The newer Access OLE DB provider Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider can read both Access 97 and Access 2000 formatted database files (*.mdb). (The older 3.51 provider is limited to only Access 97 formatted databases.)

Normally, the Access 2000 databases cannot be used with Access 97. However, if you import Access 2000 tables into a CONNX CDD and create a DSN for this CDD,You can then create a linked table to that CONNX data source name within Access 97. CONNX insulates the differences between Access 97 and Access 2000 and enables Access 97 users to access Access 2000 database files.