When you try to create a new database or to open an existing database by using Microsoft Access 2002, Access 2002 may quit unexpectedly. Additionally, you may receive the following error message:

This problem occurs if you redirect the Application Data folder to a different folder on your computer by using a Group Policy. Access 2002 cannot recognize the target folder if the target folder name is not Application Data. The Application Data folder name must be used in the folder redirection path for the Application Data folder.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Office XP. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: If you continue to experience this problem after you install Office XP SP3, you must modify the Group Policy and the folder redirection path of the Application Data folder. You do this so that the target folder name is Application Data. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Group Policy Editor of the domain or of the organizational unit that you want to manage.
2. In the left pane of the Group Policy window, expand User Configuration, expand Windows Settings, and then expand Folder Redirection.
3. Right-click Application Data, and then click Properties.
4. In the Application Data Properties dialog box, click the Target tab.
   
   Make sure that the target folder is named Application Data in the Target folder location box.
   
   For example, the folder redirection path looks similar to the following:
   \\<server name>\<shared folder path>\Application Data
   
   Note The placeholder <server name> is a placeholder for the name of your computer. The placeholder <shared folder path> is a placeholder for the path of the folder that is shared on your computer.
5. Click OK, and then close the Group Policy window.
6. Log off, and then log on to your computer as a user of the domain or of the organizational unit.
7. Start Access 2002.
8. Open the Northwind.mdb sample database.
   
   Notice that you can open the Northwind.mdb sample database successfully.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Steps to reproduce the problem

1. On the computer that is the domain controller for your domain, locate the folder that must contain the target folder for the Application Data folder.
2. Right-click the folder that you located in step 1, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Sharing tab, click the Share this folder option, and then click Caching.
4. In the Caching Settings dialog box, click to select the Allow caching of files in this shared folder check box, click Automatic Caching for Documents in the Setting drop-down list, and then click OK.
   
   For more information about creating redirected folders, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   274443  (http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=274443/ ) How to dynamically create security-enhanced redirected folders by using folder redirection in Windows 2000 and in Windows Server 2003
5. Click OK.
6. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
7. In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools.
8. In the Administrative Tools window, double-click Active Directory Users and Computers.
9. In the Active Directory Users and Computers window, right-click the Active Directory container of the domain or of the organizational unit that you want to manage, and then click Properties.
10. Click the Group Policy tab.
11. Click Default Domain Policy in the Group Policy Object Links column, and then click Edit.
    
    Note The Default Domain Policy Group Policy object is used as an example. You can also create a new policy to apply the settings for all the users in the domain or in the organizational unit.
12. In the left pane of the Group Policy window, expand User Configuration, expand Windows Settings, and then expand Folder Redirection.
13. Right-click Application Data, and then click Properties.
14. In the Application Data Properties dialog box, click the Target tab, and then click Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location in the Setting list.
15. Type the following path in the Target folder location box:
    
    \\<server name>\<shared folder path>\ApplicationData
    
    Note The placeholder <server name> is a placeholder for the name of your computer. The placeholder <shared folder path> is a placeholder for the path of the folder that you share on your computer.
16. Click OK, and then close the Group Policy window.
17. Log off, and then log on to your computer as a user of the domain or of the organizational unit.
    
    Make sure that the following registry value contains the path that you entered in step 15:
    
    
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders\AppData
18. Start Access 2002.
19. Try to open the Northwind.mdb sample database.
    
    Notice that you cannot open the Northwind.mdb sample database successfully. Also, you receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

For additional information about folder redirection, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: