How to troubleshoot fatal system errors in Microsoft Access 95 and in Microsoft Access 97

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Application-related problems

Confirmed bug in Microsoft Access

A fatal system error is occasionally caused by a bug in an application. In Microsoft Access 7.0, for example, there is a problem with the Visual Basic for Applications Development Environment (VBA232.dll version 2.0.5524), which can cause one of the following error messages when you develop form modules:

Windows 95 and Windows 98

Windows NT 4.0

Windows 2000

An update to Vba232.dll that fixes this problem is available. For more information about how to obtain this update, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: You can find more information about any known Microsoft Access problems that may cause invalid page faults by searching on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Damaged database

When you receive a fatal system error in Microsoft Access, you should run the Repair Database command to correct any potential problems caused by damage to the structure or data of the current database.

Note Run the Repair Database command only when the Microsoft Jet database engine returns an error message indicating that the repair should be run. You should not run the Repair Database command under any other circumstances.

To run the Repair Database command:

1. Close the database. If you are in a multiuser environment, confirm that all users have closed the database.
2. Make a backup copy of the database. Using Windows Explorer, My Computer, Microsoft Backup, the MS-DOS copy or backup commands, or other backup software, copy the database file (an *.mdb file) to a backup medium of your choice.
   
   Note If you are backing up to a floppy disk and your database file exceeds the size of the disk, you cannot use Windows Explorer or My Computer to back up your database; you must use Microsoft Backup, the MS-DOS backup command, or backup software so that you can copy the file over more than one disk.
   
   You should also create a backup of the workgroup information file (an *.mdw file). Microsoft Access stores each user's preferences and security account information in this file. If this file is lost or damaged, you won't be able to start Microsoft Access until you restore or rebuild this file.
   
   You can back up individual database objects by creating a blank database and then importing the objects that you want from the original database.
3. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Repair Database.
4. Specify the name and location of the database you want to repair.

Note After using the Repair Database command, if your database behaves unpredictably, or if you receive a fatal system error (either immediately or after continued use), you should try additional troubleshooting steps described in this article to find the cause of the page fault.

Fragmented database

If a database's behavior is unpredictable or performance degrades over time, the database may be using disk space inefficiently (it is fragmented). You can compact the database (using the Compact Database command) to defragment the file to free disk space.

To compact a database:

1. Close the current database. If you are in a multiuser environment, confirm that all users have closed the database.
2. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Compact Database.
3. In the Database to Compact From dialog box, specify the database that you want to compact, and then click Compact.
4. In the Compact Database Into dialog box, specify a name, drive, and folder for the compacted database.
   
   You can use the same name as the original for the compacted database file or you can use a different name to create a separate file. If you use the same name, drive, and folder, and the database is compacted successfully, Microsoft Access automatically replaces the original file with the compacted version.
   
   Note You should run the Compact Database command on a regular basis.

Corrupted Database

If both the Repair Database command and the Compact Database command fail to solve unpredictable behavior or application-related fatal system errors, you can try creating a new database, importing objects from the old database, and compiling all modules in the new database.

Note This method is not recommended if your database is a replica in a replica set. If your replica is corrupted, you should create a new replica from the Design Master.

The general steps to do so are as follows:

1. Create a new Microsoft Access 97 or Microsoft Access 7.0 database.
2. On the File menu, go to Get External Data, and then click Import.
3. In the Import dialog box, make sure to select Microsoft Access (*.mdb) in the Files of type dropdown list.
4. In the Look In box, select the drive and folder that stores the Microsoft Access database that you want to import, and then double-click the database's icon.
5. Click one or more objects to import. You may want to select only a few objects at a time, because this makes it easier to identify any corrupted objects.
6. Click OK to import the selected objects. If an object generates an error while being imported, the object is probably damaged beyond repair. You will need to import the object from a backup database or re-create the object from scratch. The error may have interrupted other objects from being imported. Repeat steps 2 through 6 until you have imported all other objects into the new database.
7. Compile all the imported modules in the new database. To do so, follow these steps:
   1. In the Database window, click the Modules tab.
   2. Select a module and then click Design.
   3. On the Debug menu, click Compile and Save All Modules (in Microsoft Access 7.0, go to the Run menu, click Compile All Modules, and then on the File menu, click Save All Modules).
8. Close the new database and Microsoft Access.

Note If your original database has references to libraries or projects, you should make a note of the references. Then, in a module of your new database, go to the Tools menu and click References to add the same references to your new database.

The next time that you run Microsoft Access and open this new database, you should not have the problems of unpredictable behavior or application-related page faults, assuming the cause was a damaged, fragmented, or corrupted database. If you have the same problems within the new database, try additional troubleshooting steps described in this article to find the cause of the problem.

Incorrect registry settings

If the cause of a fatal system error or unpredictable behavior in Microsoft Access is application-related, it may result from incorrect settings in the Microsoft Windows registry. You can reset or rebuild the registry settings for Microsoft Access by following these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Insert the CD for Microsoft Access 97 or Microsoft Office 97 Professional Edition into the CD-ROM drive (for Microsoft Access 7.0, insert Disk 1 of the Microsoft Access disks into a floppy drive on your computer. If you have Microsoft Office Professional, insert your Windows 95 CD into the CD-Rom drive).
3. Type in the command to run the Microsoft Access Setup program using the /y switch, and then click OK. For example, type the following command:

   a:\Setup.exe /y

4. In the Installation Maintenance Program box, click Reinstall. The Setup program updates the Windows Registry for Microsoft Access 97 or Microsoft Access 7.0.
5. When Setup is complete, try again to start Microsoft Access. If you receive a fatal system error or your database behaves unpredictably (either immediately or after continued use), you should try additional troubleshooting steps described in this article to find the cause.

Mismatched DLLs

Another cause of fatal system errors is mismatched dynamic link libraries (*.dll files) on your Windows system. Other products may install one or more of the same dynamic link libraries used by Access. In this case, the library file listed in the error message is often an incorrect version for Microsoft Access, for example: Mismatched DLLs causing fatal errors can sometimes occur, but not limited to, installing the following products:

• Microsoft Visual Basic version 4.0 with SourceSafe (Enterprise Edition only)
• Microsoft Visual Basic version 4.0 (Standard Edition or Professional Edition)
• Microsoft Office Standard for Windows 95

To resolve the problem of mismatched .dll files, follow these steps:

1. Start Windows Explorer and locate your Windows System folder. Depending on your operating system, the default location of the System folder is one of the following:
   • Windows 2000, Windows 98, and Windows 95

     C:\Windows\System

   • Windows NT 4.0

     C:\Winnt\System

2. In the System folder, search for the library file listed in the page fault error message that you received, and then rename the library file to a unique name. For instance, if the file name is Dao3032.dll, rename it to OLDdao3032.dll.
3. Uninstall Microsoft Access or Microsoft Office Professional and any of the programs listed earlier in this section that you had installed on your computer at the time that you received the error message. To do so, follow these steps.
   
   Note If you have Microsoft Visual Basic with SourceSafe installed, you do not need to uninstall the Visual Basic program. You only need to remove the SourceSafe component.
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
   2. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs. The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears (dialog box is simply called Add/Remove Programs in Windows 2000).
   3. Select the program to uninstall and then click Add/Remove. In Windows 2000, select the program, and then click Change/Remove.
   4. Follow the instructions to remove the whole program.
4. Reinstall Microsoft Access or Microsoft Office Professional. To do this, follow these steps.
   
   Note Be sure to install Microsoft Access first and Microsoft Office second when you reinstall the two programs. This setup order is important to avoid the problem of mismatched .dll files on your system.
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
   2. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs. The Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box appears. In Windows 2000, you see the Add/Remove Programs dialog box.
   3. In the dialog box, click Install (in Windows 2000, click Add New Programs).
   4. Follow the instructions to install the program on your computer.
   Note If you removed all of Microsoft Office Standard for Windows 95, Microsoft Visual Basic, or Microsoft SourceSafe, you can repeat the last step above to reinstall the programs.

If you continue to receive fatal system errors after investigating application-related causes, you should try troubleshooting the system-related problems, which are described below.

System-related problems

This section discusses system-related causes for fatal system errors in Windows 95 and Windows 98. If you run Microsoft Access under Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, many of the troubleshooting concepts discussed in this section are still applicable. However, the step-by-step instructions for implementing them may be different. You should consult your Windows NT or Windows 2000 documentation for more information about troubleshooting these system-related causes.

Memory conflict

A common cause of fatal system errors is a memory conflict involving a device driver, terminate-and-stay resident (TSR) program, a system component, or some other loaded file. To troubleshoot a memory conflict, the first step is to restart in Safe Mode. Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000 have a Safe Mode option. Windows NT does not (See Windows NT section below).

Safe Mode bypasses startup files, including the Registry, Config.sys, Autoexec.bat, and the [Boot] and [386Enh] sections of the System.ini, and provides you with access to the Windows 95 or Windows 98 configuration files. Only essential system files and device drivers (such as mouse, keyboard, and standard VGA) are loaded. This makes Safe Mode useful for isolating and solving memory conflicts.

To start Windows in Safe Mode:

1. Restart the computer. Depending on your operating system, do one of the following:
   • Windows 95
     1. As the machine begins to reboot, watch for a DOS message that reads Starting Windows 95....
     2. Press F8 when you see this message.
     3. Press 3 to select Safe Mode from the Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Menu, and then press ENTER.
     4. You will receive a message indicating that you are in Safe Mode. Click OK. You will then see the words Safe Mode appear in the four corners of your screen.
   • Windows 98
     1. As the computer begins to restart, hold down the CTRL key until you see the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu.
     2. Press 3 to select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER.
     3. You will receive a message indicating that you are in Safe Mode. Click OK. You will then see the words Safe Mode appear in the four corners of your screen.
   • Windows 2000
     1. Multiple Boot: If you have Windows 2000 set up for multiple boot, the boot-up process stops at a menu titled Please Select the Operating System to start. At this point, press F8.
        
        Non-multiple Boot: If your Windows 2000 computer is not set up for multiple boot, press F8 when the Starting Windows... progress bar appears on the bottom of the screen. Note You may only have a few seconds to press F8.
     2. Safe Mode is selected by default. Press ENTER. You will then see the words "Safe Mode" appear in the four corners of your screen.
2. After Windows is finished loading in Safe Mode, open Microsoft Access, and then try to reproduce the fatal system error.
   
   If you cannot reproduce the fatal system error in Safe Mode, the cause is most likely system-related. In that case, depending on your version of Windows, do one of the following to isolate the specific cause:
   • Windows 95 or Windows 98
     1. You should restart your computer and step through the startup commands line-by-line. For more information about this technique available in Windows 95 and Windows 98, refer to the Help.
        
        In Windows 95, click Start, click Help, click the Find tab, click Next, type in step-by-step, and then press ENTER. Follow the instructions for Going through the startup commands line by line.
        
        In Windows 98, click Start, click Help, click the Search tab, type in step-by-step, and then press ENTER. Select the topic To confirm startup commands Line by Line.
     2. You can try to clean boot your computer. For more information about how to perform a clean boot in Windows 95 or in Windows 98, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        136337 Troubleshooting Windows 95 Startup problems and error messages

        192926 How to perform clean-boot troubleshooting for Windows 98

     3. Additionally, you can try other troubleshooting steps that are discussed in this article.
        
        For more information about the files that are loaded when you start Windows 95 or Windows 98 in Safe mode, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        122051 How Windows 95 performs a Safe-mode start

        180902 How to start a Windows 98-based computer in Safe mode

   • Windows NT 4.0
     Windows NT 4.0 does not have the various startup options that are available in Windows 95, in Windows 98, or Windows 2000. Therefore, Windows NT 4.0 can be more challenging to troubleshoot. If you are troubleshooting fatal system errors with Access in Windows NT 4.0 and this article does not resolve the issue, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For more information about support options, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

     http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub

   • Windows 2000
     Windows 2000 does not provide step-by-step confirmation. If you are troubleshooting fatal system errors with Access in Windows 2000 and this article does not resolve the issue, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For more information about support options, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

     http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub

Temp folder issues

You can sometimes experience unpredictable behavior in Microsoft Access when you do not have enough disk space for temporary files. You should periodically remove any leftover temporary files on your system. Also, make sure that you have at least 8 to 10 megabytes (MB) of free space on the hard disk that is available to your temporary (Temp) folder.

To remove any remaining temporary files, follow these steps:

• Windows 95 and Windows 98
  1. Restart the computer into Safe mode command prompt only. Use the same restart process as described in the "Memory conflict" section.
  2. Type Set and then press ENTER. Note the location of the Temp and Temp environment variables (they typically point to the same folder).
  3. Change to the folder noted in the step above. For example, if Temp is set to C:\Windows\Temp, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

     cd \windows\temp

     Note An invalid temp setting can have serious effects on Microsoft Access. If you find that the folder indicated by the Set statement does not actually exist, either create a new temp folder in that location, or change the TMP and TEMP settings in the Autoexec.bat to point to a valid location.
  4. Delete any temporary files in the temp folder. Temporary files typically have a .tmp extension. To delete these files, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

     del *.tmp

  5. If the computer has a reset button, press it now. Otherwise, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to restart the computer.
• Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 You can verify or set the TMP and TEMP environment variables by following these steps:
  1. Double-click the My Computer icon and within the My Computer window, double-click the Control Panel icon.
  2. In Control Panel, double-click the System icon.
  3. In Windows NT 4.0, click the Environment Tab. In Windows 2000, click the Advanced tab, and then click Environment Variables. Notice the box called User Variables for UserName, with the columns Variable and Value, respectively. Here you have the TMP and TEMP environmental settings. Examples of valid settings are the following:

     TEMP = C:\TEMP
     TMP = C:\TEMP

     If these entries do not exist, follow these steps:
     1. Click New and in the Variable Name box, type TEMP.
     2. Press TAB to move to the Variable Value box and type C:\Temp (or any other valid path and folder name).
     3. Click Set or OK to add these values to the User Variables for UserName box.
  4. To create the TMP environment variable, repeat steps a through c.
  5. Click OK to close the Environment Variables dialog box, click OK to close the System Properties dialog box, and then close Control Panel.
  6. Start Windows Explorer and look for a folder with the same name and location as was listed in the User Variables for UserName box. If the directory does not exist, create it. An invalid temp setting can have serious effects on Microsoft Access. If you find that the folder indicated by the environment variable does not actually exist, either open Windows Explorer and create a new temp folder in that location, or repeat steps 1 through 3 to update the TEMP environment variable to a valid location.
  7. Verify that the drive containing the TEMP directory has sufficient disk space. If this number is less than 4,000,000 bytes (4 MB), free up some hard drive space by removing unnecessary files.
  8. Verify that the TEMP directory is empty. If files exist, you can delete any *.tmp files that are not currently in use. These files usually have a modified date earlier than the current session of Windows.
     
     Note It is recommended that you quit all Windows programs as well as Windows itself before deleting any *.tmp files.

Video problem

Occasionally in Microsoft Access, you may experience page faults or unpredictable screen behavior. These problems may be caused by a video driver conflict or an incorrect graphics hardware setting for your system.

Video driver conflict

To troubleshoot a video driver conflict, you should change your system's video adapter to Standard VGA, which should work with most monitors. To do so, follow these steps:

• Windows 95 and Windows 98
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Display icon.
  3. In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Settings tab.
  4. Click Change Display Type in Windows 95 or Advanced in Windows 98.
  5. In Windows 98, click the Adapter tab.
  6. Click Change to change the Adapter Type.
  7. In Windows 98, click Next, select Display a list of all the drivers in a specific location, and then click Next.
  8. Click the Show All (devices or hardware).
  9. Select the first item in the Manufacturers list (Standard display types) and in the Models list, select Standard Display Adapter (VGA), and then click OK or Next.
  10. In Windows 98, click Next again, and then click Finish.
  11. Close the adapter dialog box, close the Display Properties dialog box, close Control Panel, and when prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.
• Windows NT 4.0
  1. You can restart Windows NT in VGA Mode. Follow these steps:
  2. On the Start menu, click Shutdown.
  3. Choose Restart and click OK.
  4. Upon restarting, you see the Windows NT startup options. Using the arrows on the keyboard, highlight the following, and then press ENTER.

     Windows NT (Server or Workstation) Version 4.00 [VGA MODE]

If VGA works

If changing to VGA display prevents the fatal error or unexpected display issues in Microsoft Access, you should contact the manufacturer of the adapter to find out if an updated driver is available.

Graphics hardware settings

To determine if a fatal error is caused by the way that Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows 2000 uses your video card, you can try modifying the Hardware Acceleration setting.

Note This setting is not available in Windows NT 4.0.

• Windows 95 and Windows 98
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Performance tab, and then click Graphics.
  4. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the None setting (all the way to the left), and then click OK.
  5. In the System Properties dialog box, click Close, and then restart the computer.
  For more information about troubleshooting video problems in Windows 95 and in Windows 98, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  127139 Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows

• Windows 2000
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the Display icon.
  3. Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.
  4. On the Troubleshooting tab, move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the None setting (all the way to the left), and then click OK.
  5. Click OK again to close the Display Properties dialog box, and then close Control Panel.

Printer driver problem

When you try to print in Microsoft Access, if you receive a fatal error or experience printing problems, you can try the Generic/Text Only driver. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Double-click the Add Printer icon and follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard to install the Generic/Text Only printer driver.
3. Try to print from Microsoft Access with this driver.

Note If the printing problems exist for Generic/Text Only driver as well as another driver, the problem is most likely not driver-specific. However, if the printing problem seems to be corrected by using a different printer driver, follow the steps below to remove and reinstall the first printer driver:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Right-click the printer that you want to remove, and then click Delete.
3. If you are prompted to remove all the files associated with the printer, click Yes.
4. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
5. Double-click the Add Printer icon and follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard to reinstall the original printer driver.
   
   Note If reinstalling the printer driver does not solve the printing problems, you can try using a different driver or the Generic/Text Only driver again. Also, you should contact the printer driver manufacturer to report the problem and find out if an updated driver is available.

Incorrect virtual memory settings

You can occasionally receive unexpected behavior in Microsoft Access when the virtual memory setting is too low for your system. Windows uses a dynamic virtual memory manager to handle swap file duties. Remember, you should use the default virtual memory settings whenever possible.

However, if you suspect that the unexpected behavior in Microsoft Access is caused by low virtual memory, you can try manually changing the virtual memory settings. If the maximum setting for virtual memory is already set, you may need to choose a different hard disk, or remove files from the current hard disk to increase the amount of disk space reserved for extra memory. You can increase the amount of hard disk space reserved for virtual memory by following these steps:

• Windows 95 and Windows98
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Performance tab, and then click Virtual Memory.
  4. Select the Let me specify my own Virtual Memory Settings option.
  5. Select a hard disk and then increase the minimum and maximum settings as necessary, click OK, and then click Yes when prompted if you are sure that you want to continue.
  For more information about virtual memory in Windows 95, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  128327 How Windows 95 manages virtual memory

• Windows NT 4.0
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Performance tab, and then click Change under Virtual Memory.
  4. Select a hard disk and then adjust the Initial Size and Maximum Size settings as necessary. For information on these settings, click Help.
  5. Click Set and click OK.
• Windows 2000
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Performance Options.
  4. Click Change, select a hard disk, and then adjust the Initial Size and Maximum Size settings as necessary. For information about these settings, click the question mark button ?, and then click the option about which you want information.
  5. Click Set, and then click OK.

Incorrect file-system settings in Windows 95 and in Windows 98

Unpredictable behavior in Microsoft Access may be caused (in rare cases) by incorrect settings for Windows 95 or Windows 98 file-system performance. To test these settings, you can try turning on or off file-system options such as Disable New File Sharing and Locking Semantics or Disable All 32-bit, Protected-Mode Disk Drivers.

To try different file-system settings:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. Click the Performance tab.
4. Click File System.
5. Click the Troubleshooting tab.
6. Set the options to different settings, and then click OK.

If modifying the file-system performance settings does not solve the unpredictable behavior in Microsoft Access, repeat the steps above to reset the file-system performance options to their original settings. Then, you can try other troubleshooting steps in this article to isolate the cause of the problems.

Hard disk fragmentation or errors

If a fatal system error is the result of disk fragmentation or hard disk errors, you can use ScanDisk (Scandisk.exe or Scandskw.exe) and Disk Defragmenter (Defrag.exe) to correct the problem.

To use ScanDisk, follow the steps for your operating system:

• Windows 95 and Windows 98
  1. Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click ScanDisk.
  2. Select the drive that contains your Microsoft Access folder.
  3. Click Thorough as the type of test, and then click Start. If errors are reported, be sure to let ScanDisk fix the problems.
  To use Disk Defragmenter, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
  2. Select the drive that contains your Microsoft Access folder and click OK.
  3. Within Disk Defragmenter, click Start.
• Windows 2000
  1. Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
  2. Select the drive that contains your Microsoft Access folder and click Defragment.
• Windows NT 4.0 There is not a disk scanning or defragmenter utility in Windows NT. However, third-party software is available. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  130539 Third-party defragmenter utilities for Windows