I keep on getting this error message when I try to open Access 97.I installed it on Win XP sp 2.
Hardware spec. PIV 2GB of ram.

"Microsoft Access couldn't find the file "System.mdw" this file is required to startup access.

This may sound stupid, but don't use access 97. Access 2000 will read and write those file formats just as well. There are service packs and patches for Access 97 that you may need to use. Granted, there's no real reason it shouldn't work, but it is kind of old. Have you tried re-installing? Did you do a typical install or a custom install? Is another version of Office or any of its components already installed on this machine?