ACC: Microsoft Access Appears to Hang During Database Compact

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

When Microsoft Access performs a database compact operation, the status bar indicates the percentage of the task that is complete. At times, the status bar may remain on one value for a very long time and it may appear that Microsoft Access stops responding (hangs). However, in most cases when this occurs, Microsoft Access continues to work on the compact operation.

CAUSE

When Microsoft Access performs a database compact operation, it copies each object in the database into a new database. Because different objects have different sizes, some objects require more time to copy into the new database. The value displayed in the status bar indicates the percentage of the number of objects copied, not the percentage of the total size of all objects copied.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

For example, if your database contains a very large table, the displayed percentage could go up to 90% rather quickly and then remain static while Microsoft Access copies the table. While Microsoft Access copies the table, it may appear to hang. The 90% value indicates that 90% of the objects have been copied; it does not indicate that 90% of the processing is complete.