How To Fix “Microsoft Access Database Engine Cannot Open Or Write To The File” Error?

Summary:

This blog is specifically written with the main prospective to provide you with the best solution to resolve one of the very trendy MS Access Database Engine Errors of nowadays. i.e “The Microsoft Access database engine cannot open or write to the file’‘.

So have a look over the fixes which i have figured out to fix this Access database error 3051.

What’s the issue?

Well, this specific Error message “Run-Time Error ‘3051’: The Microsoft Jet Database Engine Cannot Open the File” usually encounters during the importation of data from Access to any other database like excel, SQL, etc.

Error Details:

Code: ‘3051’

Name: The Microsoft Jet Database Engine Cannot Open the File

Screenshot:

The Microsoft Access database engine cannot open or write to the file X. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view or write its data.

Symptoms Of Access Error 3051:

You will receive the following error messages when trying to save changes made in the database.

• Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error ‘80004005’ [Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access 97 Driver] Couldn’t use ‘(unknown)’; file already in use.
• Microsoft JET Database Engine (0x80004005) Could not use ”; file already in use.
• Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers (0x80004005) [Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access Driver] The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file ‘(unknown)’. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.
• The operation must use an updateable query. (Microsoft JET Database Engine)

How To Fix Microsoft Access Database Engine Cannot Open Or Write To The File Error?

In this section, we will discuss Microsoft Access Database Engine cannot open or write to the File error rendered in two situations. So check that out.

Error 1# Run-time error ‘3051’: The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data

Problem:

When you start FRx or generate a report, you will catch into the following error message:

Run-time error ‘3051’: The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file ‘\\server\share\FRx\Sysdata\FRxQue32.mdb’. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.

Causes Of  Access Run-time Error ‘3051’:

Here are some well-known reasons that impart to the generation of such error codes:

• If the file is open on the machine or if it is on the network then someone still has it open.
• If the file is on the network the error can also be caused because of the security settings. So to fix it, you need to move the file locally on the server.
• If the file is local then chances are also that there are some permission issues.
• Chances are also that file that is showing the error message has the read-only attribute selected or maybe that user has insufficient permissions for the directory having the file.

Resolution To Fix “Microsoft Jet Database Engine Cannot Open The File It Is Already Opened Exclusively By Another”

Here are the fixes that you must try to resolve “The Microsoft Jet Database Engine Cannot Open The File It Is Already Opened Exclusively By Another” error:

Solution #1:

Before starting with the fixes make sure that file is not open anywhere else and you have copied it locally to the server. After then only try the following procedures:

Check out the file is saved locally on the server and is in the folder instead of being in the root folder.

If the file is in a folder, then go to the privilege section of that folder and make sure that users have complete access to read and write: “network service” and “asp”.

After allowing user access permission onto the folder if you still getting the same error. Then grant the user “Everyone” and test if this resolves the error.

Solution#2:

Use the window explorer, and browse for the error showing director. Make a right-click to the files listed in the error message and then its Properties option.

Make a check whether the Read-Only checkbox is selected in the Attribute section or not. If it is checked then, uncheck it and click Ok.

Move one level up to the parent of the current directory.

For instance: if you browsed to \\server\share\FRx\Sysdata\, moving up one level should display the \\server\share\FRx\directory.

Make right-click on directory having the listed file and then tap to the properties.

Make a hit on the Security tab and ensure that all FRx users have Read, Read & Execute, Write, and Modify permissions for the directory. If any user doesn’t have such permissions then add this permission and then tap to the OK option.  Repeat the action that caused the error as this prevents error to persist longer.

Error #2. Error 80004005 “The Microsoft Jet Database Engine cannot open the file ‘(unknown)'”

Symptoms of  Access Database Error 80004005:

The following error encounters when you use ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) or ODBC just to establish a connection to the Microsoft Access database.

Error message:

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error ‘80004005’
[Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access 97 Driver] The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file ‘(unknown)’. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.

Screenshot:

Cause Of ODBC Drivers error ‘80004005’

Well, there can be several reasons regarding this specific error code:

• Chances are also that the account which Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) is using i.e IUSR does not have the correct Windows NT permissions for the folder that contains the file or a file-based database.
• File and data source name is either marked as Exclusive.
• Any other process or user has the access database opened.
• Sometimes the issue can also be occurred because of the delegation issue. so for this, you need to check the authentication method (Basic versus NTLM) if it is.

If the connection string uses the Universal Naming Convention (UNC), then try to use the Basic authentication or an absolute path such as C:\Mydata\Data.mdb. The problem also occurs when UNC points to a resource that is local to IIS computer.

• Another very common reason for such error is when you access a local Microsoft Access database which is linked to a table where the table is in an Access database on a network server.

Resolution To Fix “The Microsoft Jet Database Engine cannot open the file ‘(unknown)'” error

Try the following resolution steps to resolve Error 80004005 “The Microsoft Jet Database Engine cannot open the file ‘(unknown)’”.

Ensure the permission on the file and folder.  Make sure you have the ability to make /delete any temporary files. As, temporary files are been created in the same folder as the database, but files may be created in other folders like WINNT folder. 

If you choose the network path to the database (UNC or mapped drive), just check out the permission on the share, the file, and the folder.

Ensure that file and DSN (data source name) are not marked as Exclusive.

Other users are maybe of Microsoft Visual InterDev. So, close if all Visual InterDev projects having a data connection to the database.

Just use the System DSN which uses local drive letters. If important move the database to the local drive for testing.

Wrap Up:

Do try all the fixes mentioned above if you are struggling hard with any of the “Microsoft Access database engine cannot open or write to the file” error. Don’t forget to share your experience with us in our comment section.

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Pearson Willey

Pearson Willey is a website content writer and long-form content planner. Besides this, he is also an avid reader. Thus he knows very well how to write an engaging content for readers. Writing is like a growing edge for him. He loves exploring his knowledge on MS Access & sharing tech blogs.