Zombie records: I delete records which later return - Why ??

[gregnell00]

Organisation I work for has an Access Front End and BE configuration and when I delete records about 1 day later they return. At first I deleted them in the FE using VBA SQL strings or queries or even the DEL key within the table. I made sure that worked by counts , etc. The records came back a day later. I also have gone to the Back End (db's connected via linked tables) and deleted some there - they returned also.

Of course I repaired and compressed the BE. I even created a blank database and imported the tables into it, thinking I might get rid of some problem deep in the depths of Access. no luck, the problem persists.

There are no answers I could find on the web ....... I read a posting of someone who had an Access/SQL Server configuration who had the same problem.



Any contributions gladly accepted.

[JoeM]

Are you sure all the data tables on stored ONLY on the back-end, and none are in the front-end?
Or there isn't some sort of process where you may be deleting data stored on the front-end, only to find out that there is some sort of data refresh occurring from the back-end to the front-end?

[gregnell00]

These are the 3 core tables and they are definitely stored on BE and are linked to FE. Even if I delete from the table in the Back End the same thing happens. Somehow I think there may be hidden MS system tables 'rejecting' delete. There are no relationships with these tables (altho' there are with others).

[JoeM]

There is any sort of restore happening (either manually or automated), is there?

Do you have Cascading Updates/Deletes set?

Are you using an Autonumber field in any of these tables?
If you are, it would be interesting to make note of the value of that field for a record you are deleting, and then check the next day when it comes back, and see if it is using the same Autonumber value or a new one. That may shed some light on whether or not the records are really being deleted, or sometone/something is adding them back in after they have been deleted.

One other thing to check. Right after you delete some records, can you then open the back-end database to make sure that they records really are deleted there?

[gregnell00]

There is any sort of restore happening (either manually or automated), is there?
NO restores, no other databases (unless there is an evil dwarf)

Do you have Cascading Updates/Deletes set? No

Are you using an Autonumber field in any of these tables?
If you are, it would be interesting to make note of the value of that field for a record you are deleting, and then check the next day when it comes back, and see if it is using the same Autonumber value or a new one. That may shed some light on whether or not the records are really being deleted, or sometone/something is adding them back in after they have been deleted. The tables use autonumbers and the records come back with new (higher) values.

One other thing to check. Right after you delete some records, can you then open the back-end database to make sure that they records really are deleted there?

But I also have deleted from from within the BE (as a test) and done counts -eg table held 7,123 records then after deletion it held 7122. Initially tested from front end where I put in Group ID and didnt see the corresponding child rows.

[JoeM]

The tables use autonumbers and the records come back with new (higher) values.

This tells me that the records are, in fact, being deleted.
Someone or some process seems to be adding new records in that mirror the records that were deleted.

I think it would be very tough to analyze what might be going on without having access to your databases.

[John_G]

Hi -

Are new records always entered manually, or is data imported from an external file? If the latter, is it possible that the data records you delete are being re-imported? As JoeM points out, the fact that the records are reappearing with new (and higher) autonumbers suggests they really are being reinserted. It's a silly question maybe, but are you sure the records that are reappearing really are the same as the ones you delete, and not genuine new ones that just happen to LOOK the same?

Is there any code that runs automatically when the database or a form is opened?

HTH

John

[gregnell00]

Hi -

Are new records always entered manually, or is data imported from an external file? If the latter, is it possible that the data records you delete are being re-imported? As JoeM points out, the fact that the records are reappearing with new (and higher) autonumbers suggests they really are being reinserted. It's a silly question maybe, but are you sure the records that are reappearing really are the same as the ones you delete, and not genuine new ones that just happen to LOOK the same? To enter a new record requires explicit actions navigating through forms via buttons and browsing so I doubt if that is the cause. I am testing this though, but it requires me to find a record with values in the columns (these records were deleted because they were irrelevant and did not require values). So will take me a few days to delete and wait to see if they reappear.

I also am testing this entire thing with FE and BE on my C:\ drive to see if the network is involved somehow.

So I hope to return on Monday when I hope you may still respond.

Is there any code that runs automatically when the database or a form is opened?
nothing of relevance

HTH

John[/QUOTE]