Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX control"

[NHowarth]

Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX control"

Hi all
I've been working with Access for nigh on 20 years and I've never encountered anything as frustrating as this. I've been unable to do any work this week because every time I try and open Acc2003 in Win XP (any database, or even just the program 'frame' as it were ) I get this error message:

"A problem occurred while Microsoft Access was communicating with the OLE server or Active X control".

I have spent many hours over the past couple of days googling for suggestions, most of which centre on Forms with Active X controls. However, I don't use them, and anyway I'm not even opening an mdb, this error occurs on opening msaccess.exe. The only clue I have to its origin is that whatever caused it also caused minor errors in Outlook and Word. I suspect it may be linked to an Adobe update (Player XI I think, but it could have been Flash) which I did just before I first encountered this error.

I would be deeply indebted if someone knows how to solve this problem. When you click OK on the error message, it just returns instantly. :banghead:

I have tried uninstalling all Adobe products, in case that was the source, but I don't have enough access rights - it's a work machine.

Here's hoping....

 

[GinaWhipp]

Re: Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX cont

DO you have any images on Forms or Reports? I once had this happen when the linked image was moved.

 

[JHB]

Re: Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX cont

Have you tried to install MS-Access from new?

 

[NHowarth]

Re: Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX cont

JHB: a re-install of Access is what cured it in the end.
Gina: I could not have sent you images of Forms or any other objects as I couldn't even open Access.

Somehow MSAccess itself got corrupted, and I'm pointing the finger at an Adobe update I did. Others beware !

Thanks for the replies.

 

[JHB]

Re: Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX cont

Anti virus programs?

http://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j...ot1ORc6ie5gjYEm-i9pZ9NA&bvm=bv.48705608,d.Yms

 

[NHowarth]

Re: Cannot open Access 2003 - error "...communicating with OLE Server or ActiveX cont

The machine doesn't have Norton on, it has Symantec, and there wasn't an update. There was an Adobe update immediately before the time when I couldn't open Access. Most of the online suggestions of what causes this error point to OLE objects on Forms etc...this was definitely not the case for me. I couldn't open Access itself, never mind an mdb file. All sorted with a reinstall.