Hey everyone, I’m stuck with this old Access database from 2003. I’m trying to get rid of some linked tables, but nothing’s working. The Linked Table Manager only lets me link or relink tables. When I try to delete a table, nothing happens. It’s weird because there are multiple copies of this database, and they all seem connected. When I open one, it shows that I’m logged into several of them.
I’ve been searching for a solution, but no luck so far. Does anyone know why this is happening or how to fix it? I thought Access was supposed to make database management easier, but right now it’s giving me a headache. Any help would be really appreciated!
yo, sounds like u got a tricky situation there. have u tried opening the db in exclusive mode? hold shift when opening it. that might give u more control. if that dont work, maybe check the table properties and mess with the connection string. good luck mate!
hey there! have you tried using the compact and repair function? It can sometimes fix weird issues like this. Also, maybe check if theres any VBA code or macros in the db that might be stopping you from deleting tables? just a thought! whats your experience with access generally?
Having dealt with similar issues in older Access databases, I can understand your frustration. The behavior you’re describing suggests that these linked tables might be part of a split database setup, which was common in Access 2003. To resolve this, try opening the database in exclusive mode: hold the Shift key while opening the file. This should prevent other instances from connecting and give you full control. Once in exclusive mode, navigate to the Tables section in the Object Pane, right-click the linked table, and select ‘Delete’. If that doesn’t work, you might need to modify the connection string in the table properties. As a last resort, consider recreating the database structure in a new file and importing the data, which can often resolve legacy issues.