backing up .mdb

P

Paul

Hi,

How do I backup a database that might be in use. I don't want to use SQL
Server for this single-user application that I am designing and therefore
want to use the ODBC Access Driver. I need to plan the administration first
before deciding to write the application. Ideally I would like to use the
NTBACKUP scripts to backup the database along with the server. Is this
possible?

Tks.

Paul
 
J

John Vinson

Ideally I would like to use the
NTBACKUP scripts to backup the database along with the server. Is this
possible?
Click to expand...

Not to my knowledge. Access is a *file server* database, rather than a
client-server system; if the .mdb file is opened by a user, you have
NO way to be certain that the user is not in the middle of some
incomplete operation, so copying the database will leave the file in a
corrupted state.

I'd be happy to learn different!
 
A

Allen Browne

My understanding is the same, that you cannot reliably copy an MDB file that
is in use. Your script should be able to tell if it's in use by the presence
of the LDB file.

If you need to create a backup while the file is in use, you may be able to
*export* a copy of the data. Investigate TransferDatabase or CreateDatabase
with MakeTable queries, and loop through the TableDefs.
 
B

Brendan Reynolds

I haven't personally tested them, but there are some third-party utilities,
such as Open File Manager, that claim to solve the problem of backing up
open files. FMS (www.fmsinc.com) do a utility that can export data to text
files. This is not the same thing as a backup, you'd have to develop your
own routines to re-import that data if necessary, but it should, as far as I
know, be safe to run while the database is in use.

--
Brendan Reynolds (MVP)
http://brenreyn.blogspot.com

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