Microsoft KB Archive/289580

= How to determine which user has opened a database exclusively in Access =

Article ID: 289580

Article Last Modified on 3/26/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Access 2007
 * Microsoft Office Access 2003
 * Microsoft Access 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q289580



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb or .accdb).



SUMMARY
Unlike Microsoft Access version 2.0 and earlier, Access 2000 and later versions do not create a .ldb file when a database is opened exclusively. Because of this, you can no longer use the .ldb file to determine which user has a database open for exclusive use.



MORE INFORMATION
When you try to open a database that is opened exclusively by another user, you receive the following error message:

Couldn't use ' \'; file already in use.

You receive no information about the user or the computer name.

In order to determine which user has a Microsoft Access 2000 or later version database open exclusively, you must use an operating system tool, such as the Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 Computer Management utility.

To open Computer Management, follow these steps:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
 * 3) In the management console, expand System Tools, and then use Shared Folders to manage shared resources over a network.

By using Shared Folders, you can control user access permissions, session activity, and shared resource properties.

