Enable a previous-version Access database in Access 2002

You can open a Microsoft Access database created in Access 97 or earlier without converting it.

1. Make sure that the Access database you're going to enable is closed. If the file is a multiuser Access database located on a server or in a shared folder, make sure that no one else has it open.
2. Click Open on the Database toolbar.
3. In the Open dialog box, click the previous-version Access database you want to enable and click Open.
4. In the Convert/Open Database dialog box, click Open Database.

Microsoft Access enables the previous-version database by storing additional information in the file to accommodate the default file format specified on the Advanced tab of the Options dialog box. An enabled database can still be opened with its original version of Microsoft Access.