Corrupt .mdb file - how to recover

[jxm28788]

I was uploading some new products yesterday and have just noticed that the DB seems to have corrupted (products already in the DB have lost their custom information, which has been replaced by the info from the new products).

I have too many products to go through and check which ones have been corrupted and repair them... so I am going to go to a backup and reimport the new products.

Unfortunately, I saved too many times yesterday so both the 'backup' and 'previous' files are also corrupted. I have a backup that is about a week old so I can use that - but then the problem is that I lose the last weeks worth of order transactions.... soooo...

Can I take the (apparently) uncorrupted order data from the 'corrupt' DB and copy them to last weeks backup? That was I should have the uncorrupted products from last week plus all of the orders to date.

Will that work? What do I need to do? Is it as simple as copying the records from the order table in access? Or do I need to copy other data as well (eg customers etc)

[wjcampbe]

The first thing to do is a backup of the entire site folder, then go to Housekeeping | Compact Databases - tick both buttons. If the problem remains after doing this, open the mdb in MSAccess and use Tools | Database Utilities | Compact and Repair.

Do you have snapshots as well as the backups? If yes, snapshot what you have now, then install a previous snapshot that has no product corruption, and use File | Export | Catalog to create a heirarchical export of the catalaog data. install the latest snapshot and use File | Import to bring the catalog file back in as a 'replace'. [I guess the same might work with backups - install old backup, export catalog, install latest backup, import catalaog.]

The important thing here is to make a full backup first so you can always get back to where you are now.

[KD1]

Hi Dave,

Sorry cant help you with your problem but im sure someone will be able to. I have been looking at your site (Inks) and was wondering if i could be cheeky and ask how you have set up your search options in Actinic. Our search works but the search shows far to much info. Your site seems to find details just right. Perhaps you can help me ?

Many Thanks Keith

[jxm28788]

Sorry cant help you with your problem but im sure someone will be able to. I have been looking at your site (Inks) and was wondering if i could be cheeky and ask how you have set up your search options in Actinic. Our search works but the search shows far to much info. Your site seems to find details just right. Perhaps you can help me ?

Have e-mailed you screenshots of the settings, hope that helps. Which is your site btw?

[jxm28788]

The first thing to do is a backup of the entire site folder, then go to Housekeeping | Compact Databases - tick both buttons. If the problem remains after doing this, open the mdb in MSAccess and use Tools | Database Utilities | Compact and Repair.

Do you have snapshots as well as the backups? If yes, snapshot what you have now, then install a previous snapshot that has no product corruption, and use File | Export | Catalog to create a heirarchical export of the catalaog data. install the latest snapshot and use File | Import to bring the catalog file back in as a 'replace'. [I guess the same might work with backups - install old backup, export catalog, install latest backup, import catalaog.]

The important thing here is to make a full backup first so you can always get back to where you are now.

I've been compacting as I go along - when I import, get a failure, delete and re-import the DB gets ridiculously large very quickly (500mb!) - so I have to keep compacting it or it takes forever. I will try the compact repair though.

After I've finished backing up the driectory.

Then I think your best suggestion was to export the products (I have no recent snapshots) from the old DB and import into the corrupt one - sounds better than what I was planning!

[KD1]

Thanks Dave

The sites still under development but when its finished (the big question ) ill let you know

[wjcampbe]

(I have no recent snapshots)

Not good. You need to get into the habit of doing a snapshot before ANY work on the site [and ensure each snapshot is uniquely named] and again at several stages while working.

I can go back to any date since site launch via CD copy of all my snapshots, on all my sites.

PS. Looks like you either need to change your name or rename crazydaves to crazyjohns

[jxm28788]

Yes, that seems like a good idea. I thought it was enough that actinic keeps the 2 previous copies, and that I do regular backups to tapes. BUt it seems there is a slight flaw in that plan...

Luckily, it seems ok now and I can re-import all the lost products from the product import file - it'll just take me a couple of hours to put them all back in the right place...

And don't worry, about 50% of the people I do business with call me Dave...