How to suppress the Convert/Open Database dialog box in Access 2002 (290291)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 2002
This article was previously published under Q290291
Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

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

For a Microsoft Access 2000 version of this article, see 275164.
For a Microsoft Access 2003 version of this article, see 824260.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

If you do not want to see the Convert/Open Database dialog box when you open an Access 97 database in Access 2002, you can suppress the dialog box by adding a registry entry that is named NoConvertDialog to the Access Settings subkey.

This setting does not prevent conversion; it only prevents the initial Convert/Open Database dialog box from being displayed when the database is opened. You can still convert the database by any other available means.

NOTE: Microsoft Access 2002 does not display the Convert/Open Database dialog box when you open an Access 2000 database.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps describe how to add the NoConvertDialog subkey, which controls whether the Convert/Open Database dialog box is displayed.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK. Note that Registry Editor opens.
  3. Locate the following subkey, and select the Settings subkey:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\Settings\

  4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  5. Name the new DWORD NoConvertDialog.
  6. Double-click the new NoConvertDialog DWORD.
  7. Set Value Data to either 0 or 1 and set Base to Decimal. There are two possible settings for Value Data:
    • 1 - Opens the database without prompting you and leaves the database in the original format.
    • 0 - Displays the Convert/Open Database dialog box.
  8. Set the value to 1 so that the dialog box does not appear. Click OK, and then close Registry Editor.
  9. Start Access 2002, and then click Open on the File menu.
  10. Browse to a copy of an Access 97 database, and then open it. Note that the database opens without prompting you to open it or convert it. The database remains in Access 97 format.
NOTE: If you later want to convert the database, point to Database Utilities on the Tools menu, point to Convert Database, and then click either To Access 2002 File Format or To Access 2000 File Format.

Like almost all Microsoft Office XP program settings, this registry subkey can be forced on or off by a System Policy setting. When a matching System Policy setting is in place, the registry setting above is ignored.

To force this policy on or off in System Policy Editor, follow these steps:
  1. In Policy Editor, add the Access10.adm file from the Office XP Office Resource Kit.
  2. On the File menu, click either New Policy or Open Policy as appropriate. The remainder of these steps assume that you clicked New Policy.
  3. Double-click Default User to open the Default Properties dialog box.
  4. Click the plus sign (+) to open Microsoft Access 2002.
  5. Click the plus sign (+) to open Miscellaneous.
  6. Click Do not prompt to convert older databases.
  7. Under Settings for Do not prompt to convert older databases, click to select the check box to enforce settings on and click to clear the check box to enforce settings off.
Using System Policy Editor changes the following subkey in the registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\Settings

REFERENCES

For more information about multiple file formats in Access 2002, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type about using an access file with multiple versions of access in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/2/2004
Keywords:kbDatabase kbopenfile kbhowto KB290291
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