How to resolve 'Cannot Find the File...' error while opening MDB file in Windows Explorer

Microsoft Access users must have encountered database corruption at one instance or the other. While advanced users have switched to more sophisticated database tools for large projects, Access is still used for smaller projects by small and medium sized businesses. Access stores each and every component of it - tables, queries, forms, reports etc - in an MDB file. An MDB file may become corrupt in many scenarios including application malfunction, abrupt system shutdown, power fluctuations etc. In such situations, you tend to lose data or information stored in a database. However, you can overcome a data loss situation easily if you have a backup copy of the affected database. And, if a backup is not available, then you must consider using Access database recovery strategies.

Consider a scenario, wherein, you double-click an Access 2002 application (.mdb) file in Microsoft Windows Explorer, you may receive the following error message:

"Cannot find the file (or one of its components).
Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available."

As a result of the above error message, you are unable to access data stored in the MDB file.

Cause

The above error can be encountered in the following conditions:

• When an Access application contains an AutoExec macro, and the macro ends with a Quit action
• Or when an Access database is corrupt

Resolution

To overcome the problem, you can execute the following Access recovery steps:

• You must click to clear the Use DDE option for file association properties of the Access application (MDB) file. To do this, follow these steps:

1.Run Windows Explorer
2.On the Tools menu, click Folder Options
3.Click the File Types tab
4.In the Registered file types list, locate and then select Microsoft Access Application, click Advanced
5.In the Actions list, click Open and then click Edit
6.Click to clear the Use DDE option, and then click OK
7.In the Edit File Type dialog box, click OK
8.In Folder Options, click Close

• If the above workaround doesn't help then it is evident that the MDB file is corrupt. In order to fix corruption issue and retrieve data, you must opt for a third-party Access database repair steps.