Cannot open or convert an Access 2000 MDE file in Access 97 (271072)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 97
This article was previously published under Q271072
Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open an Access 2000 MDE file in Access 97, you may receive the following error message:
Unrecognized database format '<database name>'.
If you try to convert an Access 2000 MDE file to Access 97, you find that the Convert Database command on the Database Utilities menu in Access 2000 is not available (is dimmed).

RESOLUTION

To use an Access 2000 MDE file in Access 97, you must first convert the MDB file in Access 2000 to Access 97 format. You can then open the MDB file in Access 97 and create an Access 97 MDE file. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Open the MDB file in Access 2000.
  2. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, point to Convert Database, and then click To Prior Access Database Version.
  3. Type a name for the Access 97 database, and then click Save.
  4. Open the newly converted file in Access 97.
  5. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Make MDE File.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Saving a database as an MDE file compiles all modules, removes all editable source code, and compacts the destination database. Visual Basic for Applications code will continue to run, but it cannot be viewed or edited. Because of the changes that Access makes to the database when it makes the database an MDE file, an MDE file cannot be converted to an earlier version of Access.

Additionally (and this is also the case with Access 2000 MDB files), you cannot open an Access 2000 MDE file in an earlier version of Microsoft Access.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

  1. Open the sample database, Northwind.mdb.
  2. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and click Make MDE File.
  3. Type a name for the MDE file, and then click Save.
  4. Open the newly created MDE file.
  5. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities. Note that the Convert Database command is dimmed.
  6. Open Access 97 and try to open the MDE file that you created in step 3. Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/24/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB271072
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