unrecognizable database format

[Donna]

My husband is an auctioneer. I use Access 2000 to record
(clerk) and collect money from bidders (cashier)on a 3
station network. The clerk records each sale as it is
auctioned on a Pentium IV laptop with Windows XP. The
cashier uses a Pentium III desktop with Windows 98 to
prepare invoices for bidders and collect money. The 3rd
station is the server where the Access database file
resides. This station is unmanned. The server is a Pentium
II desktop with Windows 98.

During the course of the auction either the clerk and/or
the cashier get the following occasional error
message: "\\Server\auctiondatabase Unrecognizable
Database Format". We just say "OK" and keep working but
this message scares me. Could the fact that we are using
2 different operating systems (Windows XP on the laptop
and Windows 98 on the desktop) be causing this error? Does
anyone have an idea of what would cause this error??

 

[Tony Toews]

My husband is an auctioneer. I use Access 2000 to record
(clerk) and collect money from bidders (cashier)on a 3
station network. The clerk records each sale as it is
auctioned on a Pentium IV laptop with Windows XP. The
cashier uses a Pentium III desktop with Windows 98 to
prepare invoices for bidders and collect money. The 3rd
station is the server where the Access database file
resides. This station is unmanned. The server is a Pentium
II desktop with Windows 98.

During the course of the auction either the clerk and/or
the cashier get the following occasional error
message: "\\Server\auctiondatabase Unrecognizable
Database Format". We just say "OK" and keep working but
this message scares me. Could the fact that we are using
2 different operating systems (Windows XP on the laptop
and Windows 98 on the desktop) be causing this error? Does
anyone have an idea of what would cause this error??

Actually the cause is most likely to be that you have Win XP clients
with a Win 98 server. MS specifically states that you shouldn't use a
Win 95/98/ME server with Win NT4.0/2000/XP clients.

Also you really want to split the MDB as this can be a significant
cause of corruption in A2000 and newer.

You want to split the MDB into a front end containing the queries,
forms, reports, macros and modules with just the tables and
relationships. The FE is copied to each network users computer. The
FE MDB is linked to the tables in the back end MDB which resides on a
server. You make updates to the FE MDB and distribute them to the
users, likely as an MDE.

See the "Splitting your app into a front end and back end Tips" page
at my website for more info. See the Auto FE Updater downloads page
at my website to make this relatively painless.. It also supports
Terminal Server/Citrix quite nicely.

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

 

[Donna]

Thank you Tony for your reply.

Do you know of an article written by Microsoft on the
subject of not using Win98 as a Server with WinXP as a
client?

Can you install WinXP on a Pentium II with 64meg RAM?

I'm confused about the Database Splitter. In my case,
recording a "live" auction, my main concern is the data in
the "clerking table." No one on the 2-person network is
interested in making changes to object design.

Here is my biggest concern: How could I create a "backup"
of the "clerking table" simultaneously at the same time it
is being created?? The data in this table is the record
of the live auction sales and it is crucial information!

 

[Tony Toews]

Do you know of an article written by Microsoft on the
subject of not using Win98 as a Server with WinXP as a
client?

Not right off hand but if you follow the MS links at the Corruptions
page at my website.

Can you install WinXP on a Pentium II with 64meg RAM?

Install maybe. Run I don't know. I'd at least invest in more RAM to
at least 128 Mb preferable 256.

I'm confused about the Database Splitter. In my case,
recording a "live" auction, my main concern is the data in
the "clerking table." No one on the 2-person network is
interested in making changes to object design.

Yes, once you split your MDB this scenario will work just fine.

Here is my biggest concern: How could I create a "backup"
of the "clerking table" simultaneously at the same time it
is being created?? The data in this table is the record
of the live auction sales and it is crucial information!

That's a lot trickier. You could try replication but that's rather
ugly. SQL Server/MSDE is likely overkill and would require extensive
technical knowledge. This is pretty much the only "guaranteed"
solution though. As guaranteed as you'll get when it comes to
software anyhow.

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