Please Help how do I prevent users from opening database Exclusively

[Jess]

How do I prevent users from opening a database shared on
the network exclusively. The database was originaly
created in Access 97, I converted it to Acess 2000 and I'm
using the same system.mdw file that I was using in Access
97. My users are receiving the following set of errors.

You or another user may have unexpectedly quit Mircosoft
Access while a Microsoft Access Database was open. Do you
want Microsoft Access to attempt to repair database?

Yes is clicked

The the following error is displayed.

You attempted to open a database that is already opened
exclusively by user / machine name. Try again when the
database is available.

I then get all the users off of the database an attempt to
repair it. It's stating database is still opened by a user
that is no longer logged on. I delete the ldb file in
order to repair the database. The scenerio continues to
happen once repairs are done.What steps can I take to
prevent this from happening? Please help. Thank you.

 

[GVaught]

Split your database; This is the ideal solution for multiple users over a
network; even peer-to-peer networks.

The backend (tables only) resides on the server machine and the front-ends
reside on the user machines. This way they have exclusive control only to
their front-end database that is linked to the backend through the Linked
Table Manager. They will not affect any other user and can't open the
back-end exclusively.

Access has this built-in and will split the database for you. However before
you do this make a copy and test on the copy not your original. It is very
easy. Place the backend it makes on your server. It won't overwrite your
present database as it should be databasename_be.mdb or similar. The
front-end should renamed to databasename_fe.mdb. Open the front-end db; hold
down the Shift key until the database window shows (this bypasses any
startups that may have been set on the database). Under Tools | Database
Utilities | Linked Table Manager is where you can reset the linked tables in
the front-end to the master tables in the back-end. Note: To make linking
each user's copy (front-end) easier on you; make sure they have the same
path setup as you.

For instance if you have a mapped network to the back-end and it is the E:\
drive; make sure each user has this same mapping and you shouldn't have to
manually link them to the backend. Even better is to set the link through
the server name such as \\servername\databasename_be.mdb. <--- not a true
link for this demonstration.