Hi

I have been successfully running a forum using V7.91 and MS Access for a couple of years.

Recently, we had a huge number of very obvious spammers registering. As a simple means of disposing of them I simply used the facility to batch delete users selecting to delete all users not flagged as active. This appeared to work well when I checked the membership list while still connected. Once I logged off however, neither I, nor anyone else has been able to access the forum with Error 500.

I have checked the error logs which, in the relevant place, say "|80004005|[Microsoft][ODBC_Microsoft_Access_Driver]_Cannot_open_database_'(unknown)'.__It_may_not_be_a_database_that_your_application_recognizes__or_the_file_may_be_corrupt. 80 - 91.125.173.1 HTTP/1."

I have downloaded a copy of the database, done a compact and repair, re-uploaded but with no change in the results. I also tried importing it into the latest free version of Web Wiz but got much the same error message. I then created a new empty database from a much older working version, simply importing the empty tables, exporting the data to ASCII files and then importing to the empty tables and recreating the relationships. Once again, the same errors persisted.

Can anyone suggest how I might be able to recover the forum (all of the data is, incidentally, clearly visible and acccessible in MS Access 2000)?

Obviously this is badly in need of upgrading but as I plan to use mySQL I was proposing to simply lock the old database so people could view it and review the new one. I would still like to do this but obviously need to restore the old one!

Many thanks

Chris

Many thanks. I might well try that - although being a non-profit conservation organisation I might well not be able to afford it!

All the best

Chris

Hi Bruce

Thanks for your reply. Presently I have extremely low hosting costs which are met by the two conservation organisations who sponsor the sites. I have been reluctant to use your hosting facilities simply because of this - in the current economic climate they cannot meet any further costs - and I'm a pensioner! 

Nonetheless, I can see the value for money in what you offer - after all, with the £9.95 package (which appears adequate for our purposes - so long as I can control the size of the pictures members have been uploading recently!)  the first year is roughly equivalent to buying the software in the first place. I'd just have to cut down on cigarettes! 

I am surprised at what you say re mySQL. I run several vastly larger databases using mySQL with no problem - although these are in a native (PHP/Linux) environment, which might account for this. I will willingly admit that I am primarily a LAMP enthusiast but equally willing to admit that I haven't found any forum software as good as Web Wiz at the price on Windows or Linux platforms.

I do have a few questions:-

1. Are you confident that you can import the old (technically corrupt, but fully accessible in Access 2k) into SQL Server? Certainly the £19.95 is reasonable.
2. Can I control uploaded image sizes? Some are currently 2 to  3+Mb in size - my users need their wrists slapped. (I can and will shrink many of the existing ones - but it takes time!) 
3. Assuming these are satisfactory, how do we proceed?

If you prefer to email me to take ensuing discussions off board, please feel free.

Regards

Chris

Hi Bruce

Since our failure to recover the data via the upgrading/migration route I have carried out considerable work on the database and have managed to recover most of the data and got it into, and working with, both Access and mySQL using the latest free version of Web Wiz. 

I did email you last night (replying to you at the forum hosting support address) but have had no reply. Since I see you have been here this morning I am posting here in case the email went astray.

Basically, since I am up and running again, albeit with the restrictions of the free version, are you prepared to have a go at upgrading to the hosted solution again?

Incidentally, would it be of value if I were to post how I recovered the data into a usable format?

Many thanks

Chris

Hi again Bruce

Lest anyone should believe you are slow in responding I have now received your email and will respond shortly.

Thanks again

Chris

And last, but not least ..................

A big thank you to Bruce - we seem to be up and running with a new forum and after a bit of file uploading and tidying up we should be fine.

Chris