Off2013-Cannot open a database created with a previous version of your application (1 Viewer)

Hello,

My department is rolling out Office2013 to the workstations in the next few weeks, and I was tasked with testing the various MS Access apps with the new version.

I expected some normal stuff, such as files/references to be weird - normal stuff.

But this is a problem I don't know how to handle. When I fire up this older MS Access app using Office 2013 I get the following message:

"Cannot open a database created with a previous version of your application"

And then the app closes... The app is called by a shortcut that has a /wrkgrp parameter since the app is using an mdw for security. ALso the app is split into a backend that lies on the network, and all the users have local front ends on their machine.

My first thought that this was a problem because the data storage container was perhaps an old version... so I opened the application's parts (the front end, and the backend) individually and did the Save and Publish to "2002 - 2003" format but still get that error.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? How can I find out what version of the db this is? It opens and runs fine in Office 2010. I'm beginning to freak out a little bit...

Is "save and publish" the same as Convert?

Thanks,
-Matt G.

MORE/Edit:

It seems the backend can be opened no problem with Office 2013. I can't test the front end since the lack of opening with MDW gets in the way. Might the problem be an old mdw using the wrong format?

you may have a problem - take a look at these two links

http://windowssecrets.com/forums/sh...pgrading-from-Access-2002-(XP)-to-Access-2013

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Database/MS_Access/Q_28438944.html

The issue appears to be with the .mdw

I'm a little confused by what I read there, but I think the issue is that this particular mdw may be old. Is there a way to open the mdw and check to see what version it is? Some of the mdw's being called in the shortcut work, while some don't.

Also, is there a simple explanation of how to unsecure the database? When looking through the mdw security settings (which I am not the best at...) it looks like all the users have read/write and the admin has design rights.

Is there a way to remove all the security? I thought I just needed to make blank the admin password and make sure the admin is in the users group. I've done that, but the db still want's the mdw. I try to start up without the mdw and the app complains about permissions.

I'm comfortable with removing all security from this app, but can't find a concise way to do this.

Thoughts?

Is there a way to remove all the security?

Click to expand...

I thought post #5 of this link suggested the way

http://windowssecrets.com/forums/sh...pgrading-from-Access-2002-(XP)-to-Access-2013

Sorry this is outside my experience so I'm as much in the dark as you are.

I presume you have front end/back end so can you not save and publish them into a new .accdb?

Okaaaay...

I got it figured out.

The front end was office 2002-2003.

The backend was office2000 (which I converted to 2002-2003 using office 2010)

(drum roll)

The mdw was office 95!

So I dug out an old laptop and installed office 2003 on it, and opened the mdw, which I then converted to 2002-2003 et voila!

This app now runs on Office 2013!

...and the security is still intact (as best I can tell).

Thanks, CJ!

glad you got that sorted - could have been a bit sticky!