A bad day with Access, is it only me?

[twgonder]

Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling Office?

I'm not going to do that just yet. It's a big pain since it's all downloaded over the internet, and not on a DVD anymore. I've only got limited bandwidth. Some of the people that are saying it's impossible for Access to touch Windows, probably aren't running the same version of Office Pro 2021 and all of its components, or they just went ahead and clicked allow when the Windows security message popped up the first time they saw it.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

But then, this is the only reported case where it seems to be happening that I've seen here and on other forums, so it's not like a lot of people are digging into it.

It may be the only case where some other error is triggering the reported error. We have no way of knowing without some serious digging as to whether ANY of the Office elements are passing back data, or how.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I'm running Office Pro. It takes very little time to download since most components will run in the cloud unless you specifically want to install them. Only Access actually needs to be downloaded since it cannot run in the cloud.

 

[KitaYama]

It's a big pain since it's all downloaded over the internet, and not on a DVD anymore.

When you access your account, you have the option to install office via internet or download the DVD.
You can select offline installer and keep a copy of it on a DVD for next installs/repairs:

Some of the people that are saying it's impossible for Access to touch Windows, ....... they just went ahead and clicked allow when the Windows security message popped up the first time they saw it.

Now are you telling us your install and settings are OK and it's normal for Access to touch Outlook? And it's all other several million users of Access who have not noticed it?

 

[twgonder]

When you access your account, you have the option to install office via internet or download the DVD.
You can select offline installer and keep a copy of it on a DVD for next installs/repairs:

View attachment 102308



Now are you telling us your install and settings are OK and it's normal for Access to touch Outlook? And it's all other several million users of Access who have not noticed it?

I try not to put words in the mouths of other people.
But thanks for the tip on how to get the download files. I'll fire that up some evening when I can get a good wifi connection somewhere.
But because I bought an online key, I'm not sure if it's in my M$ account, I give M$ as little of my data as possible.

 

[twgonder]

What do you think?

I was in a brand new db, none of the old code that I imported from forums was even in the db.
If it was some install problem, or other issue, how would Access even know to look in a folder that isn't the standard location for Outlook files?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

From that display, it SEEMS like someone didn't "trust" Outlook the first time it was started. Was the installation even done as Admin? It is fine to install private copies of executables. I do that all the time with my games. But for sharing, you would need to install EVERYTHING under "Run As Admin" in order to have proper interoperability.

 

[twgonder]

From that display, it SEEMS like someone didn't "trust" Outlook the first time it was started. Was the installation even done as Admin? It is fine to install private copies of executables. I do that all the time with my games. But for sharing, you would need to install EVERYTHING under "Run As Admin" in order to have proper interoperability.

I don't have a videographic memory. I bought a new laptop about six months ago. Did the standard updates and cleanups. Bought an on-line licensed Office Pro product key from a reputable source. Downloaded the install files. Microsoft did it's thing to install. All was done in an administrator account. The install indicated that everything went well. Only very rare problems with Outlook hanging or crashing for about four months. Two months ago I start using Access. Problems start. It's possible that the install files were corrupted by some kind of malware that wants to steal my contacts or some such thing, but those install files came directly from Microsoft, so I rule that out as highly unlikely. Much more likely is that the Office suite is trying to communicate from one module to another. Even the Microsoft Protection history gives it a "Low" level of threat.

The message, as I see it, is indicating that it is MSACCESS.EXE that is being blocked from the protected folder where I keep my .pst files. Now, as I've been asking over and over again, why is MSACCESS.EXE trying to get to my .pst file? Forget install issues, forget timers and mail stuff that isn't even in a new .accdb file. They aren't relevant, to my way of thinking (which may be wrong I know), to what the security message is trying to say. ACCESS WAS BLOCKED FROM GETTING TO A FOLDER WHERE OUTLOOK FILES RESIDE. I have no files in the Outlook folder other than .pst files and an old registry save that should be of interest to Access.

Maybe many of the commenters haven't put their .pst files in a documents folder for security and backup? Maybe they don't have Ransomware protection turned on to protect where they do have their .pst files? Maybe they don't have the Office Pro 2021 version that I have with all the updates? This is most likely an internal question about a black-box application called Office that has installed 8,760 files at over 4GB. Does anybody really know for 100% what is going on inside that black-box? I don't, but I think I understand what that security message is trying to say. There is code inside Access to work with Outlook, why presume this error isn't part of that whole bit of code in Access? If this is the case, then reinstalling or digging deep into system logs isn't going to change this unless Microsoft has removed the "feature" or fixed a bug. In either case , then my Office updates should handle that issue. My past experience tells me not to reinstall for such a trivial question, as the reinstall often causes more problems than it fixes when laid on top of existing files that are based on newer updates over six months.

 

[CJ_London]

Really think you are asking in the wrong forum. We are 68 posts up, many suggestions made, some perhaps tried and no further forward. No-one else is experiencing your problem (or at least not bringing it up as an issue) - I was only able to find one similar case, from 10+ years ago, per post #46.

Perhaps try these MS forums which should get you access to the MS technical team

Access

Welcome to the Access group! This is the place to discuss best practices, news, and the latest trends and topics related to Access.

techcommunity.microsoft.com

Redirecting

 

[KitaYama]

I wanted to reply in a different way, but it seems that @CJ_London already said what I wanted to say. So no need to repeat.

I think you have three options here.
1- Abondon Access just like what you did 10 years ago and go back to all other tools you used during those years for your application.
2- Allow Access to do whatever it wants to your outlook folder. After all , I don't think it will send your mail contents to Microsoft.
3- Uninstall all office applications and clean install everything.

I really don't see a fourth option here.

 

[GPGeorge]

It may be the only case where some other error is triggering the reported error. We have no way of knowing without some serious digging as to whether ANY of the Office elements are passing back data, or how.

That's the point I was getting at in my inelegant way. This appears to be a singular case, not a common problem, based on the sparsity of inquiries about it.

Moreover, the time and effort required to dig into it seems like something only a truly dedicated person would invest otherwise. Heck, why would anyone even think to do it before reading this discussion? Would anyone ask if Access is somehow interfering with Outlook, or vice versa, if they had never seen or heard of it happening? There are lots of well known problems in need of understanding and resolution without coming up with new--potentially hypothetical--scenarios to investigate.

On the other hand, there are a handful of Access pros who probably would be happy to invest that time investigating the possibility of a problem, if the incentive is there. The challenge has been laid down. If someone has the time, knowledge and energy to devote to it, knowing that it is, at best, a singular reported case, let them have at it.

 

[NauticalGent]

Although not surprised, I am intrigued that NO ONE has asked the OP for a copy of the DB for troubleshooting. If they have, sorry I missed it...

 

[KitaYama]

Although not surprised, I am intrigued that NO ONE has asked the OP for a copy of the DB for troubleshooting. If they have, sorry I missed it...

In several occasions, OP has claimed opening a blank new database has the same effect. #66 above is one of those cases.
So, it's not a per database problem.

 

[AccessBlaster]

I wanted to reply in a different way, but it seems that @CJ_London already said what I wanted to say. So no need to repeat.

I think you have three options here.
1- Abondon Access just like what you did 10 years ago and go back to all other tools you used during those years for your application.
2- Allow Access to do whatever it wants to your outlook folder. After all , I don't think it will send your mail contents to Microsoft.
3- Uninstall all office applications and clean install everything.

I really don't see a fourth option here.

I would probably resort to #3, it would bug me if the symptoms presented.

 

[CJ_London]

but I do think it is a peculiarity of the OP's windows/office setup - evidence: a) no one else is aware of a problem, b) OP has a penchant for trying to do things in a way that fits his model of the world rather than the model defined by access/windows etc. so may have unknowingly altered something somewhere to cause the problem. The one suggestion which would prove or deny this has been rejected - to do a complete reinstall.

This comment in particular 'Bought an on-line licensed Office Pro product key from a reputable source.' gives me pause for thought. In my experience the only reputable source is Microsoft. The key gets referenced twice, once on install and again on registration

 

[spaLOGICng]

The last 24 hours have been hell day with Access 2021. I had burps, crashes, and contaminated data and tables, queries and forms. In multiple dbs.

It all reminds me of my first experience with Access almost thirty years ago, when I first walked away from it. Maybe I'm doing things all wrong, but if that's the case, why does Access permit it?

First, I had another, maybe the 10th this week, where the db(s) just hung and nothing would move, just a bell that kept dinging.
So I had to end it with task manager. But then I opened it up and ran the compact/repair and things seemed okay.
A little later, as it's done many times recently, it just shuts down after a pause and forces a backup, no explanation given.
After that I saw some data in a table that had been corrupted with strange characters in several records.

I had changed some field names from within the relationship view, and everything seemed good. I exported tables, queries and reports to another db. Things ran, then I made a .accde, it went through its steps, but when I tried to run the .accde, there were errors asking for parameter values. Digging deeper, I found that some of the field names I changed had corrupted the queries and forms with new sources for the data source properties.

I know how to reset and stop a running VBA procedure that's stopped for an error, and that wasn't the case in these problems.

Is it just me, or are others seeing these kinds of errors? It's not a complicated db, I'm just doing some simple reports and coding.

Hi,

I am sorry that you are having such a terrible experience with Access. I cannot comment without great detail. Maybe it is something that you are doing wrong. Since the issue persists, I recommend that you hand the DB over to a second set of eyes. I freelance on Upwork and I am often that second set of eyes to determine where the gaps are in an application. I believe your issue is more technical that what is known here. But I will tell you this, it is not access.

In my experience however, the biggest reason for crashes are where an Access Table has an Autonumber Field and it has lost its seeding Value. The seeding value issue a lot of times begins when Records are Deleted. I cannot explain why, but it is also my opinion that this has stabilized over the years to where I feel confident about using Autonumber Fields again. Nowadays, I prefer SQL Server as a Backend over Access, even if it is SQL Express.

As for the naming of things, it is very important NOT to use reserved words or special characters for Table Names, Field Names, Query Names, Form Names, Control Names, Report Names or their Control Names. Avoid using the word "Name" at all cost.

I DO use the Auto-correct Features for development. The Auto-correct does not catch everything, but most of it. I have learned to build DBA/Developer Tools over the years that I have incorporate as a Template where I begin with everything. It is kind of dirty and is why I do not resale it, but might behoove you to build your own tools. My tools let me change the name of anything in any query. It allows me to quick find "Expr" expressions that were previously a Column Name. I can also search for any Control in any Form or Report.

Lastly one of the biggest cause for Expr Expressions in Queries is caused when Objects are copied from one DB to another, where a dependent Object was pasted later. A Query is dependent on "Table A" for instance, and the Query is pasted into the DB before Table A is. The Query does not know what table to bind to and therefore creates the expressions.

So consider giving it over to a second set of eyes and let them consult you on best practices once they discover where or what the issues are.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Problems start. It's possible that the install files were corrupted by some kind of malware that wants to steal my contacts or some such thing, but those install files came directly from Microsoft, so I rule that out as highly unlikely.

That is actually not that hard to pursue if you have a decent anti-viral package that can operate in Windows "Safe" mode (which requires a reboot to get there, of course.) If your A/V system supports it, you need to do a full (whole-disk) scan in Safe mode.

I also have to ask you if you have looked at the exercise I offered in post #55 which requires you to play a little bit with Task Manager to get to Resource Manager, and which later requires you to enter debug mode with code stopped for a breakpoint so you can explore items in the Locals Window. It might look a bit tedious, but the Locals Window stuff takes a few seconds to get to the Recordsets collection. Admittedly, the exercise for Resource Manager can be a bit tedious, too. But if you do it when an Anti-Viral package is NOT scanning and your browser is NOT open and no other apps are open, ... should be easy.

One last thought: Security. If you are getting these errors, check the event logs. There is a Security log that might tell you something about the events in question including telling you the specific file reference AND the image name and maybe a supplemental library file or module name that is responsible for the error. Event Viewer is under Windows Administrative Tools, or you can just click the Start icon at lower left and type EVTVWR and hit enter. Browse through the available logs listed on the left. It helps if you have a specific time and date for one of these events where you get that message, because events in the viewer are sorted chronologically and thus it is easy to find the event.

CJ's comment reminds me that some products do funky things if they are not legitimately installed. (I.e. you thought you had a good key but you don't, so the products won't play together.) As to your license key, look at the 2nd and 3rd items in this link. The 1st item requires you to download something and I'm not suggesting that.

How to Find a Windows 10 or 11 Product Key

You might need the key to install Windows elsewhere.

www.tomshardware.com

Here is a link for on-line validation of your Windows key.

Redirecting

 

[NauticalGent]

I have experienced something similar to what the OP is experiencing in regards Access "reaching out and touching Outlook" which I will share with you all.

O365
Linked SP lists as BE

What happens:
If I do not have Outlook started and I start up my app, in my Hidden Icons portion of the system tray, I see a small Outlook Icon (screen shot attached). If I hover over it, a message appears, please see second screen shot.

The icon stays in the tray until I close my app.

Not sure if this is something new but I just now noticed it. I have been able to recreate this situation about 10 times in a row, so I am confident this isn't a fluke.

Why it is happening:
When the start-up form loads, I have a function that determines the user's email address ("GetEmailAddress()"), which uses the Outlook.NameSpace and Outlook.Folder objects

If Outlook cannot connect to the server - the user cannot be validated and I have code that informs the user that there is a problem with Outlook and to contact the J6 (IT dept) - without that "catch" there is an error message and the app WOULD shut down IF I did not have a trap for it when it is me logging in. Everyone else would get bounced out rudely.

If I comment out the GetEmailAddress call, no Icon in the systray.

In summary, as others have said: Access WILL reach out to external apps - but ONLY when told to do so.