Closeup of hands using computer laptop with screen showing analysis data
I have been working with MS-Access for years, and I too had that heart-dropping moment when you open a database and you encounter a corruption error. To get away with this problem, I took the matter into my hands. I created a database of customer and sales data, and then deliberately corrupted it just to see if Stellar Repair for Access could fix the mess. What follows is my honest, hands-on review, no fluff, no marketing talk.
Table of Contents
Corruption can happen for many reasons. Most of the time, it’s not your fault. But knowing why it happens can help prevent future issues.
| Cause | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Interrupted Saving | The file is saved when power cuts or system crashes occur. |
| File Size Limitations | Access databases tend to crash when they get too large (near 2GB). |
| Split Database Issues | If the backend and frontend parts lose connection or get moved, corruption may occur. |
| Disk or Hardware Failure | Bad sectors or failing hard drives can damage the file structure. |
| Virus or Malware Attacks | In rare cases, external attacks can corrupt the file |
It is a Windows-based Access repair tool designed to fix corrupted Access databases (.MDB and .ACCDB). It works with all major versions of Access (2003 to Office 365). It can recover tables, forms, queries, and even deleted data. The installer is under 10MB, and it took me less than 2 minutes to set up on a mid-range laptop.
When I ran the software on my test file, it didn’t just pull out tables. It brought back forms, relationships, and queries. Even the data types and formatting were restored correctly.
I deleted around 500 records before breaking the database. During the deep scan, the tool successfully recovered most of them (approximately 95%), which honestly surprised me.
Many businesses use split databases. I corrupted the backend file of a split setup, and Stellar was still able to restore the linked tables without breaking connections.
The software is clean and user-friendly. The steps, like Select, Repair, and Save, are self-explanatory. No tech jargon, no overwhelming buttons.
After scanning, I could view all recoverable items in a tree layout. Clicking on each table even showed a preview of the actual data. It helped me check what I’d get before hitting Save.
At the end of the repair, the tool generates a log file with details of what was fixed and recovered. It’s useful if you want a summary or need to report results to someone else.
Open Stellar Repair for Access
| Edition | Price | Users |
| Professional | $99/year | Single-user license |
| Technician | $149/year | For IT teams, multiple systems |
| Free Trial | $0 | Scan and preview only |
Available on Stellar’s website and through authorized resellers.
During regular repairs, CPU usage is around 60–70%. When scanning a 1.2GB file, it jumps to 90%, and RAM usage goes up to 3 GB. The program utilizes a significant amount of system resources, but it does not crash or freeze. It’s best to close other heavy programs while it’s running.
I went into this test expecting just another average tool. However, Stellar Repair for Access worked well. It handled a 17 MB corrupted database in under a minute, and the results were beyond expectations – no missing tables, no garbled data, and even deleted records were brought back. Based on my experience, I would rate it a solid 9 out of 10 for speed, ease of use, and overall recovery performance. While it costs more than free tools, if your database is important, this tool could be a lifesaver.
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