Access '07 corrupted database recovery

[Justin P]

Our company database is now sending out an error message that reads "record is deleted" when we attempt to query anything. There was ONE person here who had access to or knew anything about the database. He was canned before I got here, and this has landed in my lap. There were NO data backups. Compact and Repair apparently does nothing.

I purchased and ran Cimaware AccessFIX and got a "recovered" database. Problem is, it looks nothing like the user interface that we know how to use. Cimaware is extremely slow to respond to requests for support.

1. Does anyone know of a magic fix that will make all of these problems go away?
2. Cimaware is saying that all of the DATA that is supposed to fill the database must be somewhere else. They want me to send THAT. How on Earth will I know what to look for?

I do not have an IT background. I'm just the only person here who is willing to bird-dog this thing and try to find an answer that doesn't entail starting again from scratch. Ummmm, help?

 

[SydneyGeek]

Open the database if you can. Check the table icons in the navigation pane: if they have arrows next to them, they are linked to another database.
Right-click one of the icons and go to Design: ignore the dialog that pops up about being unable to make changes.
Right-click one of the fields and check the properties. You will see a text string that contains the full path of the linked database.

If you do have corruption in a split system it could be in the front end (interface) or back end (data). Try the following:

Make a COPY of the back end database (the ones that contains all the tables). Open the copy and run Compact & Repair.
Create a blank database and try to import everything from the front end database.
Now create another blank database and try to import everything from the back end database.
You do this by going to the Data tab, and clicking the Access icon, which will launch a form. Browse to the database that you want to import from, nominate that you want to import and not link, and click OK.
In the next dialog select all queries, forms, reports, macros, and modules (for the front end) or all tables (for the back end) and run the import.
Note if any objects generate an error: they are the corrupted ones and will need to be replaced.

Denis

 

[Will_B]

You might consider exporting each table as a TEXT file, then importing the results into a NEW database. If the problem is a "blown index", this should fix the problem because new indexes will be created as you import each text file.

Kudos for having the guts to volunteer to tackle this.

 

[Justin P]

SUCCESS!

SydneyGeek, your help was invaluable. I was able to find where the external data was kept. I did compact and repair, then opened the regular database that links to it. It works beautifully! Now, if only I had a temp to put in the last week's worth of data, I'd be in fine shape. I especially appreciate that you put it in language that is easy to understand and provided instruction that was easy to follow.

Will_B, thanks for the advice. I'm grateful while glad that I don't have to use it.

And for the day, I look like a superhero around the office.