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I have to work with Access-97 databases on a daily basis. I made the mistake of updating to Access 2013 and now I'm stuck because 2013 does not read Access-97. Permanently upgrading these files is completely out of my hands. They are used as data files in a widely used application of ours. So I need a way to upgrade them when I need to retrieve data. I don't want to have two different versions of Access on my computer if possible.

Is there a utility that can up-convert a 97 database to something that Access 2013 can read?

Thanks.

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Jordan
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  • What happens when you open it in 2013? Does it throw an error and exit? – PowerUser Mar 28 '13 at 15:30
  • open your access and go to `Tools -> Database Utilities -> Convert database` and convert your database from 97 to current version. That is possible with access 2003, dont know about 2013 – Nelson Mar 28 '13 at 15:35
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    By the way, you can have both access installed without problem, I have both access 97 and 2003 installed, and when I right click a mdb file the context menu shows `Open with access 97 | Open with access 2003` so you can choose what program to open it. – Nelson Mar 28 '13 at 15:38
  • @Nelson, On your first comment, I KNOW! I wasn't wanting to install another version of Access. On your second, I guess that is what I'll have to do. *sigh* I hate Access so much. XML would have been so much better!!! :'( At least it doesn't hide my data from me. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 15:41
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    XML better than a relational database? Since when? – Fionnuala Mar 28 '13 at 15:49
  • @Remou, I never said it was better than rational databases. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 17:18

1 Answers1

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Have a look at ConvertAccessProject, for example:

ConvertAccessProject "z:\docs\test.mbd", "z:\docs\converted.mdb", _
   acFileFormatAccess97

It works from 95 to 2007 format, as far as I know. I suggest you upgrade from '97 as soon as possible.

See also: Convert Access 2010 to older versions

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Fionnuala
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  • OK. Now I need a VBA REPL? Got one? I'm not using VBA. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 15:38
  • You have MS Access and you are not using VBA? What do you have? A runtime for Access? Just the Jet/ACE database? You said you had 2013, that uses VBA. – Fionnuala Mar 28 '13 at 15:40
  • I have MS Access 2013. It can't even read an Access-97 file. I would imagine that if it still has VBA it won't be able to up-convert. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 15:46
  • You have installed Access 2013, the only way you can work with the 97 file is to update it. You can then convert it back down to '97. If all it contains is data, you do not have much of a problem. If it contains VBA and you wish to remain with '97, install 97, not 2013. – Fionnuala Mar 28 '13 at 15:48
  • @Jordan, to use Remou's VBA example, make a brand new Access 2013 db, and create a new module inside it. You can use Remou's code to convert your target db. – PowerUser Mar 28 '13 at 15:59
  • Thanks for the explanation, @PowerUser. I might do that. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 17:15
  • @Ramou, it doesn't contain any VBA. It is basically just a data file. Its not even indexed. Its just data in a bunch of tables. Not my choice at all. – Jordan Mar 28 '13 at 17:16