Access 2016 compatibility with O365

Question

I have a small multi user (3 or 4) app that has been stable for more than 10 years but since October 2020 frequently (once or twice a day) crashes with a 'Unrecognized database format' error.

The system can be recovered by deleting the lock file on the server and Compact & Repair the back-end.

The files are in .accdb format and I have recently re-written all DAO recordset functions into ADO. Each user has own front end.

I am assured that the network is stable but it has come to my notice that some users are working with Office 365 while others with installed Access (not sure if 2016 or 2019).

The current work-around is to request the O365 users (Stores) to log-off when significant updates are being performed but this is obviously unsatisfactory.

Is there a lock-file incompatibility between O365 and installed Access ?

Answer 1

This is a longstanding known Windows 10 bug (2+ years). Refer to https://www.devhut.net/2018/06/13/access-bug-database-is-in-an-unrecognized-format/

Answer 2

I experienced this, and it was found to be a working, though corrupted, front end file. replace all users with new backups of the front end file.... it's not much work and might be the answer...

Otherwise, besides the bug noted by DP, a conflict in the table should be looked into closely. I note that you identify an apparent work-around: "log-off when significant updates are being performed"

• this does seem to hint at a table conflict.... but it was my experience that it was not due to multiple users but rather a front end design that had 1 user editing the same table from 2 different form objects, both open at the same time.... so it was a flawed front end design that caused no problem for years until seemingly the rules changed as part of 2019/365 edition ... .....