Cannot open database “. It may not be a database that your application recognizes, or the file may be corrupt.

Sounds like corruption...  (In your case because of reaching the limit)
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruption/symptoms.htm.

I would make a back-up, make another back-up and then first try importing all but the tables that contain attachments into a new database.  Also, read this article...
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruption/retrievedata.htm.

And after all of that I would finish off with this article...
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-25.html and see if any of those circumstances apply to you.

And when all else fails…
Data Recovery Services (I have never used them but I see them most mentioned when trying to recover data)…
http://www.pksolutions.com/t4.htm

There is nothing aside from upsizing that will allow Access to go beyond its limit.  Which is why most would store only a path to the picture/image and the actual picture/image in a folder in a central location.

I am experiencing the same but only after creating the database on Office 2010 and trying to open it on a computer with Office 2007.

I thought both would be compatable. No?

Randy

I am experiencing the same but only after creating the database on Office 2010 and trying to open it on a computer with Office 2007.

I thought both would be compatable. No?

 

Randy

An Access 2007 database that we recently constructed started giving the following error message when we try to enter attachments, "Cannot open database “.  It may not be a database that your application recognizes, or the file may be corrupt." 

I since became aware that there is a 2 gig limit on table attachments and that apparently is what is causing the error message to appear.  We are right at the 2 gig limit.  Our anticipation was that this database would store approximately 500 gigs of attachments.  However, I can not find anything that tells me an alternate way to  set up the database to store and retrieve document attachments.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Here is a link to a sample database that stores pictures outside the database and stores the links to the pictures in the database.

http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/forum/topic298.html

Mayuri,

First, this question was originally asked 4 years ago. Please check the dates before responding.  Second, if the file is giving an unrecognized format message you can't open it to get to the Tools menu. 

Hi Scott

I am trying to migrate some SQL data (7 GB) into access for a customer and it gives me same error as "Cannot open database “. It may not be a database that your application recognizes, or the file may be corrupt"

Is there a way i can increase the size limit  ? I am sure i cannot go with Tools > Database Utilities > compact and repair database option because data is not loaded in Access from SQL .

Appreciate your response  & help !

Thank you

Annam