msaccess.exe (all versions) won't close properly when process EoAExperiences.exe is running

Question

I have a msaccess-application (accdb) working as frontend-client to a sql-server database. The FE-database consists of forms, reports, modules, etc.
On one client, when I open a form with controls others than label, it is not possible to close the application process msaccess.exe properly.
The database (.accdb and .laccdb) does close but the process msaccess.exe remains open as a background process.
This behaviour doesn't occur when I log in with a clean windows account.

I was able to trace the error down to the process EoAExperiences.exe (in %windir%\system32) - Windows Ease of Access.
When I remove this process in the task manager, msaccess.exe will close properly again.

Can someone please verify and address this issue to the access dev team?

Steps to reproduce the error:

1. Turn on text cursor indicator in Windows settings
   • Settings
   • Ease of Access
     • Text Cursor
   • Turn on text cursor indicator
     --> this starts %windir%\system32\EoAExperiences.exe
2. Create a new clean msaccess database "SimpleForm.accdb"
   • Create a new form with a textbox control and save it
   • Open the form
     3. Close database "SimpleForm.accdb"
        -> Lock-File SimpleForm.laccdb will close
        -> Lock-File %AppData%\Microsoft\Access\system.ldb remains open
        -> Process msaccess.exe remains open as background process

System environment:

• Win 10 2004 (OSBuild 19041.1415)
• Win 10 21H1 (OSBUild 19043.1415)
• MSAccess 14, 15 and up to at least 16.0.13127.21846 (32 and 64 Bit)

Answer 1

I can confirm this with:

Access 365 Version 2112 Build 14729.20194 Click and run) 64-bit
Office 365 Version 2112 Build 16.0.14729.20156) 64-bit
Windows 10 21H2 Build 19044.1415 64-bit

I've reported it to Microsoft.

Answer 2

Hi,

> I have started experiencing similar Access database problems.

If you are on the current build of M365 then it's more likely that you are one of the many victims of the latest Jan/Feb update bug. Here's some details:

Many Access users are reporting problems with Microsoft 365 Current Channel version 2201 build 16.0.14827.20158 of Jan 26.

This build in many cases (not always) can produce the following symptoms and error messages:

• a persistent .laccdb, an Access ghost process
• error 3048 "cannot open any more databases"
• other errors like "already in use by Admin".

There are 2 known workarounds so far:

1. Revert back to an older build of M365.
2. Try to put the database into a trusted folder. This has helped for many people as well.

Servus
Karl

Access News
Access DevCon

Answer 3

I have started experiencing similar Access database problems. I cant find the EoAExperience.exe service running. Has it been renamed in Windows 11?

Answer 4

Great, thank you, that worked for me.

Answer 5

I know this thread is a year or so old now, but I have the exact same behaviour as you Christoph except that I do not have the EoAExperiences.exe process running. I haven't found anything else on the net yet that describes the issue as correctly. Most of the posts I see are where the db lock file is staying there, but that is not the case, the db lock file clears, but the process remains. The %appdata%\Microsoft\Access\System.mdw lock file does remain there though.

I had it on Windows 10 and, like you, found that it was fine in a different user profile. I needed to upgrade to Windows 11 anyway so I was hoping that would also fix this issue. It did for a while, but this afternoon, the dreaded problem came back.

I am on Access version 2301 (Build 16.0.16026.20196) 32 bit currently.

It was fine this morning.

I am curious how you managed to track it down to the EoAExperiences.exe process being the culprit? Perhaps I can try the same.

See another post I put on Access-Programmers https://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/threads/dreaded-access-process-staying-open.325783/ when I first got the issue.