I have a split database where the users keep the backend
in a shared folder on the network and then they copy the
frontend to their local computer.  It has code in it to
find the backend upon first opening the database.  This
all works to this point.  There are up to 8 users at any
time.  If more the one person enters data into the
database, it becomes corrupt within a few minutes.  An
error message appears stating "Unrecognized database
format   database/path/name".  Then records become
corrupted displaying #ERROR.  It seems that the more the
users, the quicker it corrupts.  The backend database
grows from a few KB to 100-200 KB starting from 340 KB.  
The .ldb file contains one or two user ids when it
corrupts and the users vary.

The database does NOT use User Groups or a Password
although they are all prompted for a password (they all
have a common .mdw file on their computers that has been
there from before my time).  The frontend consists of
three tabs, two of which have subforms created from
queries.

When making an MDE file for the frontend, Access
states "You can't create a Microsoft Access MDE database
from a database in Microsoft Access 2000 file format.  
Close the database and convert it to the current version
of Microsoft Access.  Then create the MDE database."  So I
converted the frontend to Access 2002 and then made the
MDE file.  I did not convert the backend.  Then I tried
with a converted backend and had the same results.

All users are at the following versions of Access/Jet:
    Microsoft Windows 2000
    Microsoft Access 2002 (10.3409.3501) SP-1
    msjet40.dll        4.0.6218.0  
(they also have msjet35.dll  3.51.2026.0)

The database properties:
Default open mode:         Shared
Default record locking:     Edited record
Open databases using record-level locking is checked
DDE operations:         Enable DDE refresh
OLE/DDE timeout:         30
Refresh interval:         60
Number of update retries:     2
ODBC refresh interval:     1500
Update retry interval:         250

I'm having a very difficult time pinpointing the problem.  
Any suggestions will GREATLY be appreciated!
Thank you!