Lost Table Definition

[Steve]

I have a corrupted database that I ran through some software I found on the
web. The software reported that the table definition of a certain table in
the database has been lost.

1. Does that mean that the data that was in the table is forever lost?

2. Is there a way to restore the table definition and be able to access the
data?

I get this error message when I try to open the database:

"The Microsofe Jet database engine stopped the process because you and
another user are attempting to change the same data at the same time."

Thanks!

Steve

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Steve Santus.

1. Does that mean that the data that was in the table is forever lost?

Not necessarily, but I don't want to get your hopes up, because chances are
low that data can be retrieved when the table definition is completely gone.
The table definition can be removed during a compact/repair when the repair
fails, or under normal circumstances when a table is deleted. The data
pages are still intact at first, but Jet does housecleaning, and will very
quickly start reusing those data pages, especially if the database file is
closed after the table definition is removed and then the file reopened.

If the corruption is caught quickly enough and the corrupted table
definition didn't cause Jet to move data to, or write the data at, the wrong
addresses in the data pages, then most, if not all, of the records may be
salvageable. That's why it's critical to make a copy of the file as soon as
corruption is detected and only work with the copy when trying to repair it.
That way, if one method fails, one can always go back to the original and
make another copy to start over with the next attempt using a different
recovery method.

If you haven't caught it quickly enough, then most, if not all, of the data
in those data pages is unsalvageable, because Jet has started overwriting
records in the data pages that once belonged to the lost table definition.

2. Is there a way to restore the table definition and be able to access
the data?

There are commercial tools available that can recover data in the data pages
(that is, if you've caught the corruption problem fast enough), even without
the table definition, but they need a copy of the table structure to
reconstruct the table for you in a brand new database file. If you have a
recent backup with the correct table structure, that will help the tool do
its job.

"The Microsofe Jet database engine stopped the process because you and
another user are attempting to change the same data at the same time."

You'll have to use a recovery tool to retrieve the data. You won't be able
to repair the file with a normal compact/repair. Even JetComp isn't very
successful in these cases, but it's worth a try if you haven't used it on a
copy of the database yet.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Steve]

Hi Gunny,

Thanks fr responding!

I have sent a half dozen emails to Peter Miller and my client has tried to
call him several times but neither of us have gotten a response back. Not
too reliable of a guru!!!

Have you ever used a recovery tool? Any recommendations on what to use?

Thanks!

Steve

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Steve Santus.

I have sent a half dozen emails to Peter Miller and my client has tried to
call him several times but neither of us have gotten a response back.

I'm not entirely sure he's still in the business of Access database
recovery.

Have you ever used a recovery tool? Any recommendations on what to use?

I've tried the free demos, but I'm too cheap to buy the full versions, so I
built my own recovery tool. The commercial ones all appear to work, unless
the file is really, really corrupted, but even then some of the tables were
recoverable, just not all of them. Each tool demo I tested recovered the
same few tables in the severely corrupted files I used for testing, so my
conclusion was that they were pretty much comparable in their capabilities
when recovering strictly data.

They're priced in the US$200 to US$400+ range, but they also range in what
objects they can recover. Ensure you're buying one that recovers _all_
objects (tables, queries, forms, modules, et cetera), not just the data in
the tables. And the price doesn't necessarily reflect which end of the
spectrum the tool is at, because some of the $200 tools recovered all
objects, while some of the $400 tools only recovered data in the tables.
Also ensure that the tool you buy can recover a corrupted table by comparing
it to a backed up table structure, because not all of them do.

I first checked with Tony Toews's Web site for his recommendations on
database recovery services, but I also googled for "Access database recovery
tool" and found tools and even more recovery services. Sorry. I didn't
bookmark any of them.

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

Unless you want to get into the habit of recovering corrupted database files
yourself, it's probably cheaper to go with a recovery service for a one-time
job, instead of buying a recovery tool just in case you may need it again
later when a backup fails.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Steve]

Hi Gunny,

Thanks again for responding!

I built my own recovery tool.>

Does your recovery tool work well? Might it possibly recover my database?

Also ensure that the tool you buy can recover a corrupted table by
comparing it to a backed up table structure, because not all of them do.>

Does your recovery tool do this? I have a backed up table structure.

What does one look for to ensure a recovery tool does this?

Thanks!

Steve

 

[Bibo Maria]

The MS access application of Microsoft is a very common application which is used for creating databases by organizations, colleges etc. But there is a feasibility that it gets corrupt due to some problem which may lead to loss of data. To handle such situations of data loss, efficient software for access database repair can be used. You can use RecoveryFix for Access Recovery from http://www.accessrecovery.org/

 

[johnpedrick73]

I have a corrupted database that I ran through some software I found on the
web. The software reported that the table definition of a certain table in
the database has been lost.

1. Does that mean that the data that was in the table is forever lost?

2. Is there a way to restore the table definition and be able to access the
data?

I get this error message when I try to open the database:

"The Microsofe Jet database engine stopped the process because you and
another user are attempting to change the same data at the same time."

Thanks!

Steve

User can download the evaluation copy of Kernel for access repair free of cost from http://www.accessrecoverytool.net/ . The free version works similarly the paid version. The only difference is that free program does not allow the user to save the recovered items, which is possible only with the licensed version of access database repair program.