Personal and File geo database difference of size

Question

I have .mdb (personal database) in ArcMap 10.3, I load files and it almost 2GB (the max size of personal gdb) and after I create File database (.gdb) and load again the same files but this time it took only 90mb. Am I doing something wrong or it is as it is?

another thing is when I copy my file gdb within the folder to another local disc, I need to set the data source link again, but for personal did not face this problem. (maybe it is because of personal database saves its data in access)

Egge-Jan_Pollé · Answer

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OrkhanAbdullayev · Answer

Hi Egge-Jan Pollé

Thank you for your fast reply and useful information also your valuable time.

Best Regards

Orkhan

Egge-Jan_Pollé · Answer

Hi Orkhan Abdullayev‌,

Esri's Personal Geodatabase format is - as you already noticed - based on the Microsoft Access (MDB) database format. And MDB files tend to grow quickly as you use them, sometimes impeding performance. You might try a Compact and repair to see if you can shrink the MDB.

But in general a File Geodatabase, Esri's proprietary database format, will be more efficient and hence smaller in size.

Here you will find a nice comparison between the Personal and the File Geodatabase (and even the good old shapefile):

What is a Geodatabase? Personal vs File Geodatabase - GIS Geography

My advice would be to forget about the Personal GDB and stick with the File GDB...

HTH,

Egge-Jan