"You can't delete a relationship inherited from a linked database

[Cathy]

I have my own copy of our database on my c drive. (I've been working with
this one for a few years just to practice on.) I added 2 fields to one of
the main tables. I was able to unlink the tables, add my fields and relink
the tables. I added the new fields also to the report and queries in which I
needed the new fields. No problems, worked great. I was actually kind of
surprised.

Now I made another copy of the REAL database also saved on my c drive and
was going to make the changes again before I tried it on the REAL REAL
database. At my first step, to unlink the tables, I'm getting a message that
says You can't delete a relationship inherited from a linked database. What
am I doing wrong?

 

[Norman Yuan]

It could be that the "REAL database" you copied to your C:\ drive has linked
table from other database file and the relationships on these linked tables
are actually exist in that linked database. That means the table(s) you are
trying to modify do not belong to the database you just copied. Do you see a
small arrow in front of the table(s) name in database window when you open
the file in Access? If yes, the table is linked table, not stored in
currently opened *.mdb file and you cannot modify it.

 

[Cathy]

Is there any way to copy my database and not have the tables linked?

 

[Norman Yuan]

To delete (actaully, remove) linked table in an opened *.mdb file, simply
highlight it and click "Delete" on the menu/toolbar, or right-click it and
select "Delete". Do not worry possible data loss here, this deleting just
remove linked table to this *.mdb file, not actually delete table on the
remote database that contains the linked table. Make sure what you are
deleting is linked table, not the table contained in this *.mdb file.