Access bugs and Anti-Virus (1 Viewer)

Cotswold

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Regarding the various problems with Access bugs caused by the Office updates, I think you should also be aware of the effect of (some/all?) the current anti-virus software. I recently had an issue where the FE I was working on that would not compact and gave the error "C:\.........accdb; already in use". The FE wasn't in use of course, and there weren't any issues with the FE as it compacted normally on two other PCs with different AVs installed. Prior to this problem, I recently noticed unusual trivial, but spasmodic issues with Access.

After going though all of the possible Access causes, I then looked at any changes on that particular PC. The only changes were that I had installed the AVG browser to take a look at it, and I had installed McAfee AV. I removed the AVG browser to no effect. I then uninstalled the huge and multi-application McAfee, all 79MB of it. The problem went away immediately and has not returned.

Additionally, another odd thing about McAfee was the unusual request for it to update sometimes more than once a day. The other was that it checked every program you used, online or offline every time you used them.

If I delayed the daily update for two days, I was frequently encouraged to update now to stay safe! In the past I presumed that an AV would initially check software on the disk, then check new installs and all internet use. To check every file used on a virus free machine, even when offline was new to me, particularly as I always ran regular AV scans.

Clearly if McAfee does this, it is doing it for a reason. I presume that as McAfee monitors all programs used, it will also download that data onto its servers. Which could well have been the reason for the frequent update demands. According to the T&Cs you give all AVs access to everything on your PC. From programs used to, and specifically including, your emails, contacts etc. Why that intrusion is necessary I do not know. But there is a reason for everything. So the suggested presumption is that McAfee have paid for and included those functions as it is in their interests to do so, and to their financial benefit.

So if you have a problem with Access it could be your AV that is causing it.
 

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