Quick Queries #88
By Richard Rost
11 days ago
Fixing 32 Bit and 64 Bit Office Install Conflicts In this video, we discuss how to resolve the Microsoft Access Database Engine x64 install error caused by 32-bit and 64-bit Office mismatches, and what steps you can take to run an older Access database on a new system. We also address community questions on topics such as keeping Excel macros tied to a single workbook, clipboard security when copying passwords, password rotation habits, and considerations for password storage in Access. Additionally, I share quick tech tips and close by reading viewers' stories about how they first discovered Microsoft Access. Miriam from Lincoln, Nebraska (a Platinum Member) : Many years ago I paid a consultant to develop an Access database for my company, and it's been working great this whole time. We just bought all new computers, and they came with Microsoft Office already installed. Now we're trying to reinstall our Access database from the original disk he gave us, and we're getting this error: "You cannot install the 32-bit version of Microsoft Access Database Engine because you currently have 64-bit Office products installed." What do we need to do to get this working? The consultant is out of business, and no one here really knows much about Access, so we found you online and figured we'd ask the Access guy. PrerequisitesLinksRecommended CoursesUp Next
Keywords TechHelp QQ Quick Queries, Microsoft Access Database Engine X64.exe install error, 32-bit vs 64-bit Office, Access Database Engine install error, Excel Macros in single workbook, clear clipboard VBA, Outlook folders linking, Access runtime, password manager Access, password strength meter, Access VBA compile error, SQL Server backend, Access color coded password, database file migration, Northwind, non-breaking space CHR(160)
Intro In this video, we discuss how to resolve the Microsoft Access Database Engine x64 install error caused by 32-bit and 64-bit Office mismatches, and what steps you can take to run an older Access database on a new system. We also address community questions on topics such as keeping Excel macros tied to a single workbook, clipboard security when copying passwords, password rotation habits, and considerations for password storage in Access. Additionally, I share quick tech tips and close by reading viewers' stories about how they first discovered Microsoft Access.Transcript Are you getting that Microsoft Access Database Engine X64.exe install error and you have no idea why it won't install or what to do next? Welcome to another TechHelp Quick Queries video brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I'm your instructor, Richard Rost.
Today we're going to talk about that Access Database Engine install error, the 32-bit versus 64-bit mismatch, and what you can do to actually get your old database running on a new system. We've also got questions from YouTube, my website forums, emails, and more, including Excel Macros tied to a single workbook, clipboard security concerns with passwords, whether you really need to rotate passwords all the time, and a few quick tips and gotchas that came up this week.
At the end of the video, we're going to go over your responses to my "How did you first discover Microsoft Access?" video, because I got a lot of those, and a lot of them are really fun to read.
Alright, let's jump in.
Today was a long one. We fixed that Access Database Engine install error, remember that way back in our ago. We talked about running older databases on new systems, covered a few quick tips like Excel Macros staying in a single workbook, and some password security gotchas.
If you found this helpful and if you're still here after an hour, post a comment down below. Let me know what you think and type in, "the password is Mulberry." Let me know you were here and that you watched the whole video. I'm curious to see how many people stayed. I think a lot of people that are searching for that thing that I started off with, the install error, are going to watch the first five minutes, get that answer, and leave.
So I might make a separate second video just about that install error because I know that's a popularly searched thing on Google that people are going to be looking for. I don't want the algorithm to think that the rest of the video is garbage.
Anyways, post a comment down below and of course drop any questions you've got for next week's Quick Queries video and I'll try to get it done on Friday. I'm not traveling anywhere this week so it shouldn't be hard.
That's going to do it for your Quick Queries video brought to you by me and AccessLearningZone.com. I hope you learned something. Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
We're doing a special weekend edition because I had a really crazy travel weekend last weekend and then I was fighting a cold and I just got backed up like a day or two. So we're doing Quick Queries Saturday instead of Quick Queries Friday.
Kicking us off today, we've got Miriam in Lincoln, Nebraska, one of my platinum members. Miriam says:
"Many years ago I paid a consultant to develop an Access database for my company and it's been working great this whole time. We just bought all new computers and they came with Microsoft Office already installed. Now we're trying to reinstall our Access database from the original disk he gave us and we're getting this error: 'You cannot install the 32-bit version of Microsoft Access Database Engine because you currently have 64-bit office products installed.' What do we need to do to get this working? The consultant is out of business and no one here really knows much about Access so we found you online and figured we'd ask the Access guy."
Well, I appreciate that. I like that, the Access guy. Oh, I just checked online and theaccessguy.com and accessguy.com are both taken so that's out.
Anyways, this is a very common situation. This was even more common a few years back, like back in 2020 when everybody was still kind of switching between 32-bit and 64-bit Office products. What's basically happening here is a mismatch between 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Office components.
So your new PCs probably all came with Windows 11 and 64-bit Microsoft Office, which is the new version, and your old Access application was probably built in a 32-bit version of Microsoft Access, probably like 2013 or 2010 or 2007, however old it is - you didn't really specify.
The problem is you can't have two different versions of the same Microsoft Office on one computer. It's either got to be all 32-bit or all 64-bit. So even if you don't have Microsoft Access with your new computers, if they didn't come with the Microsoft Office that you got, you still can't install an old 32-bit version of any Office application as long as you've got 64-bit versions of any Office applications like Word or Excel or PowerPoint on the new machines.
You've got some options. Now you mentioned that you're trying to install it off an old disk that your consultant built for you. If you can, try taking the database file just off that disk if it's exposed, if it's available. A lot of those old setups bundled the Access runtime with the database using something like InstallShield, so it might just be like an EXE bundle, some kind of a package. It could just be a zip file; it could just be any number of things. But if you can get just the ACCDB or the ACCDE file, or if it's really old, the MDB file, then you should be able to just install a new version of Access and work with that.
The database file may just run as it is with the new version of Access - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Now, you shouldn't have to purchase a copy of Access for each of those machines if it's not included already. You can try installing the Access runtime. Again, if your new machines have 64-bit, you can try installing the 64-bit Access runtime and see if that runs your database. It may not. Try it on one machine first and see if it works.
If the database opens and runs fine, great, you're done. But if you get errors, especially compile errors in the VBA code, that means the database was built specifically for 32-bit and the VBA might need to be updated for 64-bit. I did a video on this back in 2020 when a lot of people were having problems with this, but if neither you nor anyone on your staff is very familiar with Access, this might be a little bit over your head for now. You might need to find a consultant to do this for you.
So if you get compile errors, you basically have two choices: either have someone go in and update the code so it works in 64-bit, or the easier route in a lot of cases is simply to uninstall Office - the Office that came on your new machines - and reinstall the 32-bit version so everything matches what the database expects. You'd want to have the same version of Office that your database was built with.
Worst case scenario, what I do is just take some older machine that you might have, if you still have an old computer laying around, uninstall Office completely, install everything from the Access disk that your consultant gave you, just grab the database file, move that over to your new systems, and then reconnect it to your back end. Hopefully your back end is still sitting safely on your server. I'm assuming you didn't just nuke the server where your data is sitting. I am assuming since you said you got new office computers for everybody that you're using a shared database system where everybody in the office is connecting to the same back end file where your data is (your tables and stuff). I'm also assuming you didn't just wipe out the server and that your data is still safely sitting there. If not, that's a whole different conversation altogether.
Now, if it's an Access back end (just an Access file containing the tables), you'll need to make sure everyone has a proper connection to it, whether it's the same mapped drive letter or a shared network path so that the file can be found. If you don't know how to set that up, I got a video on that. If you have SQL Server, you need to make sure that each machine can connect to your server, so you'll likely have to re-link your front end databases to that back end. That's a separate step, but it's part of getting everything working again.
I used to work with a lot of companies back in the day when I was a consultant and just back in the day was a Tuesday. They had their old system running and everything was humming along, but they wanted to upgrade their computers, put all new hardware in there, and I said okay, great, no problem, we can bring all the new hardware in, set it all up, take me about an hour, but then we have to go through, we got to install Access, we got to install whatever other applications you need, we got to configure them, we got to set up the drive letters, we got to point everything to the server - it's a lot of work. Buying the new hardware is the easy part; it's all the service and configuration that comes after that point and that's something that a lot of companies don't consider.
The good news is your database isn't broken; it's just an old setup clashing with modern 64-bit Office, and sometimes a little bit of code needs to be edited for the new versions.
If you're still having trouble after all that, post the details of your setup in the forums on my website. The moderators and I hang out in there all the time, and we might be able to help you get stuff sorted out. If it turns out you need more hands-on help, I don't provide one-on-one assistance myself - I got out of the consulting game years ago - but I do have a solid network of consultants I can point you to who deal with this kind of thing all the time, so check out that. I'll put links to all this stuff down below.
Alright, let's head over to the forums on my website, and this is a good little tip from Adrian, one of our silver members. He's trying to indent items in a list by adding spaces based on the field value, kind of like building a simple preview; little spaces in front of them there.
At first, he had a query that wasn't doing what he expected, but Donald, always coming in - Donald, I love Donald - he jumped in with the correct approach, which is just to prepend spaces, add them to the front of the string using the Space function. This little guy: Space, and then Adrian added a where clause so it only applies to the records that he wanted, and that solved it.
One thing Donald pointed out, and this is important: Access can be a little weird with spaces sometimes. It looks like it's dropping one, especially at the beginning, so if you're doing this just for display, you might have to add an extra space to get it to look right. It also depends on your font, too.
One extra tip that I threw in there: if you really need those spaces to stick, you can insert a CHR(160). It's basically a non-breaking space because, especially with text boxes, if you type in something in a text box and you put a space at the end of it, if you tab off of that and come back to it, you'll notice that space is gone. Access trims spaces; usually it leaves the spaces on the left side, but not always. Sometimes it'll trim the whole thing. So 160 is a non-breaking space. It's basically a high-ASCII character that looks like a space but it's not really a space, so Access doesn't treat it like a space. I'll put a link to this conversation in the link section if you want to read the whole thing. Lots of cool stuff in here and some good code.
Alright, quick Excel tip. I'm going to drop Excel tips in here once in a while, some SQL Server tips, maybe a Word tip from time to time, just because it's Microsoft Access Quick Queries. I know a lot of you use Excel and Word and SQL Server, so we're going to throw some other stuff in here once in a while. We all use Excel from time to time.
This one's short and sweet. Julie wanted to know how to make a macro work in a specific workbook across multiple sheets. This is one of those things that's super easy when you know where to click. When you record or save a macro, Excel gives you an option that says "Store macro in" and of course Kevin dropped in with the perfect solution. There it is. All you have to do is select the "This Workbook" option and the macro is saved right inside the file and will work across all the sheets in the workbook file. Once again, thanks Kevin.
Next up, we got a great question from Alan about linking Outlook folders into Access. This one sounds scary but it's really not. The key thing to understand is when you link an Outlook folder in Access, you're not copying the emails into your database - you're just looking at them through a window. The data still is in Outlook. It's kind of like queries - you're just looking at the data in the table, but it's not actually copied into the query. So if you delete an email from that linked table in Access, then yes, it deletes the actual email in Outlook, but it should go to your Deleted Items folder just like normal. It should - I've had situations where it doesn't, so be careful there.
The big concern that Alan had was if you happen to delete the linked table in Access, do all of your emails disappear? No, that's not how that works. It's kind of like linked tables in Access - if you link to a back end file and back end Access file, if you delete that link then you're not deleting the table, you're just deleting the link to the table. So do your emails disappear? No, the emails themselves are still completely safe in Outlook - or at least they should be. That's Outlook, after all.
Look at the issues that Artemis had with Outlook and that MAPI profile option just tells Access which Outlook profile to use. If you've only got one, you'll never notice it. If you've got multiple, it just makes sure that you connect to the right one. Bottom line, it feels dangerous, but it's really just a link. It's not your actual data unless you're interacting with the emails themselves by deleting those - then, yes, you're deleting individual emails.
This was a response to my Access Expert 20 class where I do cover stuff like sending mail from Access using Outlook and linking to Outlook folders, reading and editing inbox and contacts, and we do a bunch of stuff like that, so this is a fun class.
Next up, the password manager and generator database videos that I did, parts one and two. You guys seem to really like that, so I'm happy, thanks. Lots of you want part three, which I mentioned at the end of part two. If you guys want to see one of those little meters to show the password strength and like, okay, you still need to put in a lowercase letter and a special character - that kind of thing with the little blinky lights - we'll do it. We'll do part three.
Lots of you chimed in and I always say, if you want to see it, put it in the comments. These are just some of them. There's lots of comments; these are just the good ones. So yeah, we'll do part three, maybe next week.
Speaking of the password manager database, Maggie asked if it's possible to clear the clipboard once you quit the program and yeah, it's possible. Kevin actually gave some code here - I'll zoom out a little bit so you can see this better - there are some API calls you can use, and I'll talk about this in part three. Alex suggested you could add a timer event which removes this after 20 seconds. You could do that; that would probably be the easier method. Instead of just doing it when the database closes - when it copies to the clipboard, start a little timer event and then after 20 seconds clear the clipboard.
You can either use Kevin's clear-the-clipboard code or just copy something else to the clipboard unless you've got clipboard history turned on, like I do, so that you got a history of the last couple things you've saved in the clipboard, in which case it'll just push it back. This is assuming you're using a computer that other people can get on, and you're not locking your computer. Lock your computer when you walk away from it, people. Every time I walk away, it's Ctrl-Alt-Delete, Space - I've been doing that for years. Get in the habit; don't leave yourself logged in. But yeah, it's definitely possible. We'll talk about some options.
Sticking with the password manager, John is asking about adding color coding to the passwords, like showing the lower case letters in red, numbers in blue, uppercase letters in green to make them easier to read. That's actually a pretty cool idea. I wouldn't do it in the password text box itself that you're entering the data in - I would still keep that one plain text - but you could do like a box above it or somewhere else on the form that shows a little bit of formatting with HTML color. That would be the only way you could do it in a text box is with some HTML formatting; just make it rich text. It takes a little bit of extra logic but it's definitely doable. If it's something you guys want to see, let me know. Drop a comment down below and if there's enough interest, I can put something together for it, maybe do a part four. I don't know. I'll see. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, like I always say. Whenever the comments come in for something, I'll make a video about it. Or what's the other rule? If you do a Google search for it or a YouTube search for it and you don't find one of my videos, let me know and I'll make a video for it. So keep those suggestions coming in.
Speaking of suggestions, my suggestion is if this video is helping you, if you like what I do, hit that like and subscribe button. It helps me, it helps the channel, it lets YouTube know that you like my stuff, it pushes my videos to more people, and it allows me to keep doing what I'm doing. If you like it, hit that like button right now and it'll thumbs up and the little subscribe and all that good stuff.
Alright, next up. I had to pull out the Google Translate for this one but Gustavo is pointing out that strong passwords in Access aren't very secure and he prefers using PostgreSQL with encryption. And yes, Gustavo, you're absolutely right. Access by itself is not a secure place to store sensitive data like passwords or credit card numbers or any that's not Social Security numbers. Especially in a Jet or ACE table, even with a database password, it's still relatively easy to get to that data. For personal use it's fine, but for anything serious you really want to use a proper database server with encryption, like SQL Server or PostgreSQL.
I do mention this several times in the video. In the extended cut, I do show a basic way to scramble the data to obfuscate it a little bit so that if someone just gets a hold of the tables or, you know, pokes around, all they see is a bunch of numbers. But that's more obfuscation than real security. So yes, if security matters, if these passwords are super secure, go with a real back end. Fortunately, I got a full free course to teach you how to set up SQL Server that's very easy to do, and this will walk you through it step by step.
Next up, a few more people were concerned about the clipboard thing with the passwords, like corndog527 here asking, yeah, basically if a password gets copied to the clipboard, could someone else come along later and see it using clipboard history or a clipboard tool? Yeah, that's definitely possible. Windows has clipboard history built in now. In fact, I did a video about it a couple years ago when it first came out. I was like, "Wow, this is awesome, I love it." So if you copy something sensitive like a password, it can stick around a little while longer than you think.
The real takeaway here is basic security hygiene: don't leave your computer unlocked. If you walk away, lock it. Same thing as leaving your browser open with saved passwords. I use Google Password Manager so all my passwords are stored right in my browser and my Google account, and I like that because then I can use them on my phone, on my tablet, on my laptop, on my desktop - it follows me or it travels with me. So if I'm on a trip and I need a password for a particular thing, I don't have to log into my Access database at home to get it. But someone could sit down and get right in to my bank or my credit card company, just click the browser, click login, and boom, you're in.
I use a fingerprint reader and then, tap, it logs me in to my PC and I make sure I log out whenever I leave my office, even if it's just me and my wife home. You never know. Sometimes when I get crazy and decide to go out for lunch and then I left my laptop logged in and someone breaks into the house, sees my laptop - now not only do they have my laptop, which is no big deal, but they've got everything. They've got all my passwords, they've got access to my website. The data on my laptop is way more valuable than the laptop itself, so make sure you log out.
Yeah, with the fingerprint reader, if someone cuts off my finger, well, then, I got bigger problems at that point. But make sure you lock your PC when you step away; that's the bottom line. But yeah, we'll talk about this in part three.
Next up, Born and But Tyme - I don't know how to pronounce that - anyways, they're suggesting that adding a "last updated" timestamp to your passwords is a good thing, and I did mention that at the beginning of the video. I said you can add a last change date. It's definitely useful just to keep track of how old the password is, when you changed it last, and that's not hard to update - in the Generate button, update it, in the After Update event, update it, it's real simple, just update the date to now.
As far as changing passwords regularly, I see I'm a little more relaxed on that. I think if you're using a strong unique password for every site that you're on, and on your laptop and wherever else - different password everywhere - I don't think there's a need to constantly rotate them. If it's unique everywhere, you're fine; you could have the same password for a hundred years and who cares. I know there's a lot of network admins out there that force you to update your password every three months or so. Why? What's the point? Now, if there's a data breach and they know about it, then yeah, everyone needs to change passwords. But the real problem is people reusing the same password everywhere. That's what gets you in trouble. That's why you want to use a good password manager, use unique passwords everywhere, and keep track of them.
Years ago, I put a whole article on my website about password safety tips because I would get people yelling at me like, "Hey, you know, you sent me my password in plain text in an email." Well, yeah, it's a unique password just on my website, right? It should be. Don't use the same password on multiple sites, because if you're using the same password on your bank and all your credit cards and Microsoft and Google and whatever, you got that same password everywhere, any one of those sites has a data breach, now that hacker has all of your passwords on all of the sites. So you don't want to use this; use unique passwords.
Let's pretend you logged into "JoesComputerEmporium.org" or whatever and you logged in, created an account, you set up - whatever. Now he knows your information: your name, your address, and your email address, and if you have the same password everywhere else, now he's got it. Now, if Joe from "JoesWhatever.net.org" or whatever, if that website - if he's nefarious and he decides, "Let's see, I got their credit card and their banking information, let's go see if I can log into their website now - the credit card web - oh, guess what, I'm in." So see, that's why you want to use a different password everywhere.
Is it wise to send passwords by email? Not for secure stuff, no. I do, because my website, the most someone can do if they get into your account is watch your videos you've paid for, that's it. I don't store credit card information or other sensitive billing information on my website at all, so if someone does hack your account on my website, all I got is your name and address and what courses you like, that's it. So I'm not too worried about that. My website doesn't have nuclear codes, so all they're going to do is learn a little Access.
This comment is an example of how I definitely need a lot more information in order to be able to answer your questions, and this comes up a lot. This one, it sounds like their Access database was working fine and then after installing Windows, or reinstalling Windows or whatever, it stopped working and now the VBA code isn't running. But this is one of those instances where I just don't have enough information to help you. "It's not working" can mean a hundred different things. What exactly? Are you getting an error message? Is the code not firing? Is something broken in Windows or Office? There's no way that I can diagnose your problem from just this YouTube comment.
If you've got a problem like this, you've got to give details, whether you're posting in the YouTube comments on my videos or if you're looking for help on Reddit or some other forum. Those of us trying to offer help, I love helping people, I love answering your questions, I do a video every week just to answer people's questions like this, but I need more information. What changed? What exactly is happening? What are the errors you're seeing? I would love to make a video to help you solve the problem, but I don't know what the problem is based on what you've told me here.
The best place to get help is the forums on my website, or check out the Access Developer Network that I gave you the link for earlier in the video if you really need help with a consultant to help you one-on-one. I just need you to tell me more, tell me more, tell me more, like the song in Grease, and maybe I'll be able to help you.
Alright, for the rest of the video I want to go over the responses that I got from a lot of you to my video I did last weekend, "How did you get introduced to Microsoft Access?" I asked you guys - I do these little conversation starters once in a while - and I asked you guys to post your comments and you guys really delivered. I got a ton of really cool stories. I don't have time to go through all of them, so I'm just going to share a few of my favorites.
If you didn't catch that video, basically I told my story about how I stumbled into Access completely by accident back in the early 90s. I was installing Microsoft Office from a stack of floppy disks and I was building a database in C at the time, C++. When I opened Access, I was like, lightbulb moment. Something that used to take me weeks was suddenly able to be done in hours and that pretty much set the course for the rest of my life.
Here are some of what you guys had to say:
Starting off, Aaron said his story is pretty similar to mine. He started a computer business back in the 90s, was using WordPerfect, and then got introduced to Microsoft Office and eventually stumbled into Access and started teaching himself on Northwind. I love this because it's almost the same path a lot of us took - WordPerfect back in the day and then someone shows you Office because, let's face it, Word was better than WordPerfect. I loved WordPerfect for years but Microsoft Word was definitely better. It was a little annoying at first because, being a WordPerfect user, I mean, I go all the way back to WordPerfect for DOS - you're used to everything being very text-based and those "reveal codes," bold starts here and bold ends there, and you can manipulate the reveal codes. When Word came along, they didn't really have a lot of that, so it was kind of weird shifting to more of a visual thing. But yeah, Northwind, tearing that thing apart is how a lot of us learned. It's like the unofficial training course from Microsoft back then because the books and stuff weren't that great.
One of our moderators says he goes way back to the early days of working in the Air Force with dBASE and Lotus, building inventory systems to track tools on the flight line so nothing got left behind in an aircraft. That's awesome. I love these old school stories. That's exactly how a lot of us got started - solving real problems first and then figuring out the tools later. Sometimes organizations get these incredibly powerful tools and then lock them down so much you can barely use them. It's like giving someone a Ferrari and then putting a governor on it. Still, I get it, security matters, but man, it can be frustrating.
Next up we got Joe. He says back in the early 90s he was helping businesses get set up with Windows and Microsoft Office, literally bringing in computers, installing everything and getting companies set up and running. I did a lot of that too. He quickly realized he needed custom software, tried a few early database tools like Microsoft Works and Paradox, but once he found Access 2.0, everything changed. That's the version that I started working with - Access 2.0. Within weeks he was building real solutions for clients and that eventually turned into a full-time job, buying the company and still running the database today that he originally built back in the mid 90s.
This is awesome. I love hearing stories like that because that's exactly what Access was built for - solving real business problems quickly. The fact that you're still using a database that you started in the 90s - well, that says everything right there. People love to knock Access, but systems don't last 30 years unless they're built to work right. I mean, that's just amazing.
In fact, this reminds me, I just replied to a Facebook post this morning - it was in a group called "low-code/no-code" and you guys know my whole situation in the low-code/no-code thing. Low-code/no-code is cool for proof of concept stuff or just trying something new, seeing if you can get it to work, but don't build a business system that relies on this software with low-code/no-code if you don't understand the fundamentals of how that software works and you're going to run your business on it. Good luck. I even posted something in there, too, because I think the original post was something like, "I got this Microsoft Access database that this client gave me and it's like 15-20 years old, I need help low-code/no-coding it into something modern." And I basically replied like, "Why?" I get it if you have a need for your people to have it on their phones or you need a web-based platform for it. Fine, low-code/no-code a new front end, keep the Access database on your desktop - that's what it's designed for. Port the data over to SQL Server, which businesses should be doing anyways, now that you got the data in SQL Server, get that up on the web - I got videos to show you how to do that - and low-code/no-code till the cows come home for your mobile app and for your web app, great, knock yourself out. But your business should be dependent upon software that is built properly, in Microsoft Access or any other proper desktop application - but Access is obviously the one I love. Low-code/no-code has got its place, but not running enterprise software. So yeah, that's my tangent. Let's get back to the emails or the posts or whatever these are.
Next up, Donald says the first time he ever saw Access was on one of those demo CDs that came with a magazine back in the 90s. I remember those. He was using basic tools like MS Works at the time, but when he installed Office and opened Access, that was the one that really stood out. That was the one I discovered by accident. He started teaching himself with the built-in help and Northwind - lots of people love Northwind - but couldn't afford the full version back then; it wasn't cheap. I remember this, it was like $300 and that was 1990s dollars, so that was like a thousand dollars today. So he moved into web development for a while and then years later came back to Access and really dug into it. And that's awesome.
I remember those demo CDs. That's how a lot of us got exposed to new software back then. Remember those AOL CDs? I used to get so many I used to make wind chimes out of them. But yeah, I love that moment where you open Access and you're like, wow, this is just different. It's funny how many of these stories also involve Northwind. That thing probably taught half the developers out there.
Next up, Matt says back in 2012 he was brought in to help with an ethanol plant that basically wasn't working and then got tasked with starting up a second plant that had never even run before with a 90-day deadline. They didn't have proper documentation - just a PDF list of instruments - so he built an Access database from scratch, imported what data he could, gathered the rest manually, and used it to generate over a thousand drawings needed to get the plant commissioned and running.
That is awesome. That's exactly the kind of real-world problem that Access is perfect for. You've got incomplete data, tight deadlines, and you need to just build something quick that works, and that's exactly what Access is designed for. Generating over a thousand reports like that - that's not something you can easily do in Excel. That's where Access really shines. Attachments in Access - super evil. Glad you found that seminar.
Brian says he was in the Army working with an HR unit, showing someone a PHP and MySQL project he was working on when a Sergeant Major overheard and introduced him to Access. Once he saw how Access handled forms and reports, he realized it was much easier to build than what he was trying to do. Same thing with me. That's a classic moment right there - you're building something the hard way, like I used to do in C, and then someone shows you Access and you're like, "Wait a minute, I can do all this without writing everything from scratch." That's exactly the same kind of lightbulb moment that a lot of us had. For business apps, Access can save you a ton of time compared to rolling everything yourself.
John says he started way back in the dBASE days and even built a database in Turbo Pascal. Once he found Access, it made things a lot easier. Over the years he's used it for all kinds of real-world applications - attendance tracking, competitions, asset management, and even integrating with SQL and LDAP systems. One of his Access databases actually helped recover over $200,000 in a class action lawsuit by tracking assets and documentation. That's awesome. That's the kind of story people don't think about with Access - it's not just little hobby databases. You're talking real money, real business impact. A lot of us came from dBASE or Pascal (C in my case, something like that), and when you find Access it's like, "Wow, this is so much faster to build real applications." What a great story, thank you for sharing. Thank you everyone for sharing.
Monica says she first got introduced to Access back in high school when she was just keeping a list of books in Excel and her mom told her about Access. She didn't really know what she was doing at the time and then later in college had a pretty rough experience trying to learn C++. It's not easy. She walked away thinking she just couldn't code, but years later, on the job, she started using Access again - just simple stuff at first, then slowly built up her skills and confidence over time.
I love this story because I hear this all the time - people think they can't code because they had one bad experience with a programming class, and then they find something like Access and realize, oh, wait, I can do this, I can code. You don't have to jump straight into hardcore programming to build some useful stuff. Once you start with little things like opening forms and running queries, it just grows from there. That's awesome.
That's like what I say in a lot of my videos; don't be scared of VBA. You can just learn a couple of commands. How easy is it - once you learn, okay, DoCmd.OpenForm, that's it, one line of code, now you can make buttons open forms the way you like, just little things. C++ is not an easy language. I used to program in classic C - the C that came before C++. For those of you who don't know why it's called C++, it's because in C++ the ++ is the increment operator. In VB, you'd say x = x + 1; in C it's a lot easier, you'd just say x++, and that increments it by one. That's why they call it C++, it's the increment, you know, add one to C. It's the next version to C, but C++ they added a lot of - it's hard. I've actually thought of doing a beginner C class, just from a computer science standpoint, because C is a really powerful language and it's not super hard, but a lot of the modern stuff - C++ of course, JavaScript, a lot of these newer languages - are based on the syntax that you learn in C. So I thought about doing a real simple computer science intro using C, and there are some free C compilers out there. I haven't programmed in it myself in probably 20 years, so I'm going to have to refresh my noodle as well. If you want to see a basic C class, let me know, because I know those of you who have stuck with me this far in a quick queries where I'm going over these are my hardcore watchers, so if you guys want to see a C class, let me know. I'll put something together.
Next up, Ralph says he first ran into Access back in the early 90s when a client asked him to build a database and he said, "Yeah," even though he had no idea what he was doing, which didn't go so well. I've been there - not with Access, but I've been there where - well, yeah, kind of with Access too. I've had clients that are like, "Can you do this and this and this?" and I'm like, "Yeah, sure, no problem." So I immediately went home and tried to figure out how to do this and this and this. Overpromise and under deliver - it's only when you get more experienced - you got like a decade or so under your belt that you know everything it can do, and then you just are upfront with the client. You're like, "Well, I'm not sure, but I'll find out and get back to you." Yeah, it takes - when you're young and starting out, you want the business so bad, you just - yeah, okay, sure, I can do it.
I had a client that came for a bunch of my Word and Excel classes and they're like, "Can you teach Photoshop?" "Oh yeah, sure, not a problem." So they signed up 20 people to learn Photoshop. I had never used Photoshop in my life. So I bought Photoshop, went home, spent the weekend tearing it apart and learning everything about it, and I was able to teach the class. I did a pretty good job, too. That's kind of my superpower. I can learn something quickly and teach it to someone else.
Anyways, getting back to Ralph: after that, he avoided Access for years and then came back to it recently when Excel just wasn't cutting it anymore. So he started learning it properly and eventually found my videos and got hooked. That's great. I love the honesty there, too - saying yes to a project before you really know what you're doing. That's me when I was 20. A lot of people start with Excel and eventually hit that wall where it just can't handle what they need anymore, and that's where Access steps in. Once you start seeing what it can do, it's not hard to get hooked. I love this stuff. I'll be playing with Access until I'm old - I'm already old, but till I'm older.
Jeffrey says he got started way back with Paradox and FoxPro and eventually moved into Access in the early 2000s. Like a lot of people, he learned by tearing apart Northwind and trying to figure things out and then later turned to YouTube to really understand it better. Yeah, it's a familiar path - Paradox, FoxPro and then Access. I love that you mentioned YouTube because, yeah, there's a lot of great content out there - some of it good, some not so good. I'm glad you found the ones that actually teach something useful and don't just zoom in on the instructor's face the whole time. I hate those videos. Or the ones - I don't understand why people make them - there's no narration, there's no one talking, it's just click, click, drag this, click that. I don't get that. Then again, those are the ones with like six views, so I don't know. I figure you guys want to see what is on my screen; you don't want to see my face.
Alex does some videos - one of my good friends and one of the moderators and admins on my site, Alex, he's been doing some great videos. I'm going to be talking about some of Alex's videos later this weekend. He's been doing some excellent stuff and he puts his face in the videos and that works for some people. It doesn't work for me. I don't think you guys want to see me all the time. This is all you're getting is this right here and occasionally a picture of me with my pups. That's a 15-year-old picture of me before I went to a wedding.
Next up we got Dave Clark who says he goes all the way back to the early 90s working with Rbase and early versions of Access. Over the years, he helped clients move from Excel into Access for better data analysis. One example was a farm tracking what they fed their dairy cows and that turned into a pretty interesting conversation about how cows don't care about daylight saving. Don't get me started on daylight saving time. That is a great example because it shows exactly when people outgrow Excel and need something like Access. Yeah, cows don't care what time it is - they're on their own schedule. They've got it figured out better than we do. You guys know how I feel about the daylight saving time, so let's not get started there. It's dumb, I can't stand it. Listen to the cows, people.
Paul said early 90s, using DOS, NetWare - remember NetWare, Novell NetWare? That was awesome when it first came out - had a database called Q&A, I remember that, that was pretty cool, Windows 3.1, and Access. Okay, yeah, that must have been Access 1.0. Actually, I just had to check: Access 1.0 was released for Windows 3.0 and then Windows 3.1 came out shortly after in 1992. So yeah, I just had to do a search for some nostalgia to see what Access 1.0 looked like. That's - wow, man, that's not too much different from what we got today.
Now we're getting into new stuff that I just did a search for Access 1.0 that came up. I know this video is running long, but I'm having fun going through these. If you're done watching now, that's great - there's not going to be anything new at the rest of this video, I'm just going to be going over these. If you're enjoying these like I am, then stay with me. Great, I love having you here. If not, I'll see you in next week's Quick Queries video. I'm going to keep going over these because I'm just having a good time.
Next up we got Gary who says that he started back in the late 80s learning Basic and WordPerfect and then in the early 90s was working in accounting where their system had limitations like order numbers rolling over, so he started learning Access 2.0 from a book and built a system to import and manage all their data - orders, inventory, payroll, everything. Over time that database grew and evolved, eventually handling decades of historical data and acting as a front end to older systems running on Linux. Wow, that's impressive. Again, that's exactly what Access is great at - bridging that gap between older backend systems and giving you a modern interface to work with the data. I love that you kept building on it for 25 years. That's the thing people don't realize - these databases aren't just throwaway projects, they grow with the business.
I love that analogy too - it's like Legos, you keep snapping pieces together until it does exactly what you need. My database that I have right now that still runs my business, I started it in 2002 when I started 599CD.com. At the time I was still doing classroom training, and this was just kind of like a side thing. I'm like, oh man, let me try doing a couple of videos and see if people respond well to them. So I started putting some online ads out there and slowly over the course of a year it turned into my full-time job.
So this little database - well, first I started tracking orders in Excel, that's how most projects start. You know, I had a dozen, okay, got a couple dozen, now we're up to over a hundred, all right, now it's time to start making a database out of it. So I built an Access database and that same core database is still to this day running my in-house sales. Yes, it's been upgraded and changed, that's why I always say that my database, it's not perfect, there's still some quirks, it's one of those ones that needs my love from time to time because I know how it was built, and it's certainly not designed for anyone else to use. If you sat down and looked at it, you'd be like, "What is all this?" But I know what it all is. A lot of shortcuts that I've taken because I know what I'm doing with it. As long as you're not building it for someone else, you're not going to see a copy of my database in the Smithsonian. It's a Frankenstein's monster for sure, but it works well. It does what I need it to do. Every now and then it throws a fit, but it's okay. I always say I'm like the mechanic who drives an old clunker because I'm always constantly tinkering with it. Yes, I teach you guys how to build nice, professional, well-commented databases that are all pretty and work perfectly. Does mine? No, not at all. It's like Scotty's engine room. Normally that hums along just fine, but once in a while there's a Klingon attack and there's wires everywhere through the Jeffries tubes.
Alright, who's up next? Bruce started on a 286 machine IBM clone with text files and batch scripts, then moved into Basic and VB and doing everything the hard way, with tons of code just to manage data. Fast forward to 2019 when he had to quickly rebuild the system for a company acquisition, and that's when Access really stepped in and made things easier.
That's a great example of how much work we used to have to do just to manage data - flat files, batch scripts, tons of code, text files - and then Access comes along and takes all of that heavy lifting off your plate. I hear this a lot too: people start using Access without VBA and then once they discover a couple of little lines of code, it's like unlocking a whole new level and that's awesome.
That 286 reminded me, that's when I used to sell computers, way back in the early 90s. We used to do a lot of upgrades - upgrading 286s to 386s, 386s to 486s. Remember that, you just popped the processor off and stick another one on until they changed the whole thing. Then you go from, like, okay, 386 DX and SX and, you know, 33 megahertz to 40 megahertz, big money in upgrades back then. Now it's like buying a toaster. You just get another one.
Alex Lewis says he really didn't care about Access at first; mostly they used Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in school, and they got frustrated with manually entering and managing data in Excel. Tried some other database tools, then eventually found Access and realized it was much easier to organize and relate data properly. Yeah, that's a great point. I think that's how a lot of people discover Access - Excel works fine up to a point, but then once you start repeating data, things get messy. That's when you realize you need relational structure; it just makes things cleaner and easier. Thanks for sharing.
Robert says he started a business renting baby equipment and was doing almost everything in Excel, including invoices, but wanted something more database-driven. He tried Access at first and didn't get it - kept opening it and closing it - and then eventually found my videos, stuck with it, and ended up building a full system that handled everything from scheduling and inventory to banking and integrations. Now even in retirement he's still building databases for new projects, like 3D printing. That's awesome. I love that because it's such a common story - Excel works great until it doesn't, and then Access feels confusing at first because it's different. With Excel, you can just type anything anywhere and people get used to that, and with Access you have to be more structured, you have to set up the tables first, design it properly, follow rules, but the end product is definitely much, much better than an Excel sheet, but you've got to know how to set it up. Once it clicks you can build just about anything. The fact that you're still using it for new projects in retirement says a lot - once you get into this stuff, it kind of sticks with you. It's just like programming. I get a lot of emails, unfortunately more these days than I'd like, from people saying, "You know what, I loved your classes, happy to have been a member for the past 10 years or whatever, but I'm retired now, so I need to cancel my membership," and I get it, I understand. But even though you're retired, don't let your brain go to mush. The brain is kind of like a muscle, you got to keep exercising it. Even if you just come back to watch my free TechHelp videos, if you like this stuff, if you're into it, keep doing it. I plan to keep playing with computers and programming and stuff like this for the rest of my life. No reason not to. I love this stuff. I would do it even if it wasn't my job - in fact, it became my job because I loved it as a kid. If you have no desire to do this stuff in your free time, then go play golf, don't bother with this. But if this is the kind of stuff that you're interested in, keep doing it.
Debbie says she got into Access after going back to college in her 30s following a layoff. She started with basic computer courses, moved up quickly, then one of the projects was building a mock ATM system in Access; that's what really hooked her. Since then she's been tinkering with it on and off, mostly just building things for fun. That's great. I love that story because it shows you don't have to start young or have a tech background to get into this stuff. I got people who are in their 60s, 70s, whatever, that are still learning new just for something to learn and that's awesome. Those little projects, like building a sample ATM system, that's exactly how you get hooked. I got hooked building a D&D character generator and something to store my D&D characters in when I was young; that was pretty cool too. Or my baseball cards, I had a baseball card database. I actually had images in it and stuff. I was using OLE objects at the time, so I didn't know better - they were stored in the database and I kept wondering why my database was getting so big. So that's one of the reasons why I learned to not store images in the database, but that's a different story altogether.
Tom says he used Excel for years and then a friend introduced him to Access and showed him how much more he could do with it. He started with a beginner book, realized he could get better insights from Access, and eventually came to YouTube to learn more and ended up taking my courses. That's a very common path. Excel gets you pretty far, but when you need more structure and better data management, that's where Access starts to shine.
Bruce says he was using tools like Lotus 1-2-3 back in the 90s, stepped away from computers for a while, but later came back to a job where he needed to manage export data and ended up building an Access database to handle it, using Excel for reporting. That's a great example of Access working alongside Excel but not necessarily replacing it. Use Access to manage the data and then push it to Excel for reporting and printing. Excel still is far superior when it comes to charting - I still use it myself for charts. That's a very common and effective combo, there's nothing wrong with that. I appreciate the kind words too, thanks.
Joe over on YouTube says their first job was entering data into an Access database but nobody in the department knew how to use it, so they went to training, learned reporting, and ended up improving the system. From that point on, everywhere that needed spreadsheets turned into proper databases. That's also a common story. Lots of companies collect tons of data and then just let it sit there, so the magic happens when someone figures out the queries and the reports, and that's when it actually becomes useful.
So Bad Lunch needed to combine a bunch of Excel data, asked for help, and his manager literally threw a massive 1400-page Access book at him and said, "Here, go read it." That's fantastic - that's not exactly mentoring, but it worked. Sometimes that's how it starts - here's a giant book, go read it, good luck. Clearly it paid off if it helped you get promoted.
Gregory says his first experience of Access was on a bank project converting old dBASE data, and when he showed up to do the job, there were no computers set up at all. That's a great first day - welcome to the project, nothing works. That's consulting sometimes, but you got it done, that's what matters.
Eric got into Access because he kept repeating the same work on industrial projects, so he built a database to store and reuse all that information and eventually grew it into a full project management system. That's exactly how it starts - you get tired of doing the same thing over and over again, so you build a system, and then that system turns into something way bigger. I'm the same way with automation - if I find that there's something that I do repeatedly, I'll look for a way to automate it. If I can save myself five minutes a day with something, I'll just turn it into a button click. What's five minutes a day times the next couple of years? So yeah.
Jose was managing inventory in Excel and it got way too complicated. He told his boss he needed a multi-dimensional Excel, and his boss said, "Well, that's called a relational database." A what? That might be my favorite line of the whole bunch - multi-dimensional Excel. Yeah, that's Access. That's exactly when people realize they need a real database.
Isa said they started with another database tool but got serious about Access when they realized nobody at work really knew how to build things properly. Yeah, nothing motivates you faster than inheriting a mess and realizing that you're the one that has to fix it.
Hank says he started back in the dBASE days, coding everything line by line, then later moved to Access when Excel spreadsheets got too big to manage. Classic evolution right there - flat files, then Excel, then eventually hit that wall and need Access.
Steven said he worked at a local government office that was spending a ton of money on expensive service software, so he decided to learn Access himself and ended up building a full customer service database that handled repairs, booking, and equipment tracking. That's awesome. I love that - instead of buying some expensive system or paying for monthly service, just build your own database. The best part is it's still being used years later. That's exactly what Access is great for - saving money and building something that's exactly what you need. I get emails all the time from people that are sick of paying monthly for this cloud-based service or that - even QuickBooks now is expensive, it's a monthly thing, from what I've been told. I haven't used QuickBooks myself since - well, I did a QuickBooks class back in 2004, that was the last time I used it. Everybody's telling me now it's gotten really expensive and it's just not fun. I'm not saying anything bad against QuickBooks, like I said I haven't touched it myself in over 20 years, but this is what people are telling me. I don't want to get in trouble with the QuickBooks people. I still use TurboTax myself, I love TurboTax.
Next up, she says her first experience with Access was kind of anticlimactic. She was in a class but didn't actually get trained on it, then years later she came back to it in college and finally got the chance to really learn and build databases. That's great - sometimes it just takes the right timing. You get exposed to something early, it doesn't click, and then later you come back to it and it finally sticks. That's awesome.
Dingus says he got into Access back in college after switching careers and diving into computer studies. Learned Excel, Word, and Access, got into VBA and just got hooked, always looking for new things to build and figure out. That's awesome. I love that mindset too - constantly asking, can I build this, how do I do it? That's how you really learn this stuff. You keep trying things and figuring it out as you go. I can show you stuff in these videos, but you're really going to learn when you apply what I teach you, when you take these examples and just go off with it, run down another path, see what you can do. Don't ask me, "Can you do this," just go try, just do it. Obviously back up your good data first before you mess with your database that you need to rely on - work on a copy of it - but just play with it, experiment. I love that mindset - how do I do it, let's go figure it out. Awesome.
Finally, got a couple of comments on Reddit. Yes, I've been posting, I started a Reddit page a while back, and tiny little community but it's growing. That's how my YouTube channel started.
Tom says he had 28 floppy disks of Office Professional 2.0, mountain of disks - kind of like my picture, big mountain of disks. Copied all the disks to the hard drive first, then browsed to the folder to start the install, and the process went much more smoothly. I remember doing that.
A different Tom - huge Paradox user, ran everything, went to a Microsoft seminar in Philly where they introduced Access 1.0, thought "No way could that ever replace Paradox." Spoiler alert: it did. Yeah, I think it lasted a little bit longer than Paradox.
Well, thanks to everyone who posted comments. I had a lot of fun reading through them, that's why I wanted to share with you guys on the air, and we'll do another one of these soon. I love these little conversation starters, I love getting feedback from you guys and the nostalgia stuff, talking about stuff from 20 years ago, that's a lot of fun.
If you're still here after all that, make sure you're subscribed to my mailing list and hit that like and subscribe for me again. Stop by the website and see what's new, check out the Captain's Log - not much posted this past week, but usually I do. Like I said, I've been sick and I was traveling. Usually I post some cool stuff in there.
Check out the merch store - I just sent an email to these guys at Spreadshirt this morning because they've got little teddy bears and they've got bunny rabbits and pandas, and I'm like, I want a penguin because I love penguins. I want a penguin mascot, and I will pimp that thing out in my videos. Give me a penguin that I can recommend, so we'll see.
Grab a copy of my Access book. Again, you got questions, post them in the forums, need help, check out the developer network. That's about going to do it.
This is probably the longest Quick Query we've done in a long time. I don't remember when the last time we went over an hour was. And yes, I do store the duration of all of these in my database, and no, I don't feel like querying it right now. Maybe later, I don't want to. It's late and I'm tired.
One thing I will say, even though I love doing this, talking for an hour - it's tiring, it really is. I'm exhausted after doing an hour video.Quiz Q1. What is the primary cause of the Microsoft Access Database Engine X64.exe install error discussed in the video?
A. Corrupted installation files
B. 32-bit and 64-bit Office mismatch
C. Insufficient hard drive space
D. Incompatible operating system version
Q2. Why can't you install both 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Office applications on the same computer?
A. They require different operating systems
B. They cause conflicts and are not supported together
C. The user license does not allow it
D. Their installation files overwrite each other
Q3. What is a potential solution if a legacy Access database is not compatible with the new 64-bit Office?
A. Only use Excel instead of Access
B. Reinstall the 32-bit Office version that matches the database
C. Upgrade your old database to 64-bit using Office repair tools only
D. Uninstall and reinstall Windows
Q4. If an Access database runs but produces compile errors, what is likely the issue?
A. Database file is corrupted
B. VBA code is not updated for 64-bit compatibility
C. Font setting is incorrect
D. The user lacks read permissions
Q5. If you delete a linked Outlook folder in Access, what happens to the emails?
A. The emails are permanently deleted from Outlook
B. Only the link in Access is removed; emails remain in Outlook
C. The emails are copied to Access tables
D. All emails are backed up automatically
Q6. When storing macros in Excel that should apply to all sheets in a single workbook, what should you select?
A. Personal Macro Workbook
B. "This Workbook" option
C. A saved script file outside Excel
D. Immediate window in VBA editor
Q7. According to the video, why should sensitive data like passwords not be stored in an unencrypted Access database?
A. Access databases cannot be backed up
B. It is complicated to enter passwords in Access
C. They are relatively easy to access or extract
D. Access automatically erases the data after one month
Q8. What is the recommended action regarding Windows clipboard history and sensitive data?
A. Use clipboard history to remember passwords
B. Turn off clipboard history and clear sensitive data immediately
C. Share clipboard data with coworkers
D. Never copy anything to the clipboard
Q9. What is the benefit of using a non-breaking space (CHR(160)) in Access string formatting?
A. It lets you sort alphabetically faster
B. It prevents Access from trimming away visible spaces
C. It converts numbers to text
D. It automatically creates hyperlinks
Q10. Which of the following is a better approach according to the video for keeping passwords secure?
A. Use the same strong password for every site and never change it
B. Rotate passwords frequently even if reusing them
C. Use a unique strong password for each site and track when they are changed
D. Write all passwords on paper and store at your desk
Q11. What should you do when seeking help with a broken Access or VBA solution?
A. Post vague messages in forums or YouTube comments
B. Provide clear details such as error messages and what changed
C. Only mention the error without context
D. Complain about Microsoft updates
Q12. What is Northwind, as referenced multiple times in the video?
A. An Excel add-in for reporting
B. A sample Access database for learning and experimentation
C. A C++ programming tool
D. A SQL Server backup utility
Q13. What does the presenter recommend as the primary reason to move data from Access to SQL Server?
A. For better encryption and enterprise-level data protection
B. SQL Server is cheaper than Access
C. To allow Access databases to run on Mac computers
D. To avoid using Microsoft products
Q14. Many users in the video switched from Excel to Access primarily because:
A. Access is less expensive
B. Excel macros are unreliable
C. Access handles complex, structured, and relational data better
D. Excel cannot open .mdb files
Q15. What is a key piece of basic security hygiene mentioned in the video?
A. Close all your open tabs regularly
B. Always lock your computer when you step away
C. Deactivate your firewall
D. Post your passwords in a note near your monitor
Q16. According to the stories shared, what often motivated people to start using Access?
A. Their managers forced them to
B. Running into the limitations of Excel or other simple tools
C. Access was installed by default
D. Access was required for all Microsoft certifications
Q17. If you want macros tied to only one Excel file, as discussed, what should you not do?
A. Store the macro in the "Personal Macro Workbook"
B. Store the macro in "This Workbook"
C. Store in the affected Excel file
D. Save the macro as an external .bas file
Q18. What is a major pitfall of sending sensitive passwords via email, as warned in the video?
A. Emails cannot be tracked
B. Someone with access to your email can access all accounts using reused passwords
C. Emails take too long to arrive
D. Email services automatically delete attached passwords
Q19. Why are consulting stories about upgrading hardware and Access systems relevant to the main point of the video?
A. They show that hardware changes are risky
B. They highlight that the real challenge is upgrading, configuring, and aligning software and databases
C. Old hardware is always better for Access
D. Consultants rarely know what to do
Q20. What is an important disclaimer from the presenter when giving online help?
A. He never reads posted comments
B. He only helps people via paid phone calls
C. He and moderators read forum posts and may refer users to a network of consultants if needed
D. He provides no links or outside references
Answers: 1-B; 2-B; 3-B; 4-B; 5-B; 6-B; 7-C; 8-B; 9-B; 10-C; 11-B; 12-B; 13-A; 14-C; 15-B; 16-B; 17-A; 18-B; 19-B; 20-C
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary In today's Quick Queries video from AccessLearningZone.com, I address one of the most persistent issues that many users face: the Microsoft Access Database Engine X64.exe installation error. I'll walk you through what causes this error, particularly the common problem with 32-bit and 64-bit Office product mismatches, and give you step-by-step solutions to get your legacy Access databases up and running on new machines. Along the way, I'll also tackle a range of questions from YouTube, my website forums, and emails, covering topics like Excel macros tied to specific workbooks, clipboard security when dealing with passwords, whether password rotation is still necessary, and some useful tips and common pitfalls that came up recently.
At the end of this episode, I share some of your responses to my recent video, "How did you first discover Microsoft Access?" The stories I received were fantastic and brought a lot of nostalgia.
Let's begin with the main topic. If you're trying to install the Access Database Engine and you encounter an error about not being able to install the 32-bit version because a 64-bit Office product is already present, it's an issue many people have faced, especially during the transition period a few years ago when businesses started switching to 64-bit Office. In short, Windows cannot have a mixture of 32-bit and 64-bit Office components. If your new PCs came with 64-bit Office pre-installed, your old Access database (likely designed for 32-bit Office) is going to run into this conflict.
Your first move should be to see if you can retrieve just the database file (ACCDB, ACCDE, or MDB) from whatever installation media you have. If you can access the database file on its own, you may be able to run it with a newer version of Access, maybe even using the free 64-bit Access runtime. Test this on one machine first to see if it works. If the database fails to open or you start getting compile errors with VBA code, that means your database was built using features or code that only function in 32-bit Access.
If you hit those errors and you or your team are not comfortable editing VBA code, you have two main choices. The easier solution is to uninstall all Office components from your new machines and then reinstall the entire Office suite in 32-bit so everything matches your legacy database. The best case is for everything to run on the same version and architecture as your original setup. Alternatively, you could have someone update your VBA code to be compatible with 64-bit Access, but that might require some consulting help.
Another fallback plan is to use an older computer - if you have one around - uninstall Office on it, then install everything fresh from the consultant's old disk. Grab just the database file and restore it to your network. Make sure your shared data file (backend) remains safely on your server and wasn't wiped out in the computer upgrade process.
If your back end is still an Access file hosting the tables, ensure all users' front ends are mapped correctly to the server, either via mapped drive letters or network share paths. If your data is in SQL Server, you'll need to relink the front ends on each machine. I have tutorials for both scenarios. Hardware upgrades are easy; it's the configuration and reconnection of your database that takes time and care.
Don't worry - your database most likely isn't broken. The issue is usually a clash between older 32-bit code and newer 64-bit Office. Sometimes there will be small edits needed in the VBA to support 64-bit Access.
If you get stuck, you can always post in my website's forums, where both I and several moderators are active and happy to assist. If you need in-depth, one-on-one help, I have a network of consultants I can refer you to.
Switching gears, let's cover some quick tips and questions from the forums. First, Adrian asked about indenting items in a list using spaces. The right approach is to prepend spaces to your string using the Space function, and you may have to throw in a non-breaking space character if Access removes leading spaces. This is sometimes necessary because Access likes to trim spaces unpredictably, depending on the situation and the font used.
In Excel, another common question came from Julie, who wondered how to make a macro work only in a specific workbook. The answer here is to save or record the macro inside "This Workbook." That way, the macro's scope is limited to that file and works across all its sheets.
Alan asked about linking Outlook folders into Access and whether deleting a linked table in Access would delete emails. The answer is no; you're only deleting the link, not the actual messages. Be careful, though, because deleting emails from within Access (via the link) will indeed move them to your Outlook Deleted Items (usually).
After my password manager and generator database videos, many of you requested a third part showing a password strength meter with feedback on adding lowercase letters or symbols. I'll consider it if there's enough interest - drop a comment if you'd like to see this.
A frequent security question was about the clipboard: can you clear sensitive data after copying a password? Absolutely. There are API functions that can clear the clipboard, or you can set up a timer that overwrites the clipboard after a certain delay. Just be aware that Windows' clipboard history can retain copied items, so it's no substitute for locking your computer when you step away.
Speaking of password safety, several viewers brought up concerns about storing passwords in Access tables. As I mentioned, Access is not secure enough for highly sensitive information, even if the database file is password-protected. For confidential data, you really should use an encrypted back end like SQL Server or PostgreSQL. I cover basic data obfuscation methods for casual use in some videos, but that's just to prevent easy snooping, not real hacking.
On password rotation, my stance is that using distinct strong passwords for every site is more important than constantly changing them. The real danger is password reuse. If you always use unique passwords, changing them on a set schedule is less critical - unless there's been a security breach.
A few other notes: if you're having problems where code suddenly stops working after a Windows or Office reinstall, I can't help unless you tell me specific error messages, describe what changed, and list any recent updates. Vague descriptions make troubleshooting impossible. It's the same no matter where you look for help; the more details you give, the better.
To wrap up the video, I spent the last chunk sharing your stories submitted in response to, "How did you find Microsoft Access?" Many of you recounted days with dBASE, Paradox, Lotus, or even building databases using C or Turbo Pascal before stumbling upon Access and having that "Aha!" moment when you realized how much easier it was. Several stories referenced learning from Northwind, growing hobby projects into mission-critical business databases, or transitioning when Excel or older tools could no longer keep up.
I love reading stories about how databases built in the 90s are still running businesses today. Access really does allow you to build a system that fits your exact needs, keep improving it over decades, and integrate with newer technology as times change. Many of us got hooked after some project forced us to try it, or after a book (or even a stack of floppy disks) landed on our desks. Sometimes it's college courses or workplace necessity; sometimes it's just tinkering at home with a personal project, like managing a library or club.
No matter your background, the biggest takeaway is that anyone can start working with Access, regardless of age or previous experience. Start small, experiment, and build on what you learn. Even if you only automate small repetitive tasks or organize data for a hobby, you're boosting your skills and keeping your mind active.
That brings us to the end of another Quick Queries session. I hope you picked up some tips, learned a little about troubleshooting Access install problems, and enjoyed the many stories from the community. If you have questions for the next episode, post them in the comments or the forums on my website. You can always find complete video tutorials with step-by-step instructions for everything discussed here on my website at the link below.
Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Access Database Engine install error troubleshooting
32-bit vs 64-bit Office compatibility issues
Migrating legacy Access databases to new systems
Extracting ACCDB/ACCDE/MDB files from old installers
Installing Access Runtime (64-bit) for legacy databases
Handling VBA compile errors from 32-bit to 64-bit conversion
Uninstalling and reinstalling matching Office versions
Linking Access front ends to shared back end databases
Relinking Access front ends to Access or SQL Server back ends
Using the Space function to visually indent query results
Using CHR(160) for non-breaking spaces in Access
Saving Excel macros to a specific workbook
Linking Outlook folders in Access and understanding data sync
Outlook profile selection for Access linked tables
Clipboard security for Access password managers
Clearing the clipboard in Access with VBA or timer events
Implementing password strength meters in Access
Color coding characters in a displayed password
Storing a "Last Changed" date for password records
Discussion of Access/Jet database security limitations
Password safety tips specific to Access databases
Best practices for unique passwords and password managersArticle If you are running into the dreaded Microsoft Access Database Engine X64.exe install error, you are not alone. Many users moving older Access databases onto new computers hit this roadblock, and the root cause is almost always a mismatch between 32-bit and 64-bit Office components. Let's break down exactly what's going on, what your options are, and some solutions to get your legacy systems up and running.
When you purchase new PCs these days, they almost always come preinstalled with Windows 11 and the 64-bit versions of Microsoft Office apps like Word and Excel. However, many older Access databases were built using 32-bit versions of Microsoft Access, such as Access 2010, 2013, or even older. The key limitation here is that you cannot mix 32-bit and 64-bit Office applications on the same computer. If your system already has any Office product in 64-bit - Word, Excel, PowerPoint - it will not allow you to install a 32-bit Access runtime or Access Database Engine component. This is what triggers the error when you run the X64 setup.
If you are using a database file and trying to install it via an old disk or setup bundle your original consultant provided, see if you can copy just the ACCDB, ACCDE, or even MDB file directly off that disk. Sometimes those installers just combine the Access runtime plus your database using a tool like InstallShield, but the actual file may still be accessible. If you can get that file separately, try opening it on one of your new systems with the existing version of Access. If your new Office install does not include Access, you can download and install the correct bit-version of the Access runtime - make sure you choose 64-bit if your Office is 64-bit. The runtime is free from Microsoft.
Very often, the database will open and work with the newer version of Access or the runtime, as Access files are usually forward-compatible. However, you may encounter VBA compile errors, often related to how the code refers to APIs or certain Office libraries. If this happens, it typically means the database's code was written specifically for 32-bit and needs tweaks to work in 64-bit Office. Unless you or someone on your team has experience with VBA and Office migrations, this is the point at which it makes sense to connect with a professional Access consultant.
You generally have two main paths if you do hit compatibility problems. First, you can find someone to update the code for 64-bit Office - this usually means modifying API calls to be compatible with 64-bit. There are guides for this, and Microsoft provides guidelines, but it is technical work. Second, and often simpler if you are not ready to change the code, is to completely uninstall your current 64-bit Office and reinstall the 32-bit version across all PCs that need to run the database. This essentially restores the expected environment for your legacy Access application.
Another useful approach, if you have an old PC lying around, is to use it as a kind of migration bridge. Remove all Office components from the machine, install everything from your original Access disk (including any necessary runtimes and the database), and then try to migrate just the ACCDB/MDB file over to your new systems. At that point you might be able to work out which approach - upgrading, re-coding, or downgrading Office - is most effective.
Your server storage setup also deserves attention here. Many companies with shared Access systems store the back end Access file (containing tables and data) on a network drive or server, while all users have their own individual front ends. Make sure the server is still intact and you have not lost your valuable data in the migration. You will need to ensure all workstations can reconnect to the shared back end - using consistent mapped drive letters or UNC paths. If you are using SQL Server as a back end, extra configuration may be needed to restore those linked tables.
Remember, buying new hardware is often the easiest part of an upgrade; reconfiguring all the software, databases, and network connections is the real challenge. The good news is that your data and applications are not lost, they just need a compatible environment or a bit of tweaking to bring them into the current era.
Now, as a quick tip related to displaying data in Access, sometimes you want to visually indent items in a list by adding spaces based on a field value. In Access, you can use the Space() function to add spaces. For example, if you want three spaces before a value, you can use:
=Space(3) & [YourField]
Be aware that sometimes Access will trim spaces, especially at the beginning of a string. If you really want the spaces to stick (for example, so they don't get removed in a text box), use CHR(160), which is a non-breaking space. For instance:
=String([IndentLevel],Chr(160)) & [YourField]
This helps when formatting hierarchical data or just improving the look of your reports or forms.
Let's pivot for a moment to Excel macros, another frequent source of confusion. If you want an Excel macro to be available across all sheets in a particular workbook, it's very easy - when you record or save your macro, choose to store the macro in "This Workbook." This option ensures the macro is embedded in the file and is available on all sheets in that workbook.
Next, many people get nervous about linking Outlook folders into Access for email management. Keep in mind that linking an Outlook folder merely displays your emails through Access - it does not make a copy of the emails in the database. If you delete a message through Access, it removes it from Outlook just as if you deleted it in Outlook itself, usually moving it to your Deleted Items. However, if you delete the entire linked table in Access, you're just deleting the link - not your emails. This distinction is similar to linking a table from another database. You are just creating a window to the data; deleting the window does not delete the data itself.
Switching gears to password management in Access, which many people are interested in for personal or internal use. If you build an Access database to generate and store passwords, be aware that Access security is limited. Even if you set a database password or scramble the data a bit, a knowledgeable person can still likely access your data, especially in MDB/ACCDB format. For anything critical (banking, sensitive personal info), a proper encrypted database like SQL Server or PostgreSQL is far more secure, and you should never use Access for highly sensitive records in a business environment.
One common request in password management is to clear the clipboard after copying a password so sensitive data is not left behind. You can do this with a little VBA code using the Windows API. Here's a simple example using VBA to clear the clipboard:
' Inside a standard module
Public Declare Function OpenClipboard Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Public Declare Function CloseClipboard Lib "user32" () As Long
Public Declare Function EmptyClipboard Lib "user32" () As Long
Public Sub ClearClipboard()
OpenClipboard (0&)
EmptyClipboard
CloseClipboard
End Sub
You can call this procedure when your form closes or after a set timeout using a timer event. Alternatively, just copying some innocuous text to the clipboard accomplishes a similar effect unless clipboard history is enabled.
A few users asked if you can visually highlight portions of passwords (e.g., color-code lowercase, uppercase, or numbers). Technically, you can, but only in controls that support rich text formatting, like a rich text box, and you would use HTML-like markup to color certain characters. However, you probably should not do this in your main password entry box - better to use a read-only display for this kind of formatting.
Some wondered about sending passwords by email. This is not recommended for anything sensitive. If your system only gives access to non-critical things and each password is unique, it may be acceptable, but never for important or reused passwords. The real key to password security is to never reuse passwords across sites. Unique passwords everywhere protect you from cascading breaches if any one service is compromised.
Another helpful practice is to store a "Last Updated" timestamp with each password in your database. This is easily achieved by updating a field (e.g., DateChanged) to Now in the AfterUpdate event of your form or in your password generation routine.
Concerns about Windows clipboard history are valid; sensitive data copied to the clipboard may stick around longer than you expect if clipboard history is enabled. The best way to protect yourself is good computer hygiene - lock your computer when you step away (Windows + L) and don't leave sensitive windows open. Password managers should be set to clear the clipboard after use if possible.
If you ever need help from the community or an expert, provide as much detail as you can: what steps caused your error, what exact error messages you saw, and what setup you are running (Office version, Access version, Windows version, etc). This helps others give you useful, targeted advice instead of guessing.
Finally, a lot of people discover Access after hitting Excel's limitations - building up more and more complex workbooks until it just gets unmanageable. Access can be daunting at first, particularly because it requires you to structure your data with tables, relationships, queries, and forms, but nearly everyone who sticks with it finds it infinitely more robust than Excel for managing business data.
No matter how you got started with Access - be it a business need, an Excel overload, or just curiosity - you're in good company. There is a large and supportive community, and a huge body of knowledge to help you. Keep learning, keep experimenting, and don't be afraid of trying things out in test copies of your database.
If you run into specific technical problems, search the forums, ask for help, and provide all the details you can. There are always solutions, even for seemingly insurmountable Office/Access compatibility issues.
Enjoy building with Access and, if you found this guide helpful, be sure to keep exploring the hundreds of detailed resources available online - and never stop learning. |
