security wizard cannot be run

[Guest]

I'm desperate - again!

I have a database that I have been working on for some time. I applied user
level security (my first ever effort) and found it to be a nightmare. Because
the database needed further development, I removed the security. Can't
remember exactly how as it was a trial and error method (5 million trials,
4,999,999 errors!!!). I further developed the app and now the time has come
to re-apply the security, but I get the error message "The security wizard
cannot be run on a database when you are both logged on as the Admin user and
the wizard has previously run on this database". Can't start the wizard.
Can't apply database password.

I managed to join to the original secure workgroup file and I now have some
level of access to the security features, but still cant set a database
password or get teh database to request a password for any of the users.

Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Bad news.

Using the secure mdw a password is requested.

Using the system mdw a password is requested, but by leaving the password
blank the database can be opened.

Is there any hope of repairing this?

 

[Joan Wild]

You need to open your database using your secured mdw (i.e. the desktop
shortcut) - you said earlier that you were able to get in using this so I
assume you have a username/password.

Once in, grant full permissions to the Users Group for all objects,
including the database object. Then, just to be sure, go to Tools, Security
Workgroup Administrator and join system.mdw. Exit Access.

Open Access (not via the shortcut). You shouldn't need a password since you
are using system.mdw. If you are asked for a password, quit Access. Go to
Start, Search and find system.mdw and rename it to system1.mdw.

Open Access (not via the shortcut). You should not get a password prompt.
Create a new mdb and import everything from your 'secure' mdb. Now you are
looking at a totally unsecured database.

Make sure that you can open every object. If you can, then you are safe to
delete your secure mdw, your secure mdb, and system1.mdw.

Now start at step 1 and secure your mdb. It is important that you follow
every step, in order, leaving nothing out.

 

[Guest]

OK - I opened the database using the secure mdw using a username and password.

I granted full permissions to the user group.

Unless I'm getting really confused, when I went into the wrkgrp
administrator it was already referring to a system mdw. God (and Joan) knows
how.

I opened access and it did NOT request a password.

I created a new database ... and it asked me for a password.

The trouble I have is that I have backed up so many things and got myself so
confused that I have got literally hundreds of backups of databases, mdws etc
on several machines. It's getting increasingly difficult to do anything
without worrying that I've already broken it. Any ideas? Sorry for the
ongoing drama.

 

[Rick Brandt]

OK - I opened the database using the secure mdw using a username and
password.

I granted full permissions to the user group.

Unless I'm getting really confused, when I went into the wrkgrp
administrator it was already referring to a system mdw. God (and
Joan) knows how.

That indicates your DEFAULT workgroup, not the one currently being used.

 

[Guest]

I repeated Joans stepped and joined to the system mdw explicitly, but the
same thing happens. When I try to save the new database it asks for a
password, but only accepts a blank value. Any other ideas?

 

[Joan Wild]

Unless I'm getting really confused, when I went into the wrkgrp
administrator it was already referring to a system mdw. God (and
Joan) knows how.

Good, that just shows you the default one, not the one necessarily in use.

I opened access and it did NOT request a password.

I created a new database ... and it asked me for a password.

That means that your system.mdw has a password set for the Admin user.

Open Access (not a database), and go to Tools, Security, User Accounts and
choose the Admin user. Hit Clear Password button. Close and reopen Access
and create a new database (you should get no password).

Now import all objects from your secure mdb.

The trouble I have is that I have backed up so many things and got
myself so confused that I have got literally hundreds of backups of
databases, mdws etc on several machines. It's getting increasingly
difficult to do anything without worrying that I've already broken
it. Any ideas? Sorry for the ongoing drama.

We are very close, so don't despair. Once you've imported all the objects
to this new database, you'll be back to square one. Make sure you can open
all the objects in the database. If you can, I'd say you are safe to delete
all those backups, and all those other mdw files.

 

[Guest]

OK - done all that. Everything seems fine.

So now I assume I have to apply security from the start. I've tried this a
few times with different websites instructions (I think I've applied security
properly at least once in the past!), but do you know of a really really
really simple idiots guide to applying user level security?

Then I have to split the database and copy the FE and the shortcut to the
users machines. You suggested previously that I should do this as per
instructions on your website - what's the address?

Hopefully I'll apply security properly and the rest will be a breeze and
you'll never hear from me again - in which case thankyou VERY much for all
your help. You've kept me from insanity!!

 

[Joan Wild]

I have outlined detailed steps at
www.jmwild.com/AccessSecurity.htm
Also on that page is a link to how to split manually.

I would suggest that you delete all the previous mdw files you've got, and
perhaps some of the older mdb attempts (at least back them up to some media
and remove them from your computer).

Do not rush; approach it slowly, following each and every step, in order.
Step 1 - backup your mdb as it is now (a pristine, unsecure copy). You can
always return to this copy to start over.

 

[Guest]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou

and a potentially naive question - if security details are held in an mdw
file, when I move copies of the database to users machines, do i also have to
move the mdw, and if so, where to?

Kind regards,
Fan of Joan.

 

[Joan Wild]

Usernames, Groups, passwords, group membership is what is stored in the mdw.
Actual permissions are stored in the mdb file.

Usually you would put the secure mdw file on a server in a folder that all
users have full rights to. Put it in the same folder as the backend if you
like. Just be sure you don't give it the same name as the backend file,
because they each need to create an associated ldb file.