Help Opening an Access File

[Guest]

Morning, I would really appreciate any help with this one ....

I'm experiencing problems opening a Microsoft Access database. I run
Window's XP and Access 2003 and am trying to open a file saved on an older
version of Access (2000 i think).

Upon double cliking the file to open it, there is an error message warning
that the file may contain code that was intended to harm your computer. I
know the file is safe so click Open. The access database then opens and the
switchboard menu comes up, but within seconds an error message appears,
saying:

"Microsoft Office Access has encountered a problem and needs to close. We
are sorry for the inconvenience." and that Microsft can try to compact and
repair your open database. Upon closing the box, Access re-boots and the file
re-opnes only doing the same thing again.

I thought that this may be due to me running a newer version of Access, so
tried to open the file on a laptop running what I thought was an older
version (but in fact is Access 2003). Upon opening it comes up with "Security
warning: unsafe expressions are not blocked". Microsoft Access cannot change
the registry setting that controls whether or not unsafe expressions are .
blocked. Your account is not authorised to change the registrty setting. I
click OK and it comes up with another error message that unsafe expressions
are not blocked and asks if I want to open this file. I click OK. Finally,
another security warning comes up saying that the file may not be safe do you
still want to open this file. I click Open, a dialog box states that the file
is read only and upon clicking OK the file opens and works perfectly.

This database contains patient-sensitive data so I then tried to assign a
password to the file. It tells me to close the file, then click open and
click on the arrow to the right of "open" and select "open exclusive". I did
this and it comes up with the same problem as I experienced on the first
computer, and the file will not open.

This has got me stumped and I would appreciate any help before I throw my
computer out the window!

Thanks

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

You are probably experiencing a corruption which has little if anything to
do with Access 2003. You can turn off the security warnings by opening any
database that will open or creating a new one and going to Tools ... Macro
.... Security and setting the level to Low. If you only open files that you
know are safe, you need not worry about that warning. Now to handle the
corruption.

First, always work on a copy of the database. Working on the original may
make it impossible for a repair service to fix it. Try to repair the copy
using Tools ... Database Utilities ... Compact and Repair. If that doesn't
help:

Download a copy of JetComp.exe:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;273956

Try backing up your forms as text with the undocumented SaveAsText
LoadFromText functions:

http://www.datastrat.com/Code/DocDatabase.txt

Also have a look at the Microsoft KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;209137

Then have a look at Tony Toews' Access Corruption FAQ at:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

for some suggestions. Unfortunately, some corruption cannot be fixed - you
may need to create a new database, import what can be salvaged, and recreate
the rest.

Although it's a paid service, Peter Miller does an outstanding job of saving
corrupt databases. Try this URL:

http://www.pksolutions.com