The dreaded MSysDb corruption

[monkeytunes]

Alas and woe; I have been stricken with the "Cannot find the object MSysDb" error.

(Note: MSysDb is not to be confused with MySysDb.)

My DB is unopenable. The objects cannot be imported into another database. The Jet Compact Utility from Microsoft's website cannot compact the corrupted database into another database. It appears there is nothing to be done.

If you search these forums for "MSysDb", you'll find that this cruel affliction appears to have no cure other than biting the bullet and loading a backup. Can someone shed some light on what this "MSysDb" is and why, when it goes down, all is lost?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

MSysDB is the table that contains pointer to all other objects in the DB.

See, every object in the DB is merely a series of records. (Collection, technically). These collections are LISTS implemented as a sequenced array of pointers to the component strings or more complex structures. Now, guess which table holds the list of lists?

You got it - MSysDB.

So if you think of tree diagrams, imagine what happens when you slice out the trunk of the tree.