Summary
This article explains the symptoms and causes for a corrupted Microsoft Access database, and what to do about it.
Symptoms
A corrupted database can lead to several problems including:
- Database will not properly open without error messages or may not open at all
- Records may contain incorrect data or irrelevant data
- Functions within the database may not work (sorting, adding/deleting records, etc)
Explanation
A corrupted database needs to be rebuilt. We always recommend making a backup copy of the database before attempting any work on it. Access has several tools built into the software to facilitate rebuilding a database. One of the most effective is the “Compact and Repair Database” function.
A common problem in manipulating the original file (after a backup is complete) is that Access has ‘locked’ the database due to other users accessing the same database. Sometimes the ‘other user’ is a Windows service running (such as MCL).
Solution
Make sure all users including possible services are not connected. A reboot of the system will usually remove users. Using the Services Manager in Windows can help stop the services that might be locking the database. A reboot will not stop the services if the services are set to automatically start when the computer starts (this is the typical setting).
Article originally posted Sept. 26, 2017.
