Question MDE not recognized

[Elphaba31]

Hello Everyone,

I have little to no experience with Access and am gropping around in the dark at best with databases that I have inherited.

I have an Access database that has a .mde file extension and can not be opened; error states that it is an "unrecognized database format". I currently have Access 2007 installed and I also tried to open it in Access 2003; received the same error. I have other databases that were built at the same time with the same extention that I can open.

Thanks for all your help in advance!

Elphaba31

 

[JamesMcS]

Hi! There's a chance, a slim one, that it's just been renamed. Try changing the extension to .MDB instead of .MDE and see what happens.

MDE's are a kind of front end for a database, that doesn't show any tables, queries or code. Good for end users.

 

[Elphaba31]

Hi JamesMcS,

Thanks for your response. I tried to change the file format and I still get the same error.

Thanks again,

Elphaba31

 

[JamesMcS]

Hmm was a long shot, I think that DB might just be corrupted then. Can you get hold of a backup copy?

 

[Elphaba31]

The backup is also a .mde and I am playing with a copy of a copy of it right now.

 

[JamesMcS]

Darn it! So there's no MDB original? You might be stuck then chuck

 

[gemma-the-husky]

but it should open with A2003 or A2007 - even though you wont be able to change the code

maybe its corrupt.

 

[reddwarf]

open access first - then go FILE , OPEN and locate file - sometimes works. worth a shot as above.

can you post it here - how big is it ?