Help - OLD database app on XP

[SusanV]

Hi all,

We have a very old Access database app that is used by only one person, but
is vital. I don't know what version of Access it was written in, but at
least it's an MDB not an MDE. Now that this user has had her computer
upgraded to Windows XP, every time the app is opened it asks to convert or
open, and fails on both with errors about 16 bit DLLs vice 32-bit DLLs. (The
new computer has Office 2000, same as her old Win 98 box had, and this
wasn't a problem on Win98.)

How can I determine what version of Access this was written in, and is there
any fairly straightforward way to get this db up to 2000? Unfortunately the
company that wrote the app went out of business a few years ago, so support
is non-existent, as well as the original documentation.

TIA,

SusanV

 

[John Vinson]

Hi all,

We have a very old Access database app that is used by only one person, but
is vital. I don't know what version of Access it was written in, but at
least it's an MDB not an MDE. Now that this user has had her computer
upgraded to Windows XP, every time the app is opened it asks to convert or
open, and fails on both with errors about 16 bit DLLs vice 32-bit DLLs. (The
new computer has Office 2000, same as her old Win 98 box had, and this
wasn't a problem on Win98.)

How can I determine what version of Access this was written in, and is there
any fairly straightforward way to get this db up to 2000? Unfortunately the
company that wrote the app went out of business a few years ago, so support
is non-existent, as well as the original documentation.

Try opening the database while holding down the Shift key - or, if the
Help option on the menu is avaliable without doing so, use Help...
About. This will reveal the version.

Access 2.0 was the last 16-bit version, and is most likely the version
you have. It IS possible to run 2.0 on WindowsXP - I'm doing so at
present. Do you have later versions of Access installed on the same
computer? Try doing a search for msaccess.exe - do you have multiple
versions installed? How are you opening the database - by clicking on
the database file itself, or (probably much better) using a shortcut?

It is certainly possible to upgrade a 2.0 database to 200x format.
I've done several, using Access97 as an intermediate stage; Microsoft
also has a free downloadable addin for converting 2.0 to 2000 format:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=91C944F8-F3AB-41E9-902A-2255A66E1C4A


John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[SusanV]

Hi John,

Yes I've tried opening it with the shift key to no avail - and am unable to
use the converter as it requires Office 2003, and we are using Office 2000.

Well, I'm not ready to give up just yet, so I slaved her old drive into my
PC (thankfully I saved it JUST in case and used a new drive for XP) and the
shortcut she had set up references an ini file. I recreated the shortcut and
folder structure on my PC (Also WinXP) and I got missing DLL errors for the
following:

MSAJT200.DLL
DAO2016.DLL
MSABC200.DLL

I copied those files from her old drive's windows\system to XPs
windows\system32 directory, and now I get the logon. After she logged on the
app is running without issue - so I *think* I'm all set - at least for now
LOL. However, eventually this app will need to be rewritten to a current
version one way or another, and looking at it, it's seriously fugly - dozens
of custom functions that VBA now has built-in which accomplish the same
thing but better. So it looks like I have a new project - reverse engineer
this POS 2.0 app to a new app.

Fun stuff!!

Thanks again for your help, I really do appreciate it!

SusanV

 

[John Vinson]

However, eventually this app will need to be rewritten to a current
version one way or another, and looking at it, it's seriously fugly - dozens
of custom functions that VBA now has built-in which accomplish the same
thing but better. So it looks like I have a new project - reverse engineer
this POS 2.0 app to a new app.

Fun stuff!!

The term of art for this phenomenon is either

Billable Hours!

or

Job Security!

Thanks again for your help, I really do appreciate it!

Glad to be of assistance.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[SusanV]

I suppose job security would fit best but in my situation it means lots more
hours doing dev and fewer doing marine engineering, so I'll take it either
way!!
<grin>