Detailed Information about the Error that Microsoft Access Ask for Password when Opening a Corrupt Database

Symptom:

When using Microsoft Access to open a corrupted but non-encrypted Access database file, it will pop up a “Password Required” dialog and ask you to enter database password, like this:

Since the original file is NOT encrypted at all, any password you input, including empty string, will cause the following error (error 3031) and fail to open the file:

Not a valid password.

The screenshot looks like this:

Precise Explanation:

Due to the corruption of the Access database file, Access will take the non-encrypted file as an encrypted one. Therefore, it will ask for a password and try to decrypt it. However, since the file is not encrypted at all, the decryption process will always fail with any password.

The only solution to this problem is using our product DataNumen Access Repair to repair the MDB file and solve this error.

Sample File:

Sample corrupt MDB file that will cause the error. mydb_6.mdb

The file repaired with DataNumen Access Repair: mydb_6_fixed.mdb