ACT 6 database repair

[pregen]

Wanted to post what we did last week to fix a broken ACT 6.0 db.  It's been so long that I bet a bunch of people have forgotten this trick.  Sage support couldn't fix it either so they should know this as well.

Scenario - ACT 6.0 database won't open - closes immediately upon open.  Can't convert it either to load it into new version client purchased.  

Trick - removed .ABC and .ABU files.  ACT will rebuild them when you start it back up.  ACT 6.0 opened it and ACT 2010 could convert it as well.  Tough one to figure out because ACTDIAG scan and repair in 6.0 shows all green checks.  I almost forgot about this trick as well but stumbled on it reading back thru previous trouble tickets.  

Doesn't fix all the ACT 6.0 errors but works enough times to be worth trying.

FWIW....

[Roy_Laudenslager]

The repair that the scan and repair in the ACTDIAG is fairly limited. It mainly validates the REL table . It checks all the connections that are made through the REL table.

[GLComputing]

ACTDIAG Remove Index files (at least with the 6.03 build) should also remove those files

[jmc5018]

Hey there I have a question. I went to scan and repair my Act 2000 database right before I was about to convert it but now act 2000 can't open it to rebuild the indexs. In the actdiag tool it is saying that it couldn't find certain files. There extensions are mdx, adx, ddx, edx, gdx, hdx, rex, sdx, and tdx. I've gone through this process many times in trial before and never recieved these results. Can anyone help?

[GLComputing]

Scan and Repair deletes them ... they are usually re-created when you open the database.

If you're about to convert and non-longer need ACT! 2000, you could try with the ACT! 6.0 30-day trial as per:
http://blog.glcomputing.com.au/2010/01/tips-for-converting-act-60-or-earlier.html

[jmc5018]

The scan and repair actually does complete with a couple red check marks. I then run it again and the red check marks turn to green. It's the main page of the actdiag that tells me that those files are not found. When I try to open the database after the scan and repair I get a message saying "cannot open database."

[GLComputing]

It should give the option to re-build the index files if you're loggin in as an admin

[jmc5018]

When I open the database in act it actually starts to reindex but then the message pops up and says "cannot open database." I'm confused.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

Is the database files located in My Documents? If so those folders sometimes won't allow you to create new files in them. Another possibility is that the database is on a server and there is a similar restriction if you're opening the database over the network. I would try creating a folder called something like ACTdata on the root of the C drive and copy the database files there and try opening it there.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

That's bad. You've got corruption in one of the data files and ACT! can't rebuild the index files based on the data in the files. About the only option you have is to have the database repaired. Check here

 http://techbenders.com/2010/07/act-database-repair-password-recovery/