DBF corrupted database?

Question

Hey friends, I'm in great trouble here.

I'm using Microsoft Visual FoxPro 9.0 on my Windows 7 machine. I had some DBF files which was created in MS Visual FoxPro. The files were undoubtedly valuable since they contained my crucial data related to my office work. The files are now invalid therefore, inaccessible. I can't access any of my database files. Whenever I try to open one of them this comes in front of me: "File filename.dbf does not exist".
According to me this must be a file corruption error states the file is corrupted. I don't know how did it get corrupted. I'm dying to get these files back. Please help in this.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

It is not necessary to rebuild a corrupt database. All corrupt databases can fixed in less than one minute.



The solution is: Open database to main screen



Copy the database but only one record(just pick a not recent record number at random; include "all", I usually name this database "FixMMDD" (( month Day))



Open original database to mainscreen and append the FIXMMDD.dbf.



You're done.



Occassionally you may have to update indexes. Very rarely are any records lost and when it happens those few records are clearly garbled.



I've been doing this for three years with no problems.



If you have fields that increment you'll have to adjust that for your last valid value.



OTHERWISE



I think those files of your which seem unreadable are corrupt. Just one thing always keep in your mind that corruption can make a file unreadable or useless. And due to this file becomes inaccessible. Any corrupt or damaged file can't be accessed until it gets fully repaired. All you need just remove the error from your DBF files and after doing this you can access those corrupt files. The data inside those files will be readable right after you repair them. You just need to consider about a software program or shall I suggest you about a tool which I have used?



Check this one: DBF Repair Kit



It will help you as it helped me. Just try its demo version http://www.dbf.repair/ to see the preview of the content of the files which are unreadable.

Answer 2

With all due respect to Daniel, he has no clue what he is saying. And no, not all corrupt databases can be fixed in less than one minute. Many can't be fixed at all.



"File filename.dbf does not exist" does NOT NOT NOT mean a corrupted file. It simple means the file filename.dbf does not exist. It is as simple as that. You are trying to open the file, but it is not where VFP is being told it is.



What directory is the file(s) located in? What are the file names? How exactly are you trying to open them?



Normally, you put the files in some directory, say c:\temp. Then, from the command window you do this:



cd c:\temp

use



you can also type the command DIR to get a directory of the files to make sure your file really is there before you try to open it.

Answer 3

Copy a valid memo file over the corrupt memo file to access the database again.



NOTE: The original memo field information will be lost unless the valid memo file was an exact backup of the corrupt file. All memo field backup files have an extension of .TBK.



The corrupt memo file will have an .FPT extension, such as OLD.FPT. In the following example, assume NEW.FPT is a valid memo file. To bypass the error message and access the database again, type the following command at the MS- DOS command prompt:



copy new.fpt old.fpt