# MS Access – corrupt db?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 12, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277 "2005-12-12T17:13:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/1 "2005-12-12T17:13:19Z")
I have a bad feeling that I may have a corrupt database on my hands.
When I try to open my db I get the following error message:
**Db1.mdb isn’t an index in this table. Look in the indexes collection of the TableDef object to determine the valid index names.**
Is there a way to recover this file or am I out of luck? :smack:
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/2 "2005-12-12T17:20:24Z")
Does it finish opening after that? If so, you may be able to fix it.
If not, you could try opening it from a different computer. One with a higher version of Access may be able to recover the data.
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/3 "2005-12-12T17:24:11Z")
No, it won’t open at all.
I’ve tried opening a new, blank database And copying the tables but that generates the same message.
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### Author:  [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/4 "2005-12-12T17:27:52Z")
First try to get the jetcomp.exe utility, google for it, and run it against your db. If that doesn’t work, and you’ve already tried to import the tables, etc., go to [plan b, decompile](http://www.mvps.org/access/bugs/bugs0008.htm).
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/5 "2005-12-12T18:24:51Z")
Thanks **BF** - I tried both of your suggesytions and I’m still stuck.
Any other options?
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### Author:  [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/6 "2005-12-12T19:23:18Z")
When you open a blank db, do you import or copy from the affected db?
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/7 "2005-12-12T21:16:15Z")
I’ve tried both - no luck ☹
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### Author:  [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/8 "2005-12-12T21:50:42Z")
I don’know jack about Access but I do work with DBs all the time. I do not know if this has any chance of working.
[WAG] Are there actual index files for Access? If so, you might want to try renaming the index files and running a reindex/compact or whatever database utility Access has. [/WAG]
Or, with a little googling I found [this](http://www.officerecovery.com/access/) tool, which appears to have one free trial. Note, I don’t know jack about the tool so I cannot vouch for it in any way.
Slee
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### Author:  [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/9 "2005-12-12T22:17:34Z")
> [@zoid](#):
>
> No, it won’t open at all.
>
> I’ve tried opening a new, blank database And copying the tables but that generates the same message.
Sometimes it can be a single table causing the problem. Have you tried this:
1. Create the blank database and import a single table into it.
2. Open the file. If no error, continue with each table one at a time.
3. When (if) you find the offending table, recreate the table by scratch (that is, the design).
4. Import the data only from the offending table.
Sorry, I can’t guarantee this, but it’s worked in the past for me.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/10 "2005-12-12T22:38:29Z")
> [@sleestak](#):
>
> [WAG] Are there actual index files for Access? If so, you might want to try renaming the index files and running a reindex/compact or whatever database utility Access has. [/WAG]
JFTR: Access doesn’t store any of its objects as discrete files; they’re all packed into a single .mdb file (well, plus a lockfile)
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### Author:  [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/11 "2005-12-12T22:59:30Z")
> [@zoid](#):
>
> I have a bad feeling that I may have a corrupt database on my hands.
> When I try to open my db I get the following error message:
>
> **Db1.mdb isn’t an index in this table. Look in the indexes collection of the TableDef object to determine the valid index names.**
>
> Is there a way to recover this file or am I out of luck? :smack:
What version of Access are you using? If 97 then see the following…
From [Some Microsoft Access MDB Corruption Symptoms](http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruption/symptoms.htm):
> [@](#):
>
> 3015 - “‘databasename.mdb’ isn’t an index in this table. Look in the Indexes collection of the TableDef object to determine the valid index names.” ACC: Jet Database Engine 3.x Error Messages Due to Corruption - 182867. These two messages in Access 97 can usually be fixed by downloading the latest version of Jet 3.51. Jet 3.5 SP 3 This problem also existed in Access 95 but hopefully no one is still using that version of Access.
Jet 3.51 can be downloaded from [here](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7e82ef88-52ec-4a8f-8bb2-8b06d6cb668d&DisplayLang=en). Even if you are not using Access 97 give it a try.
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### Author:  [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-access-corrupt-db/335277/12 "2005-12-13T15:43:14Z")
Thanks for the suggestions, but unfortunately nothing has worked.
I guess it’s a darn good thing I do regular back-ups! 😃
At least it’s only one day’s work down the tubes :rolleyes: