Question MS Access database (1 Viewer)

TitanMerritt · Feb 20, 2018

I'm quite experienced user in MS Access 2013. But not in such things as I got today: Unrecognized Database Format 'Jon59.mdb'. My office's colleagues tried to help, but no one couldn't. Of course, I used Google and found this community. I hope, pats, my problem has a decision.

jdraw · Feb 20, 2018

.mdb is the format used with Acc97,200,2003.

Where did this database come from?
I would expect it to open withAcc2013, but I don't have that version.
I open mdb and accdb with Acc2010.

Frothingslosh · Feb 20, 2018

My guess is that it was created in Access 97, which A2013 and later cannot read.

If anyone in your office has Access 2007 or 2010, you can have them open the database and then save it in the accdb format.

Otherwise, you're probably looking at having to create a whole new one and pull the data using an ODBC connection.

MaddyLu · Feb 28, 2018

Hi，TitanMerritt

Based on your description, your Access database may be is corrupt.

The first thing you should try with the corrupt database is to try the build-in "Compact and Repair" command in Access to repair your corrupt database. But if that does not work, you need to consider other option.

You can try to search "Access data recovery" on Google to find third-party Access recovery tools. Normally these tools will offer a free demo so you can try first to see if it works on your file before proceeding with the payment. That will save you time and money.

Hope that will helps

Cronk · Feb 28, 2018

If it is corruption, another method is to create a blank database and try to import everything from the source. But do it on a backup copy to avoid any possibility of making the original is not further corrupted.

isladogs · Feb 28, 2018

As others have already said, MDB files were used prior to A2007 but can be opened in later versions. However there is a limit to which version can open it depending on the version in which it was made

Coming back to the possibility of corruption....
First make a couple of backup copies just in case

Compact & repair is very unlikely to fix it though is worth a try

Next try DECOMPILING to remove any compile code which may be corrupted
See http://www.fmsinc.com/microsoftaccess/performance/decompile.asp
If it opens after that, RECOMPILE then COMPACT

If that also fails, then trying copying everything into a new database
If that also fails, repeat but copying one item at a time and testing after each item, so you can pin down which item(s) are causing the issue

arnelgp · Feb 28, 2018

sorry but you can't run compact and repair, coz you can't open it on the first place.
if the db is created in x64, you might not able to open it on Access x86.

try using A2007 x86 if you can open it.

isladogs · Feb 28, 2018

...BUT you SHOULD still be able to decompile .... if 32/64-bit isn't the issue

jon_R · Mar 16, 2018

The error, "unrecognized database format", simply refers to corruption. You should repair Access database. You can use the Compact and Repair tool utility. It's a freeware tool that can fix corrupt Access database. Also, you can use JetComp.exe utility, a freeware tool provided by Microsoft to fix corrupt Access database.

isladogs · Mar 16, 2018

Sorry jon but neither of those will help fix corruption here

Compact and repair will not fix a corrupt database.
If using Access 2007 or later, the database engine is ACE not JET.

abhisheksachdeva · Jan 17, 2019

Few days ago, I have faced same issue. But after using Compact Repair utility, error got resolved. It takes around 25-30 minutes.

Question MS Access database (1 Viewer)

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