Recovering Deleted Tables

[hartley_aaron]

Hello,

I was trying to find a way to recover a table deleted from an MS Access
2003 database. So far I have found two ways to achieve this, but each
has its problems:

1. If the application has not been restarted since the table was
deleted, the deleted tables still exist (although hidden) as something
like ~tmpCLP<integer>. There is sample code for restoring the tables
at http://support.microsoft.com/?id=209874. Unfortunetly, I have
already restarted the application.

2. There are software packages that allow the recovery of tables but
they are about $300.00. I felt this to be a little steep.

Are they any other options for this?

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Guest]

At times like this, nothing beats a good, recent backup.

In the future do a complete backup of the database before doing any major
surgery like deleting a table or even modifying forms and reports.

If a user 'accidentally' deleted the table, you should be hiding the
database window and only allowing users to interact with the database through
a user interface like the Switchboard and other forms.

Further if the database is split, only the most devious of users could
figure out how to delete the table. They could delete the link but the data
would still be safe.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Aaron.

I was trying to find a way to recover a table deleted from an MS Access
2003 database.

There are only four ways to recover a deleted table without incurring
monetary costs:

1.) Append the data from the original, deleted table into a new one. Use
the VBA code on the following Web page:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=209874

Unfortunately, this method is useless as soon as the database is closed or
compacted.

2.) Change the table's "marked for deletion" attributes. Since the table's
attributes are changed when the table is "marked for deletion," changing
these attributes back to normal will recover the table so that it can be
renamed with the original table name. Unfortunately, this method is also
useless as soon as the database is closed or compacted.

3.) Restore from backup. As long as the backup was made before the table
was deleted, this method is available regardless of whether or not you've
closed the database or compacted the database since the deletion.
Unfortunately, the data may not be up to date if the backup was made too
long ago. Also, this method is useless if a valid backup wasn't made
beforehand.

4.) Read the binary file. Study the undocumented Jet architecture and read
the binary file's table's structure and records, byte by byte, and copy them
into a new file. Unfortunately, this method is very time-consuming and
beyond the skills and patience level of the average computer user.

2. There are software packages that allow the recovery of tables but
they are about $300.00. I felt this to be a little steep.

Since the first three free options appear to be out of the question, that
leaves you with few alternatives. Granted, those tools for recovering
Access databases are on the pricey side, but they do more than just recover
a single deleted table, so the prices are set accordingly. But perhaps
someone else who has already purchased one of these tools or who has built
his own recovery tool would be willing to recover your table for you if you
send him a copy of your file.

If you don't receive any responses here from someone offering to do it for
free, then you may want to offer a reasonable amount for someone to provide
this service to you, an amount that you think "isn't too steep." Perhaps
someone will accept your offer.

HTH.
Gunny

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