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shambaladFlag for United States of America

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Error when opening database - bad system tables?

I am running into a problem I've not encountered before. I am running Access 2007 over a Vista Home Premium system, which had been working fine in the past.
When I create a new blank database (either mdb or accdb), I get an immediate error as soon as the database opens. The error message reads "in query expression 'szObject = wszTableName OR szReferenceObject = wszTableNam" (see 1st image below). When I click the OK button in the message box, the message pops again. It does this four times then finally stops.
If I close this newly created database, then reopen it, I get a different error message (see Image 2 below).
Suspecting a problem with the system tables, I tried to open them. I get the same error when I attempt to open the system tables, and cannot open the tables.
Interestingly enough, I have another accdb with only modules and system tables, which does not execute anything when the file is opened. I do not get any error when the accdb is opened, however I get the same error as above (Image 1) when I try to open any of the system tables.
I am getting a different error when I attempt to open another database that uses linked tables and is working on other machines (see 3rd image). This particular database uses an AutoExec macro, so the next message box that pops up is the one to end the macro. What is strange about this one is that if I step through the code that runs behind the AutoExec, I don't raise any errors. If I attempt to open any of the system tables, though, I get the same error as shown in Image 1.
I'm suspecting I am going to have to reinstall Access on this computer, but was wondering if anyone could explain to me what is going on here. User generated image User generated image User generated image
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Avatar of DatabaseMX (Joe Anderson - Former Microsoft Access MVP)
DatabaseMX (Joe Anderson - Former Microsoft Access MVP)
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Avatar of shambalad

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No missing references.
And yes, I mean blank. When I create the the database, the errors are the first thing I see.
Very strange.
Office repair from disk failed.
I am going to do an uninstall with Revo Uninstaller Pro, then attempt a clean install.
Office-repair-error.jpg
Office-Setup.log
Office-Report-Error-Report.txt
Actually, before I do anything else, I am going to run some scans on the system.
Ran scans with ESET Smart Security, MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, Hitman Pro, and Sophos Anti-Rootkit. The scans were essentially clean (of course, Sophos always finds some hidden files, but none appeared to be relevant to the current situation).
Going to start with the re-install.
I've reinstalled Office and that fixed it. I have no idea what exactly was happening with Access.
This concept of 'Deleting' the question is still new to me. Now that I've thought more about this , it seems to me it may be better to leave this question out on the forum.
This question reports an unusual anomaly. Although there is no solution here (the question was 'what was happpening', not 'how to fix it'. Anyway, I think a record of this event might be useful if someone else reports the same thing in the future.

FInally, I guess the catch-all 'Corruption' is probably the best explanation.
"This question reports an unusual anomaly."
To say the least!  I've *never* seen that in 18 years!  I really think the 'why' is ... corruption somewhere.

So, did the reinstall fix this?

mx
Yes, the reinstall fixed it, although getting to that point took a little effort..
First I tried to repair Office, which did not work. I then tried to remove the installation, and the remove failed. I re-booted and then ran an Install which completed successfully, although, all of the updates were already loaded to the software, so it was probably more of an overlay than a clean install. Anyway, the errors were still present in Access. At least this time, Office let me do a complete uninstall. After that, I was able to do a clean re-install. Without any updates applied, the errors in Access were gone. I then applied all of the Office updates, after which the errors were still gone.
This computer is about a year-old. Maybe sometime in the future when I'm feeling particularly masochistic, I will completely clear and reload the system.
So, corrupted installation. What are the chances :-)

mx