W2K Can’t Find Access 2000 Database File

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We use Windows 2000 Professional with Office 2000 on our networked PCs. I have an Access database that uses visual basic code which is ultimately saved as an .mde file (EETTCode.mde). This mde file is the front-end (on each PC) and actually stores the data in the backend database on a server.

So, what’s my problem you ask? If more than one person uses the SAME PC, Windows seems create a special file relationship with the person logged on. Even though the folder and mde file on the C: drive have the same access rights for everyone, the next user of the same PC gets the following message: “Microsoft Access can’t find the database file ‘C:TempoEETTCode.mde.’ When you browse to locate C:TempoEETTCode.mde, you can point to the C:TempoEETTCode.mde file and then use it! It’s the same file but the second user has to establish some sort of rights to it. See attached file for screen shots. Then when the first person logs back on (or a third user) and tries to use the file, they get the message that the database file can’t be found (as did the second user) and they have to browse to find the file. It’s like a vicious loop. Yes, they can use the file but it takes too many extra steps to do so.

Most of my users have their own PCs and so this hasn’t been too big of a headache for them. Unfortunately, four users share three PCs and it’s driving them nuts. I tested other PCs and it happens on the other PCs if a different user logs on.

I really don’t think this is an Access problem but a Windows 2000 problem. I’m wondering what security setting could cause this and what can be done to fix it. I’m going to have more staff using the file and this will become a bigger problem.

Any ideas? (Note: Unfortunately, my skill level in Windows 2000 is more of a user than an administrator but I can get our IT staff to make the fix if I find one!)

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To rule out a problem with file associations, try creating a shortcut with a full command line, like this:

“C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOfficeMSACCESS.EXE” /NOSTARTUP “C:TempoEETTCode.mde”

(This is based on what I have in Windows 2000 with Office 2000 SR-1)

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Actually our current desktop shortcut uses that code. Just to be sure, though, I copied your code and pasted it into the cmd line (from run). We get the same message that Microsoft Access can’t find the database file. I even tried creating a new desktop shortcut with the pasted code as the target and got the same message. In fact one of my tries to solve this problem, I created a new shortcut from the desktop, used browse to locate the file. I then clicked on the new shortcut and got a message from windows saying that the target was no longer correct and I allowed it to fix it. (See new attached file.)

I know there has to be something about the way Windows 2000 was setup at the Albuquerque VA since users at other VA sites don’t have this problem.

I appreciate the assistance!

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This is puzzling. We don’t normally have multiple users on a PC, but I have roving capability setup on the network, and I can go to other user’s PCs and use their shortcuts to make things happen Ok. By chance are you using Access security? I’ve seen weird things happen if you don’t include the application path (msaccess.exe) in the shortcut if you are using the /wrkgrp command line option. I’m afraid that’s the only suggestion I can make right now. Hope it helps, or at least triggers other ideas.

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Suggestion:
create individual copies of EETTCode.mde for each user and put them, for example, to C:Documents and SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftAccess folder. Then create shortcuts on each user’s Desktop (c:docu~1desktop) pointing to this mde files.

Maybe it will work?

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