With normal use, a database may start exhibiting unwanted behavior and
may perform slower. To ensure your database is in optimal health, it is
recommended that your perform a Compact and Repair on it regularly.
While there are no hard and fast rules about how often to Compact and Repair a database, the following guidelines may be used:
Single user, stand alone database - once every two weeks
Shared database - one to two users - once a week
Shared or network database - more than 2 users - daily
In the application, click FILE>OPEN. The Open Database dialog box will display.
Highlight the database on which to perform maintenance.
Click on the Compact and Repair button. This process can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes depending on the size and condition of the database.
Once completed, a confirmation dialog box indicating the process was successful is displayed.
You will need to re-login to the database if the database require logins after performing a Compact and Repair.
This applies to MS Access type databases. SQL databases degrade far less frequently and require less regular maintenance - which is performed by the SQL Database Administrator.
If you are sharing a database, all users except for the user performing maintenance, must close the application before starting the Compact and Repair process.
For instructions on backing up a stand
alone database, refer to the following FAQ:
Backup up a Microsoft Access Database