Problem with Acc 2003 to Acc 97 conversion

[gerhard]

I am running into a problem converting an Access 2000 mdb back to 97 format
with Access 2003. This works fine using Access 2000, seems to be a problem
with Acc 2003 only.

After closing all objects there is a SQL Login, which is normal, and then
the conversion starts. The database window reappears, but the conversion is
still running. I can see the new mdb file rapidly growing in the directory
where I am saving it. Eventually, when the new mdb reaches a size of 25 to
30 megs, Access 2003 becomes unresponsive, and I have to terminate it with
Taskmanager.

I get the same result when I convert the original 2000 mdb to 2002-2003
format first.

Is anybody else seeing this?

Gerhard

 

[Tony Toews]

I am running into a problem converting an Access 2000 mdb back to 97 format
with Access 2003. This works fine using Access 2000, seems to be a problem
with Acc 2003 only.

After closing all objects there is a SQL Login, which is normal, and then
the conversion starts. The database window reappears, but the conversion is
still running. I can see the new mdb file rapidly growing in the directory
where I am saving it. Eventually, when the new mdb reaches a size of 25 to
30 megs, Access 2003 becomes unresponsive, and I have to terminate it with
Taskmanager.

Appearing unresponsive in Task Mgr is quite typical of such
conversions. When I'm doing some conversion of a large FE MDB to
A2000 or A2002 the Task Mgr can show Access as being unresponsive for
several minutes.

How long have you tried letting it run without cancelling? If ten or
twenty minutes then that is likely long enough if it's under say, 100
mb.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Gerhard]

Thanks Tony,

I forgot to mention in my original message that the mdb that I start with is
just a little bit over 1 MB in size. It's code and forms only, no data.
It is a front end to SQL Server. When I see that blowing up to 30 MBs and
still going, I feel that is not normal.

When I use A2K to convert the same 1.2 MB mdb back to the 97 format it
actually shrinks to about 700 KB.

I've let it run for over 30 minutes on this 1 MB file, only to watch it
hang. I guess you are telling me that there are no other reported problems
with converting back?

Gerhard

 

[Gerhard]

I did let it run till it finished, over an hour. The resulting mdb was 850
MB, from a 1.2 MB mdb as a start. I think it downloaded all the linked
tables.

Gerhard

 

[Tony Toews]

I forgot to mention in my original message that the mdb that I start with is
just a little bit over 1 MB in size. It's code and forms only, no data.
It is a front end to SQL Server. When I see that blowing up to 30 MBs and
still going, I feel that is not normal.

Ah, you're correct. That is definitely not normal.

I've let it run for over 30 minutes on this 1 MB file, only to watch it
hang. I guess you are telling me that there are no other reported problems
with converting back?

I don't recall any. There has been mention of conversion back to A97,
although I don't know if I've done it, but not any involving SQL
Server.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Tony Toews]

I did let it run till it finished, over an hour. The resulting mdb was 850
MB, from a 1.2 MB mdb as a start. I think it downloaded all the linked
tables.

Most impressive. <smile>

All I can suggest is to delete the linked tables before doing the
conversion back to A97. Then relinking to SQL Server.

Hmm, I vaguely recall reading that A97 doesn't handle SQL Server 2000
bit fields very well because those were new in SQL Server 2000.
<shrug>

In the meantime I'm going to report this problem to Microsoft to see
if they have any suggestions.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Gerhard]

Thanks Tony,

Does that mean I'll get an SRX ?<g> Or are you getting one? I already had
a SRX for Access 2003 last month, on a different problem.
Let me know what you find. I appreciate your workaround, but would prefer
that this gets fixed.

Gerhard