office 2010
(both 64 bit).

If I open the application I have developed, and use it by means of
the forms that I've designed, all works well.

However, if I try to open any of the tables, whether in the front
end or directly in the back end, the table begins to open, I see
the first value in the first column of the first row, and the rest
of the screen is just grey, as though it can't be drawn, and
Access goes to "Not responding".

Is this a linked table?

Is the back end Jet/ACE or SQL Server or what?

If linked tables, have you recreated the links on the 64-bit
machine?

If SQL Server or some other server database, have you insured you're
using the best drivers?

 

[andrewmrichards]

Is this a linked table?

Is the back end Jet/ACE or SQL Server or what?

If linked tables, have you recreated the links on the 64-bit
machine?

If SQL Server or some other server database, have you insured you're
using the best drivers?

Hi David

The setup is that the database is split between a front end and a
Back end, both parts of which are in mob files. The back end is quite
large (c 1 GB) but I get the same result whether opening the table in
the front endor the back end, and have tried moving the table (which
is pretty tiny) into a new db, using various methods as I've
described elsewhere in this thread, but in all cases get the same
result...

 

[David W. Fenton]

:

The setup is that the database is split between a front end and a
Back end, both parts of which are in mob files. The back end is
quite large (c 1 GB) but I get the same result whether opening the
table in the front endor the back end, and have tried moving the
table (which is pretty tiny) into a new db, using various methods
as I've described elsewhere in this thread, but in all cases get
the same result...

I've been following the thread, but missed some of the details.

My gut reaction is a video driver problem. Seriously.

 

[andrewmrichards]

:





I've been following the thread, but missed some of the details.

My gut reaction is a video driver problem. Seriously.

Hi David

Thanks for your input. Yes, following someone else's suggestion (can't
see the message now - so apologies if it was your own suggestion a
little earlier!!) I have updated the BIOS and video drivers to the
latest available versions... Beginning to think I'll either have to
reinstall Windows, which would be a major pain, or just use Access
from within the Windows XP emulator, accessing the mdb file on the
Windows 7 file system.... Don't like doing this either, though, as
I've had corruption in the past using a similar setup...

:-(

Thanks for your help, though. I'm on the phone to HP as I type, and
they're doing the usual suggestions of (a) we don't support the apps,
and (b) have you tried re-installing Windows?

Andrew

 

[David W. Fenton]

m:

Yes, following someone else's suggestion (can't
see the message now - so apologies if it was your own suggestion a
little earlier!!) I have updated the BIOS and video drivers to the
latest available versions... Beginning to think I'll either have
to reinstall Windows, which would be a major pain, or just use
Access from within the Windows XP emulator, accessing the mdb file
on the Windows 7 file system.... Don't like doing this either,
though, as I've had corruption in the past using a similar
setup...

Have your tried various screen resolutions and color depths? Have
you tried a generic video driver that supports appropriate
resolutions? That's the usual way to determine for certain if it's a
video driver problem, if the problem goes away with the generic
driver, it's clearly the hardware-specific driver at fault.

 

[Tony Toews]

Mine too.

Thanks for your input. Yes, following someone else's suggestion (can't
see the message now - so apologies if it was your own suggestion a
little earlier!!) I have updated the BIOS and video drivers to the
latest available versions...

Trouble is sometimes the latest versions aren't the stablest. A
vendor had a number of different versions available on thier website
and the latest was causing me some troubles. I went back to a version
that was Windows certified (whatever that means) that was about six
months or a year old and all was well.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files
updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/