How to Deal with “not an index in this table” Error in Access

In Today’s post, we offer helpful tips on how to deal with the “not an index in this table” error in Access.

Although MS Access provides users with a simple way to create robust databases, it is not immune to data corruption. For example, the above error signifies corruption in your Access files. While some MDB or ACCDB corruption issues in Access databases are easy to fix, others are adamant and this is the case with this error. We will examine what causes this error and what to do when you face it.

What does this error mean?

As mentioned above, this error is an indication that your database is corrupt. It is triggered when the database system tables are corrupt. Examples of Access database system tables include MSysAccessObjects, MSysAccessStorage, and MSysNameMap. It is important to note that while some of these tables can be viewed, most of them are hidden. This is done to protect them from accidental editing. Any alteration in these tables can corrupt your database and render it useless. Also, other issues such as virus attacks and power failure when using your database can damage your database system tables.

Access system tables are interrelated and an error in one of them affects the entire database. The core purpose of these tables is to ensure that databases operate properly. It is important to note that system tables can vary from one version of MS Access to another. Therefore, if you find a workaround in a certain system table in one version of MS Access, it is not guaranteed that it will be applicable to other versions.

How to protect your system tables

Because of the sensitive nature of these tables, it is advisable to carry out any edits to these tables on backup or test databases. This ensures that your business-critical processes are not affected should your database get damaged. Therefore, unless you are an expert, do not attempt to edit these tables. To avoid accidental edits, do not unhide hidden system tables.

Take all necessary precautions to protect your database, such as scanning your computer for viruses and educating your users on the best practices in handling system tables.

What to do when you encounter this error

Unfortunately, when you encounter this problem, you cannot use manual approaches such as using the compact and repair tool to fix it. You can use your backup files to restore your database. It is important to note that if your file is not up to date, you risk losing data that is not backed up, especially if you cannot reproduce it manually. Therefore, it is always prudent to maintain an up-to-date backup of your database.

But what happens if you do not have a backup or if the file is corrupt? This is where DataNumen Access Repair comes in handy. The advantage of using this software is that it has a high recovery rate compared with similar tools in the market. It is also easy to use and executes complex database recovery processes in simple steps. If any objects on your database have been deleted, you can recover them by ticking the option to recover deleted items on the “Options” tab.  Once the process is completed, import the recovered items to a blank Access file to restore your database.