Locked out of dbase

[Guest]

I was having difficulty with my security permissions... adding a new user
that is. One way or the other, it was telling me that I wasn't the
Administrator - when I am. In any event, I messed things up pretty good - so
now I've gone back to my backup file, which is now prompting me for a
password that I don't have. I know the database is working b/c my users (who
only have run-time) have been using it all day with no problems. Does anyone
know how I can get back into my database? Is there someway to bipass the
password?

 

[Rick B]

I would guess that your database is not really secured properly. Sounds
like your users can get in it and you can't. Are they prompted to sign in?
I would go back to tday's file (the one you said you were locked out of) and
try opening it while joined to the default SYSTEM.MDW workgroup.

If that does work, then you have a bigger issue. Your database is not
secure!

Post back and let us know if that does or does not work

 

[Guest]

Rick,

Thanks for the prompt response. I'm fairly new to "security". And you're
probably right about my database security probably being set up wrong. But it
was working for quite some time. My users are not prompted to sign in. Just
me. And I don't know how or why it happened. In any event, could I trouble
you to explain how to try opening it while joined to the default SYSTEM.MDW
workgroup?

 

[Rick B]

Depends on the version of access you are using. Generally, you will open
the MSWorgroup Administrator and click the JOIN button, then find your
SYSTEM.mdw workgroup file.

If your users are not prompted to log in, then you have not secured your
database. All you have done is added passwords to the workgroup you are in.
If you are already in the SYSTEM.mdw workgroup, then my above advise will
not help.

Confirm that you are asked for a USERID and a PASSWORD.

If that is the case, you might just go ahead and find and rename the
system.mdw file. Then open Access. It will be unable to find system.mdw
and will simply create a new system.mdw file.

If it is only asking for a PASSWORD, no USERID, then you have a different
problem. That would mean that you assigned a database password. There is
no easy fix for that. I don't think that is the case though, if others can
open the file.

 

[Guest]

Rick,

When I wrote last, I couldn't get into the database at all. This morning,
I've logged in as a different user on my computer (which is the only one with
a full version of Access), and I got into the database. The prompt for a user
name and password appeared, but the user name and password was already there
so I just hit "enter", and it opened. So now I'm in. I still don't know why
it wouldn't let me log in as "me" on my own computer. But here's the funny
thing... I logged in as "me" at another computer that only has "run-time"...
and it let me in! In any event, I'm in the database now, logged in as
another user, and don't know how to fix things. Is there some way I can
remove the password? Get my administrative rights back? Any ideas would be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Rick B]

If it opened the database and you were logged in, you should be able to go
into tthe security and remove your password.

Again, it does not sound like your database is properly secured. If others
can log in then you might try copying a "good" secure.mdw file to your
computer.

 

[Guest]

Rick,

Can you please walk me through the steps... I really don't want to have any
more problems with this.

Thanks.

 

[Rick B]

Make a backup copy of your "system.mdw" file. Name it "backup.mdw" or
similar.

Either copy another user's system.mdw file and replace yours, or...

Just close access and delete system.mdw. When access boots up, if it can't
find system.mdw, then it will create a new one.

IF THIS WORKS, then it means your database was never secured in the first
palce.

IF THIS DOES NOR WORK, then we will need to restore your "backup.mdw" and
take other steps.

 

[Guest]

Rick,

Can you talk me through this? Or is there somewhere I can learn how to do
this properly? When I did it the first time, I took it from the Microsoft
Site. Apparently, I did something wrong.

 

[Rick B]

My post from 12:37 explains how. It is just above your last request.

 

[Guest]

Rick,

Where is the mdw file stored? (The files in the folder with the database
are .bak and "snapshot"... and there seems to be a couple of each)

 

[Rick B]

use windows FIND.

It is most likely in Program/Office/... I am on a computer that can't
browse the C: drive at the moment, so I can't answer that.

If you are using a secure database shared by others, your mdw file SHOULD be
on the LAN in the folder where everyone can get to it. If it is not, thne
that is even further evidence that your database is not secured.

 

[Guest]

Yes, but it doesn't say "where" the file is stored...

 

[Guest]

Rick,

I found the system mdw. file... and 3 more. There's 4 system mdw files all
together. How do I know which one is which?

 

[Rick B]

Well, you can't have more than one with the same name unless they are all in
different folders.

If you open the workgroup administrator, you can see which one you are
joined to. I think there is also some code you can type in the vba
immediate window, but I am not sure what iti is off hand.

If you have never needed to change from one workgroup to another, then these
are probably all junk anyway. If that is the case, just make a backup of
them all and delete them all. Pretty good chance they are not needed.

 

[TC]

Rick B wrote:

(snip)

I think there is also some code you can type in the vba
immediate window, but I am not sure what iti is off hand.

To show the full path & name of the wgf that is in use:

debug.print dbengine.systemdb

There is also a SysCmd option: syscmd(acsyscmdgetworkgroupfile), or
somesuch.

HTH,
TC

 

[Guest]

Ok, if I back everything up, and create a new workgroup by "joining"... I
could give a unique name right? Then I could go in and delete the others?
Then the question would be, how to get administrative access again... or
would creating the new workgroup automatically give me administrative rights?
Don't forget, I'm still logged in as someone else. So, in theory, I'd have
to do this twice... Once to give administrative rights to the person I'm
logged in under, then give admin rights to me. Then, once logged in under
me, I would create a new workgroup and take away the administrative rights of
the other user... does any of this make sense?

 

[TC]

Sorry, I haven't followed this whole thread. I just hopped-in to say
what code you can type to show what workgroup file is in use.

Cheers,
TC

 

[Guest]

Rick,

What do you think?

Ok, if I back everything up, and create a new workgroup by "joining"... I
could give a unique name right? Then I could go in and delete the others?
Then the question would be, how to get administrative access again... or
would creating the new workgroup automatically give me administrative rights?
Don't forget, I'm still logged in as someone else. So, in theory, I'd have
to do this twice... Once to give administrative rights to the person I'm
logged in under, then give admin rights to me. Then, once logged in under
me, I would create a new workgroup and take away the administrative rights of
the other user... does any of this make sense?

 

[Guest]

Rick,

What do you think?

Ok, if I back everything up, and create a new workgroup by "joining"... I
could give a unique name right? Then I could go in and delete the others?
Then the question would be, how to get administrative access again... or
would creating the new workgroup automatically give me administrative rights?
Don't forget, I'm still logged in as someone else. So, in theory, I'd have
to do this twice... Once to give administrative rights to the person I'm
logged in under, then give admin rights to me. Then, once logged in under
me, I would create a new workgroup and take away the administrative rights of
the other user... does any of this make sense?