Microsoft KB Archive/209544

= ACC2000: Error When Opening Linked Table in Shared .MDB File =

Article ID: 209544

Article Last Modified on 7/16/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q209544



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



SYMPTOMS
When you try to open a linked table in a shared .MDB file, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Couldn't find file " :\ \

-or-

":\ \ " isn't a valid path

-or-

Couldn't open file " :\ \



CAUSE
The path to a linked table is hard-coded in the table's properties. For a shared .MDB file, this path is very likely invalid.



RESOLUTION
To work around this problem, either change the path to the linked file so that it is valid, or import the data instead of using a linked table.

To verify and correct the path for a linked table, use the following procedure:  Open the table in Design view. On the View menu, click Table Properties. The Description property contains the path to the linked table. Place the .MDB file and its linked tables on a share on a dedicated server. Use one of the following two naming conventions:

Choose a drive letter (for example, "u:") and make sure all users connect to the share using that drive letter. Use the same drive letter for the linked tables.

-or-

Use the universal naming convention (UNC) for the attached tables (for example, \\ \ \ ).

NOTE: To link a database using UNC, specify the UNC name and the database name where you normally would specify the drive and database names. For example, instead of logging on to the network drive, typing the database name, and clicking Link Tables on the File menu, you need only enter the UNC name and the database name in the Link dialog box, as follows:

\\MYSERVER\PUBLIC\MYDB.MDB 

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MORE INFORMATION
If the .MDB file is placed on a non-dedicated server that does not allow redirecting to itself, you must maintain two separate .MDB files, one to share with other workstations and one for your local computer.

For example, if the server name is SERVERNM, the SERVERNM computer cannot use the path \\SERVERNM\SHARE to access a file from its own hard disk.

Windows NT allows redirecting.

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