Copies being made and Records being deleted by Access

[ExcelPaul]

I'm using Access 2003. I've been creating and using Access databases for 12
years but never encountered this problem before...

The databases are stored on a network drive but usually are only open by one
person at a time. It started when our servers were moved off-site. On
occasion Access will create a copy of the database naming the copy db1, db2,
etc. It does this for some people on my team but not everyone. We use these
files everyday, mostly just entering some text on a form.

Also, twice this month, Many records were deleted from one of my large
tables. The first time it only left exactly 15,000 records in the table.
Yesterday it only left exactly 40,000 records. The table had over 70,000
records to start with. There were no action queries or utilities run other
than the Compact on Close.

Not sure if this is related or not but... sometimes our form won't display a
record that we know exists (It shows in the combo box but won't return
anythign when selected). If we wait a while it will display it. All of the
above leads me to think that it's an issue with the network connection.

I would appreciate any help you can provide as to how to address these.

 

[GFB45202]

Is the database set to automatically compact?

If the compact is interrupted by an impatient user, then you'll have
orphaned db1 databases. Sometimes impatient users will force the application
to close with Task Manager.

I'd also consider that other users are accessing the databases now that it's
in a new location.

I have in the past had numerous issues with database integrity when I've had
"Compact on Close" checked. I leave that unchecked now, and manually compact
my databases as needed.

 

[Jerry Whittle]

I agree with GFB45202 that Compact on Close is a very bad thing. Manually
compact and repair about every month when no one is using the database.

However I don't think that's the main problem here. I'm betting that all the
permission are not set up properly on the new server. All users need Read,
Write, Create, and Delete privileges to the database files AND the folder
where those files are located. If someone doesn't have delete privs, that
will leave the DB* files after a compact and repair.

It's also very possible that you do have a network problem which is causing
the slowdowns plus maybe even corrupting the database. Corruption can be
caused by network problem like a bad switch, router, or even a network card
(NIC) can be on a computer not even using the databases! I suggest that your
network people run a sniffer to look for bad packets and other problems.
Access would be a good network stress testing tool as if there is a weakness,
Access seems to find it.

Tony Toews has an excellent web page on database corruption.
Http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

Allen Brown also has excellent info on corruption.
Http://allenbrowne.com/ser-47.html

I have a white paper in a Word document named Fix Corrupt Access Database
towards the bottom this page:
http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/OtherLibraries.asp

 

[Larry Daugherty]

Moving the servers "off-site" may be the cause of the symptoms. Off
site probably means that you are getting at the database over the WAN.
Access only plays well when it's all on the same LAN. As suggested
elsewhere, Compact on Close is obviously failing at times.

HTH