ACC2: Setup and Conversion Questions and Answers

• Microsoft Access 2.0

SUMMARY

This article contains questions and answers about Microsoft Access version 2.0 Setup and conversions.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Q. Is there an easy way for me to remove all or part of Microsoft Access from my computer?
   
   A. Microsoft Access Setup now has a maintenance mode for adding or removing Microsoft Access components. After you originally install Microsoft Access, Setup automatically runs in maintenance mode. To remove the entire Microsoft Access program from your hard disk, start Setup and then choose the Remove All button. Setup will remove the Microsoft Access program and the associated icons in Program Manager, but will not remove the Microsoft Access directory, the Program Manager group, user- created .MDB and .LDB files, or shared .DLL files in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
   
   To change specific components, choose the Add/Remove button in Setup. Select the check box for any component you want to add, or clear the check box for any component you want to remove. Setup prompts you to verify the components you are removing. If a selected component is already installed, Setup does not reinstall it. To reinstall a component, you must first remove the component and then install it. An example is available in the fax or mail copy of this script.
   
   For example, to reinstall the sample database NWIND.MDB, use the following 10 steps:
   
   
   1. Start Microsoft Access Setup.
   
   
   
   2. Choose Add/Remove.
   
   
   
   3. In the Options box, select Sample Apps, and then choose Change Option.
   
   
   
   4. Clear the Northwind Traders check box, and then choose OK.
   
   
   
   5. Choose Continue, and then choose Yes when you are prompted to confirm that you want to remove the component.
   
   
   
   6. Start Setup again after it finishes.
   
   
   
   7. Choose Add/Remove.
   
   
   
   8. In the Options box, choose Sample Apps, and then choose Change Option.
   
   
   
   9. Select the Northwind Traders check box, and then choose OK.
   
   
   
   10. Choose Continue.
   
   
   



2. Q. Why does the Microsoft Access Setup program not complete successfully?
   
   A. There are several things that may prevent the Microsoft Access Setup program from completing successfully. Four troubleshooting tips are available in the fax or mail copy of this script.
   
   
   1. Make sure you have enough free disk space. Disk-compression utilities, such as DoubleSpace, make your hard disk seem larger than it actually is by compressing the files on the disk. However, if you set the DoubleSpace compression ratio for your hard disk to 16 to 1, you might see 160 MB of free space where there is actually only 10 MB of space available.
   
   
   
   2. Make sure that your problem is not due to a bad installation disk by copying the disk to an empty directory on your hard disk. If the disk can be copied with no errors, then the disk is not bad. If you do receive an error message when you are copying the disk, obtain a replacement disk by calling Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400.
   
   
   
   3. Make sure that the PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file includes the complete path to your Windows directory, including the drive letter. For example, if your Windows directory is named WINDOWS and is on drive C, your PATH statement must include:
      

      
                   path=c:\windows;c:\dos 

      
      IMPORTANT: If you change the PATH statement, you must restart your computer before the change takes effect.
   
   
   
   4. In your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, include only the devices or drivers necessary to run Windows and your computer. Remove any third-party memory managers and virus- checking software. In Windows, close all other applications, including virus-checking software and screen savers, before you run Microsoft Access Setup.
   
   
   
   
   For additional information about configuring your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files and troubleshooting Setup problems, you can order item number Q96109 by selecting the FastTips Technical Library option from the FastTips Main Menu.



3. Q. Can I install Microsoft Access 2.0 over my current installation of Microsoft Access version 1.x?
   
   A. Microsoft Access 2.0 is designed to install over Microsoft Access 1.x files. However, to avoid any potential naming conflicts among database files, you may want to install Microsoft Access 2.0 in a new directory, or at least back up your existing database files before running Setup. Install Microsoft Access 2.0 in a different directory if you want to retain your previous version of Microsoft Access.
   
   If you plan to create or modify databases that are compatible with Microsoft Access 1.x, you should install Microsoft Access 2.0 in a different directory. Once you convert a version 1.x database to version 2.0, you will not be able to open that database in version 1.x again. Microsoft Access 2.0 can open version 1.x databases and modify the data, but will not allow you to create new objects or modify existing objects. To do this, you must convert the database to version 2.0.



4. Q. How do I set up Microsoft Access 2.0 for shared use on a network?
   
   A. Network installation is a two-step process. First, install Microsoft Access on the network file server by running the administrator Setup command SETUP /A from the Setup disk. Next, set up each workstation by running Setup from the network file server. Note that there is no SETUP /N command to set up workstations as there was in Microsoft Access version 1.x.
   
   When you are setting up the workstations, you can choose to install Microsoft Access on each workstation's hard disk, or to set up the workstations to run Microsoft Access from the file server. If your network supports the universal naming convention (UNC), it is best to start the workstation Setup using the UNC path. Doing this eliminates possible future problems with incorrect network drive letter references. In addition, you can create custom scripts to set up workstations "silently," or without input from the users.
   
   For detailed network installation instructions, see the ACREADME.HLP file that is shipped with Microsoft Access.



5. Q. My validation rules worked correctly in Microsoft Access version 1.x, but when I convert my version 1.x database to version 2.0, I receive an error message and a Convert Error table is created. Why is this?
   
   A. In Microsoft Access 2.0, validation rules are enforced whenever you add or edit data. Because validation rules are always enforced, the following items are not valid in default values or field-level validation rules:
   
   
   • References to fields or controls.
   
   
   
   • User-defined functions.
   
   
   
   • Microsoft Access domain functions.
   
   
   
   • Aggregate functions.
   
   
   
   • CurrentUser() or Eval() functions.
   
   
   
   
   For additional information about validation rules, you can order item number Q<srx940128000575> by selecting the FastTips Technical Library option from the FastTips Main Menu.



6. Q. Are there any changes that I should be aware of when I convert my database from version 1.x to version 2.0?
   
   A. Microsoft Access 2.0 contains many changes and new features. For specific information about these items, refer to:
   
   
   • Microsoft Access "User's Guide", version 2.0, "What's New in Version 2.0" section
   
   
   
   • Microsoft Access "User's Guide", version 2.0, Chapter 1, "Setting Up Microsoft Access"
   
   
   
   • Microsoft Access "Building Applications", version 2.0, Appendix C
   
   
   
   • The ACREADME.HLP file that is shipped with Microsoft Access
   
   
   



7. Q. Why am I unable to create new objects when I open my Microsoft Access version 1.x database in Microsoft Access 2.0?
   
   A. When you open a Microsoft Access version 1.x database in Microsoft Access 2.0, you can add or modify data, but you cannot create new objects or modify the design of existing objects.
   
   To create new objects or modify the design of existing objects, you must first convert your version 1.x database to version 2.0. To do this, make sure that there are no databases open in Microsoft Access, then choose Convert from the File menu. You will be prompted for the name of the database to convert and a new name for the converted database. Note that if you convert your database to version 2.0, it cannot be opened again in version 1.x.
   
   For additional information about database conversion, see the Microsoft Access "User's Guide," version 2.0, Chapter 1, "Setting Up Microsoft Access."



8. Q. Can Microsoft Access version 1.x read a version 2.0 database?
   
   A. Microsoft Access 1.x cannot read a version 2.0 database. Also, you cannot convert a Microsoft Access 2.0 database to version 1.x format. You can export your version 2.0 tables to a 1.x database, but because of all the new features in version 2.0, you cannot convert any other objects. Therefore, be sure to keep 1.x versions of your databases until you have upgraded all of your users to version 2.0.
   
   For more information about using version 1.x databases in version 2.0, see the Microsoft Access "User's Guide", version 2.0, Chapter 1, "Setting Up Microsoft Access."



9. Q. How much hard disk space is required to install Microsoft Access 2.0?
   
   A. The Microsoft Access Setup program has three installation options, each having different disk space requirements. The space needed for each option is listed below:
   
   
   • Typical. For a Typical installation, you need approximately 19 MB of disk space (15 MB in the Microsoft Access directory, plus 4 MB in the Windows directory).
     
     NOTE: The Typical installation installs all of the Microsoft Access components except for Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). To install ODBC, you must choose the Complete/Custom option.
   
   
   
   • Complete/Custom. For a Complete installation, you need approximately 20 MB of disk space (15 MB in the Microsoft Access directory, plus 5 MB in the Windows directory).
   
   
   
   • Laptop/Minimum. For a Laptop/Minimum installation, you need approximately 5 MB of disk space (4.5 MB in the Microsoft Access directory, plus 0.5 MB in the Windows directory).
   
   
   

Keywords          : kbdta 
Version           : 2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: April 2, 1999