Access prompting me for a password that doesn't exist???

[Guest]

Using Access 2000 on a Xp machine, and I have another database type
application (an ISO9000- Database program)... THese programs have co-existed
on my machine for some time without any incident... Last week while trying to
open an existing Access database it started bringing up a prompt (typically
seen with the ISO database program) and asking for a login and password for
any Access file I attempt to open... Even while just trying to open the
program and create a new database, I get this prompt and no matter what I
cannot get into the Access program... Tried uninstalling both and
re-installing Access only and still no luck...Still getting the prompt...
What can I do???? Are there maybe other database files (corrupted ones) still
out there that aren't removed on un-install that are clogging this program up
when I do re-install it??? I am lost as to what to do.. Can someone please
help ...?

 

[Lynn Trapp]

The username/password prompt for an Access database occurs when you are
joined to a workgroup information file that has the Admin user's password
set to something other than blank. If you know the Admin user's password,
you can log on as Admin and blank the password. If not, you can begin by
seeing which workgroup information file you are joined to and try joining
another one. If that fails then you might try deleting the system.mdw file
from your computer. Access will recreate it next time you try to open a
database. The new on should not have a password set for Admin.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for a reply.... Just so I have a little understanding....The
"workgroup information file" in this case would be from the other database
application I operate (the ISO9000 one), as it is a shared network program..
As for Access, since that is unique to my machine and not a shared network
program, the workgroup info file would not be belong to Access??????
- So if I remove this other database program (the ISO9000 one) from my
machine, and locate and delete the system.mdw file... The when I attempt to
open Access next I should not receive the prompt????
- Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[Van T. Dinh]

It sounds to me that either your Access installation is joined to a wrong
workgroup security file or somehow, the standard workgroup security file
"system.mdw" usually used by original installation of Access has been
modified and the default user "Admin" requires a password.

Use the wrkgadm.exe to find which workgroup you are connected to. If you
are not connected to "system.mdw", join to the standard "system.mdw".

 

[Guest]

Is this something that happens after something gets corrupted, I guess I am
just a bit confused and just trying to break this down to understand
better.... Even if I am the only user of my machine and the only user of
Access on it, I would still have a workgroup security file? And if I do run
that program you mentioned it can tell which workgroup file I am connected
to, and then if not connected to any I can connect myself to that particular
workgroup... Sorry for my naivety, but how do you connect yourself to a
particular workgroups file then....

Thanks in Advance

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Is this something that happens after something gets corrupted,

No, it is likely not an issue of corruption.

I guess I am
just a bit confused and just trying to break this down to understand
better.... Even if I am the only user of my machine and the only user of
Access on it, I would still have a workgroup security file?

Yes, that is correct. When you run ms-access, you are ALWAYS joined to a
security workgroup file. This is the way ms-access has always worked, and
you don't have a choice in this matter.

The concept here is that you define and create a security file, a user
starts ms-access and is attached to this workgroup file. The users password
etc. is then prompted for, and then at point you are free to open and use
any mdb file. If any of these files have security setup, then the user is
already logged on, and the security groups they belong to are known. (it
would be a nightmare if you have 20 users, and have to setup security for
the 15 different access applications they have! Can you imagine if you had
to setup users for EACH database...it would be impossible! So, the concept
here is that you join a security workgroup file BEFORE you open and use a
database. Hence, the user logs on, enters password, and THEN goes and opens
a database.

Of course, the default security group DOES NOT prompt for a password. The
ONLY REASON why the default workgroup does not prompt is because the admin
user password is BLANK. Again in plain English: If the admin user password
is blank, then you do NOT get a logon prompt, but you are, and still must be
joined to a workgroup file to use ms-access.

And if I do run
that program you mentioned it can tell which workgroup file I am
connected
to

Yes, if you run the workgroup utility, it will show you the workgroup file
you are attached to.

, and then if not connected to any

As mentioned, the above is not possible...you MUST BE, and ALWAYS ARE
connected to a workgroup file (it is likely that you just did not know
this!).

I can connect myself to that particular
workgroup... Sorry for my naivety, but how do you connect yourself to a
particular workgroups file then....

Often, because some programs are delivered to the user, then security and
logons are only wanted for that ONE application. Usually this means that the
vendor supplies a shortcut on the desktop that specifies the workgroup file
to use. What this means is that when you launch the program (via the
shortcut), the workgroup file is specified, and thus you get a logon (since
that particular workgroup file has a password set for the admin user). If
you just launch any other ms-access application without that shortcut, then
you are using a different workgroup file, and because of no password on the
admin account..you get no logon prompts.

So, what this likely means is that somehow your workgroup file got changed
to one other then the default (and, my bets are it got changed to that ISO
program you are using).

 

[Lynn Trapp]

See my good friend Albert Kallal's response to your message below regarding
the workgroup information file. Basically, if the Admin User's password is
blank, then you are logged on "silently" to your database. If it is not
blank, then you must enter a user name and password -- thus, the prompt.

I'm not quite sure what this ISO9000 database application you are referring
to is. Does it typically prompt you for a user name and password?

 

[Guest]

Albert-
Wow thanks for the information...That did shed light onto what is happening,
and allows me to understand better... And I do agree with your final point:

So, what this likely means is that somehow your workgroup file got changed
to one other then the default (and, my bets are it got changed to that ISO
program you are using).

Yes, the prompt that I mentioned I am getting when trying to open Access, IS
the prompt I would normally get when opening the other database (the ISO
Database)......
So now I will run that wrkgadm.exe and see which workgroup file Access is
associated with.....Then what? According to Van : If you
are not connected to "system.mdw", join to the standard "system.mdw". ...
Again I am naive to the innards of databases so how do you "join to the
standard "system.mdw"... ???? Someone mentioned deleting the current
"system.mdw and upon opening Access , it will create a new one? Is this
correct....

Again Thanks in Advance... And sorry if it seems like I am in need of
"hand-holding" on this one, I am quite accustomed and comfortable with most
things on the computer, databases is just my last hurdle to completely grasp.

 

[Guest]

Yes the ISO9000 app is a just basically a Quality Control/Corrective Action
database we use...And YES it does prompt me for a username and password upon
opening it... This is the same prompt that is now associated with my
Access... I did try using my username and password I would typically use for
the ISO database, on the prompt I got under the Access program, but it did
not work...

 

[Van T. Dinh]

The GUI of the workgadm.exe will have a CommandButton for you to join
another work group.

Use Windows Explorer first to find how many copies of system.mdw exist on
your PC and their locations. In my PC, my Access XP is joined to the work
group / System.MDW in the directory C:\Program Files\Common Files\System.

--
HTH
Van T. Dinh
MVP (Access)

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Yes the ISO9000 app is a just basically a Quality Control/Corrective
Action

database we use...And YES it does prompt me for a username and password upon
opening it... This is the same prompt that is now associated with my
Access... I did try using my username and password I would typically use for
the ISO database, on the prompt I got under the Access program, but it did
not work...

Well, what's puzzling me now is whether the prompt you are getting is being
generated by Access or by your ISO9000 app. What title appears on your
prompt? An Access prompt simply says "Logon" and has a "Name" and "Password"
field. Is this what you are seeing when you open Access?