Multisim Database Error

[chipmaster]

I am having problem running Multisim Power Pro version 10.1 (10.1.357). I get the error "Cannot open database created with previous version of your application." After clicking OK, I get another error message: "Error accessing the database. The Master Database cannot be accessed". The same "cannot access database" error message  shows up for both the Corporate and User databases as well. After the application finishes loading, I am unable to place any component parts because of the database issue.

From the top menu bar, if I go to Tools -> Database -> Database Manager, the application locks up and I will have to use Windows task manager to close it out. Eventlog shows that "database.dll" is the reason why multisim.exe got hosed.

I am running Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit) SP1 with full admin rights. I have never installed prior versions of Multisim on this particular computer before. The strange thing is that the program actually worked the first time I installed it, but I started getting the errors after windows update ran. Windows update shows that only my office 2007 apps were updated.

I deleted all 3 database files and performed a repair of the application using the installation disk, but that did not resolve the issue. I also uninstalled multisim and deleted the database folder from the ProgramData directory but that did not work as well

By the way, I am running Labview 8.5 on this same computer and have no issues with it whatsoever.

Any assistance is appreciated.

[hgregg]

I had a similar problem after installing ActivePerl on WinXP. After several iterations of uninstalling (including registry clean-up) and re-installing, I finally had success once I did a system restore to a date prior to the ActivePerl install. I then uninstalled-reinstalled one more time and it worked.

Hg

[chipmaster]

Quick update. I have managed to determine what was causing Multisim not to load. What I am left with now is how to solve the problem.

I had downloaded and installed a demo version of Ultra Librarian and when I uninstalled it was when Multisim started giving the error "Cannot open database created with previous version of your application." If I install Ultra Librarian, Multisim starts to work again.

I used WinDB to debug Multisim and discovered that Ultra Librarian had installed a different version of msrd3x40.dll (something about Microsoft Red ISAM) in a different directory (c:\UltraLibrarian) and registered it in windows. So now Multisim is loading the msrd3x40.dll in the Ultra Librarian directory instead of the one in system32 folder.

If I uninstall Ultra Librarian, the ininstaller also removes msrd3x40.dll in the UltraLibrarian directory causing Multisim to crash during startup with the above mentioned error.

I tried registering the original msrd3x40.dll in the system32 directory with the command regsvr32 "c:\windows\system32\msrd3x40.dll", windows says it's successfully registered but Multisim still will not load. The only way to make Multisim work is to install Ultra Librarian application.

System restore is no longer an option for me because the last restorable date available in Windows also had Ulra Librarian application installed!

[GarretF]

Thats good detective work! I don't have an answer - it is hard to resolve these types of problems without access to the computer (and when some other program seems to be a bad Windows citizen) - but I suggest you have a look at your path settings.

1. Open Control Panel > System

2. Click Change Settings (on XP, I think you can skip this step)

3. Select the Advanced tab, and click Environment Variables

4. You should see two lists. Check that C:\UltraLibrarian is not listed or that you don't have any strange entries.

You might also try reinstalling Circuit Design Suite. The installer might be able to fix this problem.

[chipmaster · Accepted solution]

After sleepless nights and countless debugging I finally solved my problem with Multisim!

It turned out that the problem lied in the windows registry. Some of the registry settings in [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\] and [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats] got wiped out.

The values of  Excel, Exchange, jet 2.x, jet 3.x, Lotus,  Paradox, Test, xBase and ISAM Formats were all empty. Fortunately, I have another Vista PC from which I was able to export the missing values to restore the problem PC. Multisim is now up and running!

BTW, one of the registry values of jet 3.x contain "Win32"="C😕Windows\system32\msrd3x40.dll" which was the main reason why Multisim was crashing. Multisim was unable to determine that msrd3x40.dll is located in the System32 folder after removing UltraLibrian application.

[Jogi73]

Hey Chipmaster,

your hint was priceless!

I had the same problem with Windows Vista x64: The database couldn't be accessed and Multisim told me the database was created with an older version! Using your hints I could solve my problem, too.

But in Vista x64 (and probably also in Windows 7 x64) the paths are different:

The file "msrd3x40.dll" is located in "C:\Windows\SysWOW64"

The missing registry entries for the Jet 4.0 were located at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0

Following keys were missing including their entries (in my case):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\Jet 2.x

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\Jet 3.x

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Jet 2.x

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats\Jet 3.x

What I did:

I exported these key from my working other computer (Windows XP x32). I edited the reg-files to correct the file path and the registry path. But Vista x64 didn't let me import these reg-files. What ever I did - it said that it was no registry file. So I created the entries all manually using the Vista x64 regedit.exe.

Result: Everything works fine again!

This is for all x64 users.

Best regards, Jogi73

[loluengo]

Could you post the contents of the registry file that you exported containing those keys? I'm having the same problem, but I don't have another computer where the program works.  If it's too big maybe you can use pastebin for the contents.

[12341234123414]

Hi! I had the same problem and fixed it as described above. Here are the registry files for Win7. P.S. In the files messages are written in Russian.

[Felixsense]

Any one who had solved the problem, pls send me a copy of the registry file of: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\ISAM Formats] Since the registry file provided by upstair is only for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0 ps, I need it for Win7.

[Felixsense]

My email accounts,    felix_wf@hotmail.com