General - Unhide database window

I am using Access 2000. The problem is that my coworker wanted to access the database while I was away from my desk so I gave permission to close the file on my computer and let that person open it from their desk (they have access 2003). When they opened the database from their desk the database window did not come up, and now it will not come up when I open it. I have tried F1 thru F12, holding shift as I open the file; the unhide option under windows is not selectable, and neither is startup under tools. There is no scroll bars, so it's not hid far down the page... any help would be appreciated!

When she opened it was she prompted to convert the database or just open it? If she's opening an older version (your version) of a database she should have gotten these options. If she chose convert database there may be an additional copy of it somewhere on her machine. Did you have a form open on startup so you know whether the database is starting correctly just not showing you the database window or is nothing happening when you double click the icon?

You can also try one other thing, open the database, then go to the TOOLS>STARTUP menu. There should be an option in there labeled DISPLAY DATABASE WINDOW.

She called into work today, so I have no idea if she was prompted to convert the database, but I used access and windows to search for access databases on both computers and could not find another one if it is still named the same.

The STARTUP option under tools is not available, it is greyed out on both computers.

I do not get any error messages when opening the file. When I open the file I get a grey screen with the main toolbar across the top with file, edit, etc. (many of these are greyed out) and it does not have the little window listing the tables, queries, forms, etc. so I do not know how to access the information. I assume the information is still there because the file size.

Her computer gives an error message stating "This file may not be safe if it contains code that was intended to harm your computer; do you want to open this file or cancel operation?" If I select open they open correctly, so I do not believe this is a problem. But this error message does not show up on the one I am trying to open. It opens on her computer the same way as it does on mine.

Thanks for the help!

It sounds to me like the database is not opening at all, if it were you would have control of the menu bars and they would not be greyed out.

Have you tried creating a new database and importing all your objects from the existing database into the new database to see if everything is still there? I would give that a go, if the original database somehow became corrupted it could be causing issues.

She said it did not ask if she wanted to convert it.

I opened a new blank access database, went to File, Get External Data, Import, then chose 'the database I cannot open', Import. Nothing happened.

If it is corrupt, is there anything I can do to recover it?

I have went into other databases I have here, and the exact same toolbar options are greyed out if I close the smaller database window, but the window comes back if I reopen the file.

I really appreciate your help!

Honestly I'm at a loss, I've never encountered this before. If the database file was on your server and you're running backups on a daily or weekly basis you should be able to recover it. If you're not running backups without actually seeing the file etc I don't know what to tell you.

If you close the 'smaller database window' I'm assuming you mean the window that shows all your queries, reports, forms and tables. That's the main database window if you close that you close your database which makes a lot of the toolbar options unavailable because they require a database to be active in order to be used. That's why I'm stumped. When you double click your icon (I'm assuming you're using a shortcut) it's like the database isn't even opening.

Are you opening the database from a shortcut? If so, double check the path and file name to make sure both of those exist. If she's moved the file accidentally or deleted it accidentally then it's possible the shortcut could just be opening access and then failing when it tries to open the file.

I called the server tech guy and he was able to recover the database from the server. He said her computer had converted the database - just like you had suggested. He was able to find it and convert it back. Thanks again for all your help!