how do I unlock a database locked by another user

[GrahamT]

I am fairley new to all this and have split my database so it has a Back end
database holding the Tables. Someone was inputting data when his machine
crashed and now the database is locked. Error message refers to THE MICROSOFT
JET DATABASE ENGINE stopped the process. Can anyone help me get over this. I
did make backups of the front ends but never did the .be.mdb file.

 

[Irene]

hi GrahamT,

u try to see your back end database there have the file which is extension
..ldb or not. if yes, then u try to delete it, after that, u go to open the
file which u mean, and it is the .mdb file, then u go to compact and repair
it. may be it can unlock the file. hope this method can help u. all the best!

 

[GrahamT]

Irene Thanks for your fast response. I dont appear to have the .ldb file.
Could this be the problem?

 

[Irene]

hi GrahamT,

then u try to compact and repair the table database. see can or not?

 

[GrahamT]

Irene tried that and it has not changed I still get the same message. I am
worried now I may have to rebuild and lose the data. I have learnt something
though and thats to BACKUP!
I appreciate your help do you have anymore ideas?

 

[Irene]

sorry, i think i cant help at this moment. because most of the time, we
facing the problem then we are doing like this, then it is ok. hope somebody
who is more expert can help u. sorry!

 

[Mushroom]

Graham,
Another option I've seen for this would be to try importing everything from
the backend into a blank database. Sometimes you can extract everything and
not have to start all over again.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I am fairley new to all this and have split my database so it has a Back end
database holding the Tables. Someone was inputting data when his machine
crashed and now the database is locked. Error message refers to THE MICROSOFT
JET DATABASE ENGINE stopped the process. Can anyone help me get over this. I
did make backups of the front ends but never did the .be.mdb file.

It's using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but one thing that can help in this
case is to get everyone off the server machine containing the backend, and
reboot it. There are less drastic ways but i don't know enough about the
Windows file-locking model to advise...

 

[David W. Fenton]

I am fairley new to all this and have split my database so it has
a Back end database holding the Tables. Someone was inputting data
when his machine crashed and now the database is locked. Error
message refers to THE MICROSOFT JET DATABASE ENGINE stopped the
process. Can anyone help me get over this. I did make backups of
the front ends but never did the .be.mdb file.

In Control Panel go to Administrative Tools, and then to Computer
Management. The Shared Folders node should allow to view who has
what files open. You can force close the file handle. If you don't
want to do that (it could potentially corrupt the file), determine
who has the file open and then have that person log off and reboot
their computer. That should release the file lock.

 

[John W. Vinson]

In Control Panel go to Administrative Tools, and then to Computer
Management. The Shared Folders node should allow to view who has
what files open. You can force close the file handle. If you don't
want to do that (it could potentially corrupt the file), determine
who has the file open and then have that person log off and reboot
their computer. That should release the file lock.

Thanks, David. Filed for future reference - I knew it was possible but had
lost track of how!