Access 2003 Crash on Compact with MDE Reference

[BC-w2k3s]

I have a simple database that I was working on over the last month. It is a
data entry style MDB right now in the default 2000 format. I work on it with
Access 2003 SP2. All updates applied. I have Admin Privileges. It references
a preexisting 2000 MDE that contains lookups to additional tables/database
files. Everything is Access 2000. There is also a data-backend.
I habitually save often and always defrag & compact/repair before I exit
after revisions. Everything was working up until the middle of last week. I
suddenly started receiving the "MS Office Access has encountered a
problem"... and shutting down. The weird thing. If I open up & run compact
without opening VBA editor, it doesn't crash. If I remove the reference to
the other MDE, I can open up the VBA editor and everything runs fine.
I have tried using older versions of the MDE I reference, but, they crash as
well. They did work prior to last week. If I open up the reference MDE
directly, it compacts without error. If I remove all code referencing the
MDE, but still have it 'attached', it still crashes on compact. If I
reference an entirely unrelated and unused MDE, it crashes on compact.

Now, I haven't made and changes/updates/patches to my system in a couple of
weeks. The only issues I've had.... The Genuine Updater wouldn't install
this last time around. I tracked down some MS newsgroup notes today that had
a link install a hotfix (KB905474/ver1.5.532.2). That did not fix it. The
other oddity from last week had to do with my contact sheet. Silly, I know.
But, I added a phone number to a contact and was suddenly forced to setup
area codes and such for the OS. I don't know why...there's no modem and never
has been. I thought I'd ran across something about this.

At any rate. I'm at a loss as to what the problem is. I really don't want to
have to remove/install Office/OS. The Event Log doesn't help. It only shows
Source: MS Office 11 and EventID: 1000. Stamp: 42cdb33e Version:11.0.6566.0.
faulting msaccess.exe. (As if I hadn't noticed what crashed)

 

[BC-w2k3s]

Following up with additional, hopefully easier to read info:

It appears it is my installation rather than a specific MDB file.
Running Access 2003 SP2/XP Pro/2Gb Ram, 160 Gb Mirrored SataII. All Patched,
but not in time period problem began.

Problem: Access MDB file crashes on Compact and Defrag.
This only occurs if I open the VB IDE before I do the C&D and have another
MDB referenced. (Does not require anymore than opening the VB IDE)
It does NOT occur if I open and C&D without opening VB IDE.
It does NOT occur if I have no MDB referenced through the VB IDE.
It also does NOT require a code references to the referenced MDB nor does it
matter which primary MDB or referenced MDB is used.

I have decompiled the MDB. I have ran a Detect&Repair on Office as well as
reinstalling it. I'm about at the point of completely uninstalling it and
reverting to 2000. I have heard of a hotfix for 2003 SP2 issues... the last
issue listed in KB:902445 matches the basic problem I have. I just dont know
if I have gone 'overboard' on trying to figure out what is causing it.

Closest I can figure is this is somehow related to the Genuine Advantage
download bug that alot of people have been experiencing. I have applied that
patch, but, it hasn't fixed this issue... not that I really expected it to do
so.

Any ideas? Anyone?

 

[BC-w2k3s]

Welp, I bit the bullet and fully uninstalled Office 2003.
I have to say, it removed and reinstalled pretty painlessly.
Whatever went wrong, it seems to have reset the VB IDE.

At this point, in restrospect, I wish I had taken the time to check the IDE
in Excel to see if that had been compromised, as well.

p.s. There were no viruses/spam/spyware on the box, either. And, to my
knowledge, there were no abnormal occurances of sunspot activity. Ciao.

 

[Robert Morley]

Blame it on gremlins, then...that's probably the most logical explanation at
this point.


Rob