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Informix Error -242

-242 Could not open database table table-name.

The database server cannot begin reading a table. Check the accompanying ISAM error code for more information. The problem might be file permissions, a hardware error, or a corrupted system catalog. Unless the ISAM error code or an operating-system message points to another cause, run the bcheck or secheck utility to verify file integrity.

Oninit® Troubleshooting Guidance

Reasons / Common Causes

-242 is a generic wrapper around a failure right at the start of reading a table — closely related to -215, but the official text adds a specific remediation step: running bcheck/ secheck if nothing more specific points elsewhere.

  1. File permissions issues on the table's underlying storage.
  2. Hardware errors affecting the underlying storage.
  3. A corrupted system catalog — tying into the same concerns as -211/-225/-226.
Solutions / Resolution
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS-level messages first.
  2. Run bcheck or secheck to verify file integrity, per the official guidance, unless the accompanying code or an OS message already points to a more specific cause.
  3. Check file permissions and hardware health directly.
  4. Check system catalog integrity if corruption there is suspected.
Examples
Following the official diagnostic order
-- 1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS messages first
-- 2. If nothing specific turns up, verify file integrity directly:
bcheck customer.dat customer.idx
Diagnostic Checks
  1. Check the accompanying ISAM error code and OS-level messages.
  2. Run bcheck/secheck if no more specific cause is identified.
  3. Check file permissions and hardware health.
Related Errors / Related Topics
  • -215 — "Cannot open file for table table-name." The closest sibling — the same general OS-level file-access failure family.
  • -211 — "Cannot read system catalog ." Relevant if system catalog corruption is the underlying cause rather than a simple permissions or hardware issue.

Check the accompanying ISAM error code first, then run bcheck/secheck if nothing more specific turns up — that's the order the official guidance recommends.