If you saved projects to a database format in Microsoft Project 98 or Microsoft Project 2000, you can easily upgrade them to the Microsoft Project 2002 database format by using the Database Upgrade Utility.

The Database Upgrade Utility runs an automated process to upgrade database projects in the following formats:

• Microsoft Project 98 (.mpd)
• Microsoft Project 2000 (.mpd)
• Microsoft Access (.mdb)
• Other supported ODBC-compliant formats

This utility upgrades projects to the Microsoft Project 2002 database format, while preserving the original projects and project tables, either within the same database or to another database.

Download and install the Database Upgrade Utility from Downloads on Microsoft Office Online.

After installing the Database Upgrade Utility, its toolbar is displayed in Microsoft Project. This toolbar is also accessible from the View menu.

To upgrade a database project

Important   The Database Upgrade Utility updates all projects in a source project database to Microsoft Project 2002 format. If one or more projects are already in Microsoft Project 2002 format, the utility cannot perform an upgrade. To successfully run the Database Upgrade Utility, you should plan to upgrade all projects in the source project database at the same time.

Also, it's highly recommended that you create a backup of the project database (.mpd) before upgrading. If the Database Upgrade Utility does not complete successfully, it may change the database format to Microsoft Project 2002, and you won't be able to run the utility again on the same project database.

1. In Microsoft Project, open the database project you want to upgrade to the Microsoft Project 2002 database format.
2. On the Database Upgrade Utility toolbar, click Upgrade database format.

Note  Before upgrading Microsoft Project 98 or Microsoft Project 2000 database projects that contain macros, you need to set the macro security level in Microsoft Project to Low. Point to Macro on the Tools menu, and then click Security. On the Security Level tab, click Low. If you change this setting, remember to return it to its original setting after you run the utility.