How to delete ldb files when no one is in the database.

[Howard Burgman]

Well, Access wasn't running on the server either. We had to disconnect the
server from the network and delete the files. Now as we are working this
morning, the ldb files aren't closing when we close a database. So we are
back to square 1.

 

[RW]

No, I'm not ignoring uour posts.

We had a limited amount of time with the network admin so our priority was
to delete the files so we could compact and repair the databases. Since we
will have to set up another time with the administrator, is there an app
normally installed on a windows server that would tell us what has the file
open other than installing Process Explorer? I doubt the admin would let us
install something on the server - but we could ask.

We have found out that the company PC's was recently attacked with a worm
virus. The IT dept is now telling us that it may be responsible for our
problems. Numerous depts and PC's use this server and the virus hasn't been
removed from all affected PC's yet.

 

[David W. Fenton]

We had a limited amount of time with the network admin so our
priority was to delete the files so we could compact and repair
the databases.

Had your admin taken my advice, you could have done that much more
quickly without a server reboot. And you would have been able to
identify exactly which application was to blame and the resolve the
issue PERMANENTLY.

Since we
will have to set up another time with the administrator, is there
an app normally installed on a windows server that would tell us
what has the file open other than installing Process Explorer? I
doubt the admin would let us install something on the server - but
we could ask.

Process Explorer is a Microsoft utility (thought it wasn't
originally, it was acquired by MS several years ago). It requires no
installation, just running the executable that is unpacked when you
run the "installer" (which is just an executable ZIP).

So far as I know, there is no utility installed by default on a
Windows server that gives you information about file handles.
Perhaps there's something in the Windows Server Resource Kit, but,
again, that would have to be downloaded and "installed".

We have found out that the company PC's was recently attacked with
a worm virus. The IT dept is now telling us that it may be
responsible for our problems. Numerous depts and PC's use this
server and the virus hasn't been removed from all affected PC's
yet.

I think that's extremely unlikely. Why would a worm open an MDB
file? Makes no sense whatsoever.

What I see is an incompetent IT department looking for someone to
blame for their inability to use the simplest tools to solve
not-terribly-complicated problems.