Access File Recovery (1 Viewer)

[William_Tell]

Hello Everyone,

Does anyone have a 3rd party tool that recovers a MS Access database file that has exceeded it file size and no longer can be opened?
Every tool I have come across requires payment to complete the restoration and I want to ensure that the recovery is successful prior to spending money on the tool. I have performed the recommended compact and repair steps, the creation of a new database file and importing the objects from the corrupt/too large file, all to no avail.
I downloaded the a 3rd party program and it seems to work, but you have to pay for the software to find out if it truly worked. The problem I encountered is the file size exceeded what MS Access can open (a stray VBA process was running to cause it). I do a compact and repair daily, however, with this stray process the file size grew extremely fast.
Thank you

 

[MajP]

I have performed the recommended compact and repair steps, the creation of a new database file and importing the objects from the

Are you saying you can import the tables and objects from the corrupt db? Usually if it is corrupt you cannot get to those so you may have chance. If so can you import a few tables at a time and open them? Can you import a few forms/report and open them? For sure if you can import tables, I would at least import those tables into 2 or more dbs so at least you got the data.

 

[MajP]

Also I would hope that any DB at that size does not actually have the tables and objects in a single db? You have to have that db split and unfortunately you will probably need more than one backend. With multiple backends you cannot enforce referential integrity across the multiple backends. You will have to simulate that in the front-end or try to store related tables in same backend if possible.

 

[William_Tell]

Are you saying you can import the tables and objects from the corrupt db? Usually if it is corrupt you cannot get to those so you may have chance. If so can you import a few tables at a time and open them? Can you import a few forms/report and open them? For sure if you can import tables, I would at least import those tables into 2 or more dbs so at least you got the data.

MS Access cannot connect to the corrupt db for import purposes, be it data tables, queries or any other object. The 3rd party program does successfully unpack all objects in the db, but the program does not allow me to save the unpacked version unless I pay. I am reluctant to pay if I cannot confirm if the program was successful by looking at the recovered version of the db.
I am hoping someone on here might perform those services.

 

[William_Tell]

Also I would hope that any DB at that size does not actually have the tables and objects in a single db? You have to have that db split and unfortunately you will probably need more than one backend. With multiple backends you cannot enforce referential integrity across the multiple backends. You will have to simulate that in the front-end or try to store related tables in same backend if possible.

The db is split by default. The inaccessible db file basically the coding core and the data is split across a few db files. I had made some coding changes and (to my detriment) didn't have a backup so all of the code is locked up in this db. And yes, I know, I should have had a back up but really in all my years of working with Access, I have never come across something like this.

 

[Jason Lee Hayes]

PM me the tool you are using that requires payment. Will get you sorted..

 

[MajP]

The creation of a new database file and importing the objects from the corrupt/too large file, all to no avail.

That is good, you are much better off that the DB is split. But still unclear if you can import some "objects" (forms, reports, queries). In rare cases it is a single form or code that is corrupting the db. If you can import objects one by one then you can slowly recover until you determine the corrupt object. This condition is rare, but it sounded like you can import objects. Normally you cannot import objects and if you do no code comes with it.
If you can import objects you want to import a couple and then do a decompile/recompile.

 

[William_Tell]

Sadly, the attempt to connect to this corrupt db fails, as Access does not recognize it as a proper db (file size is too large).

 

[The_Doc_Man]

What version of Access is this, and is it 32-bit or 64-bit? If it is 64-bit AND you choose the Large Address Aware option, you MIGHT be able to recover it. That's a guess. If it is a 32-bit DB, LAA won't matter.

I'm a bit confused, though. Normally, you can't create a DB that exceeds the 2 GB limit. I.e. you can't even write beyond the address limits because of the way Access maps things internally. Which means it is more likely that it is corrupted and that is what is blocking the works.

 

[William_Tell]

What version of Access is this, and is it 32-bit or 64-bit? If it is 64-bit AND you choose the Large Address Aware option, you MIGHT be able to recover it. That's a guess. If it is a 32-bit DB, LAA won't matter.

I'm a bit confused, though. Normally, you can't create a DB that exceeds the 2 GB limit. I.e. you can't even write beyond the address limits because of the way Access maps things internally. Which means it is more likely that it is corrupted and that is what is blocking the works.

It is 64-bit. I am not familiar with the LAA option. I will look into that. Thank you.

 

[MajP]

Sadly, the attempt to connect to this corrupt db fails, as Access does not recognize it as a proper db (file size is too large).

That is what I assumed and makes more sense, but it sounded as if you could import objects which would be a very different situation.

 

[isladogs]

LAA is for 32-bit Access and has been built-in for the past 2 years or so. 64-bit was always large address aware.

Large Address Awareness

Large Address Awareness has finally been added to 32-bit Access. This article explains what this means and how/when it will be useful.

isladogs.co.uk

In any case LAA has absolutely nothing to do with the situation described by the OP.

Try compacting the app externally. I doubt it will work but worth a try.
You could also try decompiling but again I hold out little hope.

I doubt you will be able to get anywhere with this without using recovery software.
The most well known recovery app which begins with S is, in my opinion, probably not going to be worth the cost

 

[GPGeorge]

<<The most well known app, which begins with S ,is, in my opinion as well, probably not going going to be worth the cost>>

 

[arnelgp]

you put it on onedrive or dropbox and share the link, so anybody can try to
recover your db.

I also have S. Repair for Access.

 

[vhung]

you put it on onedrive or dropbox and share the link, so anybody can try to
recover your db.

I also have S. Repair for Access.

Good day

It is a better suggestion,
"May try S to open tables and save to new file, for a split database"
(License/Activation key is required)

 

[amorosik]

you put it on onedrive or dropbox and share the link, so anybody can try to
recover your db.

I also have S. Repair for Access.

Have you ever had to use it on a corrupt file?
Does it work?
Does it cut anything?

 

[William_Tell]

you put it on onedrive or dropbox and share the link, so anybody can try to
recover your db.

I also have S. Repair for Access.

I am not able to share links on here, not sure why.

 

[Gasman]

I am not able to share links on here, not sure why.

You need a certain amount of posts to do so. So split the text up so that it is not a url, or post a picture of it.

 

[BlueSpruce]

I am not able to share links on here, not sure why

We can download your accdb if you post a screenshot of the link.