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Halted at the 1st hurdle!

Robert Walker 0 Reputation points
2025-11-11T10:46:43.6333333+00:00

Hi, I purchased 365 Family to share with my granddaughter so that she can use ACCESS. The problem is that each time she tries to create something (like a new blank document or a template), a pop-up says that the VBA project can't be read. This is the first time she's opened it and tried to make something. It says, the database can be opened only if the VBA project is first deleted. How can she be told this when nothing has been made already? The next pop-up says that the Visual Basic for Applications project in the database is corrupt. No database has been made!? Then the next pop-up says, Sorry, an unexpected error.

Can someone help, please!? Microsoft Support have looked at this and failed to explain or fix it.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For home | Windows

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  1. Ken Sheridan 3,546 Reputation points
    2025-11-11T14:52:21.6633333+00:00

    It sounds like the .accdb file has become corrupted. If your granddaughter has not yet created any objects she wishes to preserve, then the simplest option is to delete the file and start again with a new file.

    If, on the other hand, she has objects she wants to preserve, then she can create a new empty .accdb file, and from the External Data ribbon elect to import from an Access database, and browse to the original file. Then select all objects in the tabs of the dialogue form, apart from Modules, and import them into the new file.

    Hopefully the new file will then perform as expected, in which case the original file can be deleted, and the new file be renamed if necessary.

    If the same behaviour is experienced in the new file, MS 365 can be reinstalled by logging into her Microsoft account, and clicking on the Install button on the Subscriptions page.

    PS: On re-reading your original post, it sounds like no .accdb file has yet been created, so repairing or reinstalling MS 365 will be necessary.

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  2. George Hepworth 22,220 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-11T18:44:03.4666667+00:00

    I believe there is some missing context here because the behavior you describe can only occur in one of two ways.

    1. There is already an existing accdb on her computer, and your daughter is trying to open that accdb, AND that accdb is corrupted. (Most likely)
    2. The installation of Access itself went wrong. (Very unlikely)

    In order to provide you more focused assistance, therefore, we need better information. Please explain the step-by-step process your daughter is following that leads to this error. Including screenshots can be very helpful.

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