ACC2000: Error Message: Cannot Open Database Created with a Previous Version

When you attempt to open an Access 97 database in Access 2000, you may receive the following error message:

This issue can occur if you do not have Read permissions to the applicable Access registry keys, or if the file Msrd3x40.dll has not been correctly registered.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, use one or both of the following methods until the error message is eliminated:

• Make sure that you have Read permissions to the applicable Access registry keys:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe for Windows 2000 or Regedit.exe for Windows 98):
     1. Click Start, and then click Run.
     2. In the Open box, type Regedt32 or Regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate the following key in the registry:
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\
     1. Click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine window.
     2. Expand the SOFTWARE tree.
     3. Under SOFTWARE, expand the Microsoft tree.
     4. Under Microsoft, expand the Jet folder.
  3. Make sure that you have Read permissions to the Jet 4.0 and 3.5 registry keys:
     1. Click 4.0 under Jet.
     2. On the Security menu, click Permissions.
     3. In the Name box, click your user name, and make sure that the check box next to Read under Allow is selected.
     4. Repeat steps a through c for the 3.5 registry key.
  4. Quit Registry Editor.
• Re-register the Msrd3x40.dll file by using the Regsvr32.exe program:
  1. In Windows 98, click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders. In Windows 2000, click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files and Folders.
  2. In the Named or Search for files and folders named box, type Regsvr32.exe.
  3. In the Look in box, click the root of the hard disk (usually C:).
  4. Click to select the Include Subfolders check box if it is not already selected necessary, and then click Find Now or Search Now.
  5. After you find the file, click Start, and then click Run. Delete anything that is in the Open box.
  6. Drag the Regsvr32.exe file from the search results window to the Open box.
  7. Repeat steps 2 through 6, this time searching for Msrd3x40.dll.
  8. After the Msrd3x40.dll file is in the Open box along with the Regsvr32.exe file, click OK to re-register the Msrd3x40.dll file.

If you do not find Regsvr32.exe on your computer, search other available computers for this file. Otherwise, you can obtain the file from the Microsoft Web site. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: