The Borland Database Engine (shortly BDE ) is an interface of the company Firma Borland Inc. to access databases. It provides the access to well known databases as  dBase and Paradox.

A lot of well known programs are using the BDE. Normally the user don'nt know that he's using the BDE. But if he try to run the same program unter  Windows Vista  appears the message
" Error initializing the Borland Database Engine". At this moment it is obvious that not the software is bad but there's no compatible instalation of the BDE for Windows Vista present.

With "Windows Vista" Microsoft introduced a lot of changes egarding the file acces and rights of users and programs.
Per default the original BDE is'nt made for Windows 7 and Vista specific environment conditions. This does'nt mean that BDE is'nt a professionel database system. Well installed the BDE runs on Windos 7/Vista as confidential as ever on other Windows systems.

What is "BDE eXpress"?

The "BDE eXpress Manager"

• allows to activate and deactivate "BDE Express Windows 7 / Vista"
• restauration of the initial state before install "BDE Express"
• contains "BDE Express Backup" - an integrated  Data backup toolsto store and restore Paradox- and dBase data stocks
• allows automatical upgrade of whole data stocks into the Vista-compatible format  Paradox 7
• provides then Original "Borland BDE Administration" in Windows-7/Vista-compatible mode
• Support of User Aliasnames

• If a new program version is working now with server based data and you have to import former BDE databases you need a funcional BDE under Windows 7 or Vista.

• If a puchased program runs well under Windows 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP and does'nt work now under Windows Vista cause of problems with the BDE.

• You've purchased several licences of an expansive BDE application. Your company uses Windows-XP computers as well as newer PC's with Windows 7 and/or Windowws Vista. You do'nt want to invest into a change of the database system or the manufacturer of your special software does'nt offer an own Vista-compatible Setup yet
• The Original BDE Administation does'nt permit modifications of the configuration under Windows 7 and Vista even with Admin rights, e.g. to configure the computer for net access of a Paradox database.

• You've created BDE applications during years and are willing to offer this aplications also for Windows 7 and Vista.
• You want to convert in a near future your BDE applications into server based aplications. To convert existing data stocks of your clients you need apart of the server database a funcional BDE under Windows 7 and Vista.

In this case you may include a special BDE eXpress Windows 7 / Vista installation into your own setup. This silent BDE eXpress will install and initialize the BDE during the setup process of your software.