Unrecognised database Format

[Pete]

I am running Access (from Office 97) in Windows XP. I tried to open my
database and got the message Unrecognised Database Format. I successfully
opened it 2 hours previously and made an entry an now I can't use it. I
have noticed that when I try to open it the displayed path to the file shows
in the following format:
C:\MYDOCU~1\BSDADB~1\try.mdb
as opposed to
C:\MYDOCUMENTS\BSDADB\try.mdb

Any suggestions?

Pete

 

[John Vinson]

I am running Access (from Office 97) in Windows XP. I tried to open my
database and got the message Unrecognised Database Format. I successfully
opened it 2 hours previously and made an entry an now I can't use it. I
have noticed that when I try to open it the displayed path to the file shows
in the following format:
C:\MYDOCU~1\BSDADB~1\try.mdb
as opposed to
C:\MYDOCUMENTS\BSDADB\try.mdb

The database has become corrupted. The DOS-style pathname is probably
irrelevant, though you might want to use Explorer to see if there are
two subdirectories named BSDADB.

See if you have JETCOMP.EXE in your Windows System folder; it's a
"super repair" utility which might be able to salvage the database
(you can download it from Microsoft if it's not installed). If that
fails, you'll probably need to recreate the database or recover it
from backup.

 

[Pete]

Thanks for the prompt reply John.
I've Downloaded JETCOMP.EXE but am confused about how to proceed. The
application asks for the Destination Database. This might seem a stupid
question but what does it mean by Destination? Clearly the source is the
corrupt file but do I give the destination any name or what? Also there
are 4 additional options
Encrypt Destination Database
Use Database locale when copying data for text columns
Destination is 4x database format
Destination is 3x database format

I assume that database encryption is not essential but what about Use
Database locale and how will I now whether it should be in 4x or 3x Format?

Finally if this fails to recover the database is there any way I can get the
info out in text format?

Pete

 

[John Vinson]

Thanks for the prompt reply John.
I've Downloaded JETCOMP.EXE but am confused about how to proceed.

Back your database up FIRST! The repair process can do further damage
if it's damaged badly already.

The
application asks for the Destination Database. This might seem a stupid
question but what does it mean by Destination? Clearly the source is the
corrupt file but do I give the destination any name or what? Also there
are 4 additional options
Encrypt Destination Database
Use Database locale when copying data for text columns
Destination is 4x database format
Destination is 3x database format

I assume that database encryption is not essential but what about Use
Database locale and how will I now whether it should be in 4x or 3x Format?

Locale controls the language and alphabet settings - I'd assume you
want UK English (as opposed to that obscure dialect, US English). I
simply don't know whether 4x or 3x is correct, nor what they mean!

Finally if this fails to recover the database is there any way I can get the
info out in text format?

Not at all easily. All I could suggest is that you send your backup
copy to Peter Miller at http://www.pksolutions.com for his highly
regarded database salvage service. And... that you keep current
backups at all times, in the future. :-{(

 

[Pete]

Thanks for your help,
Sadly it seems that all is lost. When I ran JETCOMP.EXE I got the
message "Can't Compact this Version of the Database". I cannot use the
service you (John) suggested as the Database is for a small club and we
don't have the funds. Backups are not available because of a problem, only
discovered because of this fault, with the CD Writer. Thanks for your time
and trouble.

Pete

 

[Tony Toews]

Sadly it seems that all is lost. When I ran JETCOMP.EXE I got the
message "Can't Compact this Version of the Database".

There might be some additional things you can try at the Access
Corruption FAQ at my website.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm