Can't share Access 2000 DB over LAN using Win XP Pro

[Sigurd Andersen]

My wife and I have a local area network in our home offices. Both of our
PCs are running Windows XP Pro SP1. We both want to use a database
created in MS Access 2000. When I put the database in my Shared
Documents folder, my wife can see the file on her computer, but cannot
open it. (She can open other files, e.g., word documents.) On the chance
it might help, I split the database into front end and back end, put the
back end on my shared folder, and a copy of the front end on her PC. For
a while she COULD get to the database. Then, for no apparent reason,
Access no longer lets her get to the database. I have NOT secured the
database. (In case it matters, I am using Access 2000, she is using
Access 2002.)

The error message is, "The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the
file '\\pcname\SharedDocs\folder1\folder2\database_be.mdb'. It is
already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to
view its data."

As I don't have the database open when she gets this message, it must be
the latter case. What do I need to do to give her permissions she must
have had at one point? I've made sure the Shared Documents folder and
the two sub-folders (folder1, folder2) are shared, and that they have
"Allow network users to change my files" checked. The Shared Documents
folder properties show a grey check for Read Only. I can clear it, get
asked if I want to unset read-only, say yes, and it clears. The next
time I look at properties for the foldre, the grey check is back. I
don't know what this means.

She was able to open the database from her Win XP PC when it was on a
Windows 98 PC.

I don't need to secure the database, and would rather not go this route
if it is not necessary.

What do I need to do so that we CAN both use the database? Is it Win XP
Pro that's making our life difficult?

Thanks for any help you can provide.
Sigurd Andersen

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Right click the Shared Documents folder and select Properties, Sharing and Security. On the Sharing tab, click the Permissions button. Ensure that the Everyone group has Full Control Then if necessary, go to the Security tab and click the Advanced button. Check the box Replace permission entries on all child objects.............

 

[Sigurd Andersen]

I don't have any button labeled "Permissions" on the Sharing tab.
I haven't set up any groups, etc. either. As I recall, somewhere in
here I did see a "limited" and "administrator" group, or some such,
but those are whatever comes "prepackaged" with Win XP Pro.

 

[Roger Abell]

If you do not have the permission button, then you need to
shift out from simple sharing mode (done at base of the View
tab of Explorer's Folder Options)
While in simple sharing mode access grants in NTFS for use
when access is remote will need to be made to the Guest account.
Shift out from Simple sharing and make the grants one would
expect are needed, at both the share and the NTFS levels.

 

[Sigurd Andersen]

I turned off "Use simple file sharing (recommended)."
After that the "Permissions" button does appear. I made
sure that the Shared Documents folder has, for "Everyone,"
Full Control, Change, AND Read checked. The two sub-folders
have Change and Read checked for "Everyone." After all that,
I STILL can NOT open the database from the remote PC.

I do not understand what "access grants in NTFS for use
when access is remote ..." means, am not sure whether I have
correctly interpreted "the grants one would expect are needed"
(see above), and don't know what "both the share and the NTFS
levels" means. I don't see any references in the dialog boxes
to NTFS. Please re-phrase with more specificity for one who
is not fully versed in groups, permissions, etc.

(Also, when using the word "access" please be clear whether
you are referring to Microsoft's database program or the more
general meaning.)

I tried looking at the properties of the back end database itself.
On the Security tab, there are three "Group or user names" -
Administrators, me, and SYSTEM. I can't see any way to add a
user coming in from a remote PC. When I click on the "Add"
button, then click on the "Locations" button, it only lists
my PC. Do I need to do something so I can see the other PC
and then pick a user from that PC?