Access locking up

[bgetson]

I've seen this same topic throughout the groups before, but I'm having
trouble figuring out what the source problem is.

Randomly (about 1 in 20 tries) Access 2003 opens with a "Read-Only"
error which prevents users from modifying any data. This is happening
on multiple usernames and doesn't seem to be influenced by how many
computers are accessing the database at one time. The error occurs even
if only one user is opening the file.

I do not believe that the error is caused by permissions because it
does not occur every time. It is possible that the .ldb file is not
being deleted frequently enough because the file is reopened by the
same user with approximately a 5 minute gap. However, this has happened
with as much as a 20 minute gap between openings.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated because this is significantly
slowing processing time.
-BGetson

 

[Bill Mosca, MS Access MVP]

Your point about the same user opening the file more than one time within
the life of the LDB should have no bearing on your issue.

I would check to see if the LDB is hanging. Could be a laptop undocking
improperly or someone ending an instance with the task manager or a loss of
connectivity.

 

[John Vinson]

Any insight would be greatly appreciated because this is significantly
slowing processing time.

Run, do not walk, to the Database Splitter Wizard. Multiple users
should emphatically NOT be opening the same unitary database.

See http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/splitapp for details.

John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[bgetson]

Thank you for your input, but how would I check to see if the LDB is
hanging?

I know that it is not related to the task manager. In my attempts to
recreate the problem, I can open the Access database as the only user,
but still receive the "read-only" error. The file will open and close
like normal, but something will kick in after so many tries and lock me
out.

Also, about splitting the database: that's one of my next steps. This
is currently a local project, but once it is completed, Access will be
used as a front-end. It shouldn't be affecting this specific problem
though because it is occurring if only a single user is accessing the
file.

If there is some way for me to narrow down the possible causes that
would be great.

-BGetson

 

[Bill Mosca, MS Access MVP]

To check if the LDB is hung up, first make sure all users are out of the
database by opening the LDB in notepad and looking at the list of users. If
your database is secured with a workgroup you will have to log in first o
rthe LDB will appear encrypted.

Once you see who is in the LDB file, find out if they are really in the
database by calling them and asking. (At this point, that is the only real
method I know of if the LDB is hung up.)

Ask all users to log off. Log out of the db. Delete the LDB file. If you
cannot delete it, it is hung up and your network people will have to force
it closed and then delete it.

Once you split the database, whether with an Access back end or an SQLS back
end, and you give each user his own front end, this Read-only problem should
go away.

One more thing to check...is anyone opening the database by going through
Windows Explporer and double-clicking the file? That will open it
exclusively if no one else is in it. They can also open it exclusively by
opening Access and opening it in exclusive mode.

I guess that's actually 2 things to check. Those issues can be superficially
avoided if users are given a shortcut with msaccess.exe as the initial part
of the target as in:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\msaccess.exe"
"\\MyServer\MyDB.mdb"