SysTools is a widely used tool for repairing corrupted Access databases and exporting their data. But when it comes to full .mdb to .accdb migration — with VBA code, ActiveX forms, and complex queries intact — SysTools falls short in ways that aren't obvious until after you've paid.
SysTools Access Recovery (and related tools in their suite) is primarily a data recovery and export tool. Its core value proposition is: open a damaged or corrupted .mdb file and get the data out. For that narrow purpose, it works reasonably well.
The problem is the word "migration" gets used loosely. Exporting data from an .mdb file is not the same as migrating a working Access application. A real Access database isn't just tables — it's the forms users interact with, the VBA code that enforces business logic, the queries that power reports, and the macros that run on button clicks. SysTools exports the data layer. The application layer comes with you on your own.
Access applications accumulate years of business logic in VBA: validation rules, calculated fields, workflow automation, integration with other Office apps. SysTools exports table structure and data. VBA modules — the code behind every button, form event, and report calculation — are not included in the migration.
This isn't a minor gap. In most business Access databases, the VBA code is the application. Losing it means rebuilding from scratch — or reverse-engineering from scratch, which is often harder than building it fresh.
Access .mdb files built in the Office 97–2003 era frequently use ActiveX controls for calendar pickers, custom grids, progress bars, and specialized input widgets. These controls don't automatically transfer to .accdb format. SysTools does not handle ActiveX migration — it treats forms as static objects and exports what it can, leaving broken references where controls used to be.
LegacyLeaps audits ActiveX dependencies before migration, identifies controls that need updating or replacement, and handles the transition to .accdb-compatible equivalents.
Jet 4.0 (the database engine behind .mdb files) supports SQL syntax that isn't valid in ACE (the engine behind .accdb). Queries that use Jet-specific extensions — certain JOIN syntax, legacy date functions, proprietary aggregate operators — will fail silently or throw errors when executed in a modern .accdb file.
SysTools migrates the query text as-is. It does not validate or update query syntax for ACE compatibility. LegacyLeaps identifies and corrects incompatible Jet SQL before migration, so your queries produce correct results from day one.
| Capability | LegacyLeaps | SysTools |
|---|---|---|
| Table and data migration | Yes | Yes |
| Query migration | Yes — with Jet SQL fixes | Partial — syntax not updated |
| VBA module migration | Yes | No |
| Form and report migration | Yes | Partial — structure only |
| ActiveX control migration | Yes — with audit | No |
| Jet SQL compatibility check | Yes — auto-fixed | No |
| Excel .xls migration | Yes | No — Access only |
| Pre-migration audit report | Free scan | No |
| Files stay local | Yes | Yes |
| Batch migration | Unlimited | Limited |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | No |
SysTools pricing typically ranges from $49–$149 for the Access recovery tools. That seems reasonable — until you calculate what happens after you discover the VBA code didn't come over.
The hidden cost isn't the software license — it's the discovery call with a consultant who tells you that no, the data export was not a migration, and rebuilding the VBA will be a separate engagement.
SysTools excels at its core use case: recovering data from a corrupted or damaged .mdb file that won't open at all. If the database is truly broken — file headers damaged, data partially inaccessible — SysTools' repair-first approach is valuable.
For that scenario: use SysTools to recover the raw data, then use LegacyLeaps to perform the proper migration to .accdb with all the application logic intact.
If your .mdb file opens fine and you're migrating to avoid future compatibility issues (which is the right time to migrate — before problems start), skip SysTools and go straight to LegacyLeaps.
LegacyLeaps scans your .mdb file for free. See exactly what VBA code, ActiveX controls, and query syntax will need to be migrated before you commit to anything.
Once you're on .accdb, the next step is eliminating the Access dependency entirely. AccessLeap uses AI to generate a modern web application from your .accdb database — tables, forms, VBA logic, and all. Privacy-first: only schema is analyzed, your row data never leaves your machine.
Learn About AccessLeap →