error 3027 on backend file

[vicsaccess]

I had a new one come up this morning and i'm not sure how or why. My front end users contacted me saying they were getting strange errors and when i inquired further it was and error 3027 Cannot update. Database or object is read-only. After looking at my backend file i found that it was the problem and would not open any other way but read-only. With a little bit of quick research i suspected corruption but every attempt to copy the file to a safe location to look at it also failed getting an error 0x80070021: The process cannot acccess the file because another process has locked a portion of the file. I'm not sure what the fix was, as i was trying to get all the front end users out of the database and at the same time continueing to try and make a copy it did finally make a copy and when i checked the backend file it was then back to normal? I did go ahead and run a compact and repair but has anyone seen this happen or have any insight as to how i can keep it from happening?

[ranman256]

I see it all the time, but not usu with the backend.
I think these databases are fragile, so backup often.

[John_G]

Did you happen to notice whether or not there was a lock file (.ldb or .laccdb) in the back-end database folder while these issues were occurring? If Access cannot create that file, you will get a read-only error.

The fact that you could not even copy the file I think indicates the problem might not have been MS Access itself. On possibility is that there was a network file permissions problem which was resolved while you were trying to get things working again. That scenario would explain why the back end suddenly reverted to normal.

[vicsaccess]

There was a lock file that was actually showing up for a few seconds and then disappearing. When i tried using my Admin database with some code from the sample Whoisconnected, it was showing a user and computer that logged in yesterday and was logged out. I was actually trying to get ahold of him to see if he would restart his computer when it started working correctly. As for the network file permissions, i think i have complained enough on here about my poor network, it could have been the problem. I had just never heard of this and the quick research gave me the impression that not alot of indiviuals had either. I'll keep checking into it, thanks.