how do I transfer old access database to a new computer

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Brian Korotzer - 20 May 2005 19:21 GMT

Newbie question - sorry. I have an Access 2000 database on an old computer
and I want to transfer the database and all the records to a new computer. I
don't see an easy way to do this. Would appreciate any guidance.

Thanks.

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Brian Korotzer - 20 May 2005 19:50 GMT

I should probably note that I already have Access loaded on the new computer.
I only need to move the database/records from the old to the new computer.

Thanks again.

> Newbie question - sorry. I have an Access 2000 database on an old computer
> and I want to transfer the database and all the records to a new computer. I
> don't see an easy way to do this. Would appreciate any guidance.
>
> Thanks.

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Jeff Boyce - 20 May 2005 20:08 GMT

Brian

Are your two computers connected via a LAN? Can one computer "see" the
other?

Do you have internet connection for each of them? Can one computer send
email (with attachments) to the other?

Does your current (and new) computer have a CD burner and/or a USB port?
Can you copy the db file(s) to a CD or USB device for transport?

Good luck

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

>I should probably note that I already have Access loaded on the new
>computer.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>>
>> Thanks.

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Brian Korotzer - 20 May 2005 20:37 GMT

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the older computer is standalone with no
network or internet connection. I should be able to get files off of it via
an external storage device of some type (perhaps an old zip drive), but I
need to know which files I should move. Which db files do I move?

> Brian
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> >>
> >> Thanks.

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Douglas J. Steele - 20 May 2005 22:02 GMT

All you should need is the MDB file.

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Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no e-mails, please!)

> Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the older computer is standalone with
> no
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> >>
>> >> Thanks.

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Jeff Boyce - 20 May 2005 22:47 GMT

Brian

A point of clarification on Douglas' response ...

If your "old" database is "split", you'll need to copy/move both the
front-end .MDB and the back-end .MDB files.

If your old database has been turned into a "use-only" version, it will have
an .MDE suffix.

If your old database has any references set in code modules to other
"libraries", you'll need to be sure your new machine has those libraries too
(and some of these may be .MDBs).

Good luck

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

> Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the older computer is standalone with
> no
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> >>
>> >> Thanks.

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Brian Korotzer - 20 May 2005 23:05 GMT

There is no front end/back end to worry about. Pretty simple database.

One last question for my own education - does the .mdb file contain both the
database "structure"(i.e. tables, forms, reports) and the data records
themselves?

Thanks again for the quick replys.

Brian

> Brian
>
[quoted text clipped - 52 lines]
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks.

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Jeff Boyce - 21 May 2005 00:55 GMT

Brian

As you work on databases more, you'll (probably) find value in "splitting"
your databases into "front-end" (queries, forms, reports, code, etc.) and
"back-end" (data only, in tables). If this hasn't been done with the
database you're working on, then everything is in the one .mdb file.

Good luck on your project

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

> There is no front end/back end to worry about. Pretty simple database.
>
[quoted text clipped - 71 lines]
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks.

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Benny Wong - 20 May 2005 23:00 GMT

> I should probably note that I already have Access loaded on the new computer.
> I only need to move the database/records from the old to the new computer.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>>
>>Thanks.

Hi Brain,

The easiest way would be to run "Compact/Repair" then zip the file
up and copy it to a floppy if it fits or if too big burn it to a CD.
This way you have backup of the database and be able to restore it in
the new
computer. You should find that "Compact/Repair" compresses the size of
the database and ensure the database is healthy.
Good luck and hope this helps!

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Jeff Boyce - 21 May 2005 00:57 GMT

To add to Benny's comment, I'll point out that I've had the "breath-taking"
experience of running a Compact & Repair and having it fail, hosing the
database.

If you'd like to run the risk of having this experience, too, don't bother
to do a backup of the .mdb file before running Compact & Repair. (read this
twice if you think this was a reasonable statement)

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

>> I should probably note that I already have Access loaded on the new
>> computer. I only need to move the database/records from the old to the
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> database and ensure the database is healthy.
> Good luck and hope this helps!

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fredg - 21 May 2005 01:39 GMT

If it will fit, copy the .mdb file onto a floppy disk.

If it is too large for a floppy ....
If your old computer has a CD writer, simply write all of your .mdb
files onto a CD. Then copy them to your new computer. Note.. all these
files will be Read-Only. Simply right-click on each one and select
properties. Un-check the Read-only box.

If your old computer doesn't have a CD writer, why not just email them
to yourself as an email attachment. Then download them into your new
computer. You would want to first Compact the database, then ZIP it if
you have WinZip or an equivalent program to compress the files.

Signature

Fred
Please only reply to this newsgroup.
I do not reply to personal email.

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