Getting desperate: Access denied on a DB

[Avlan]

Right, I've got my problem clearer now:

I have received a 97 database from an abroad office to test it on
conversion to Access 2003. Unfortunately, the database is security
protected. I have the admin pw and can set all permissions on the DB.

I set the MDW-file to the appropriate file so I can login with admin.
This is a custom admin. I set permissions for the admins and users
group to full control on all, I set permissions for the admin and guest
account to full control and I have reset the admin-pw. So far so good,
the database opens without pw and I can do anything.

Then, I reset the MDW-file to the original
(C:\windows\system32\system.mdw) and I can still open the database
without trouble. However, when I check security, I apparently do not
have adminrights on it (I am 'admin' though) since I can not change the
rights on the database object and I get a warning that I should contact
my administrator to set those permissions.

When I open a blanc DB I have full rights on it, though.

When I change the MDW back I have full rights on the foreign DB again.

I need to have the DB in Access with the original MDW and with full
control for me to test it. Importing the db into a blanc DB gives a
same kind of message: I do not have rights to import etc.

The table IS linked to other tables with security too, but is it
possible that they even have effect on the security settings (database
object) on this database??

Any thoughts welcome, I'll proceed with unlocking all the linked
databases one by one ('users' group on them already have full control
but apparently thats not enough)

 

[Joan Wild]

Right, I've got my problem clearer now:

I have received a 97 database from an abroad office to test it on
conversion to Access 2003. Unfortunately, the database is security
protected. I have the admin pw and can set all permissions on the DB.

Do you mean the 'Admin' user, or some other user that is a member of the
Admins Group?

I set the MDW-file to the appropriate file so I can login with admin.
This is a custom admin. I set permissions for the admins and users
group to full control on all, I set permissions for the admin and guest
account to full control and I have reset the admin-pw. So far so good,
the database opens without pw and I can do anything.

Then, I reset the MDW-file to the original
(C:\windows\system32\system.mdw) and I can still open the database
without trouble. However, when I check security, I apparently do not
have adminrights on it (I am 'admin' though) since I can not change the
rights on the database object and I get a warning that I should contact
my administrator to set those permissions.

When I open a blanc DB I have full rights on it, though.

When I change the MDW back I have full rights on the foreign DB again.

I don't think you do, or else you'd be able to import to a new mdb while
joined to the standard system.mdw.

I need to have the DB in Access with the original MDW and with full
control for me to test it. Importing the db into a blanc DB gives a
same kind of message: I do not have rights to import etc.

What is the exact error message?

 

[Avlan]

Yeh I thought about that myself yesterday, and it indeed is part of the
problem. They have made a custom admin-user who has all the rights, and
the standard admin has no rights at all. I've got it to work yesterday,
but its pretty tricky:

1.- Join Access to the custom MDW-file and login to the database with
the custom admin.
2.- In Security, give the 'users'-group full control, give the
'admin'-user full control, and join 'admin' to the 'admins'-group (this
last one is important too; 'Admins'-group should have full control by
the way).
3.- Now close Access, and restart the database. The DB should now start
without asking for a pass. You should be auto-logged in as 'admin' (and
not as custom admin) with full rights on the database.
4.- Create a blanc database, and import the database through 'get
external data' > 'import' in the file menu. This database is now
created by 'admin'.
5.- Close Access and NOW change the MDW-file back to the default one
("C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SYSTEM.MDW").
6.- Start up the database. You should now have full control in this
default environment and it is now ready to convert (or test) to Access
2003.

Since you thought I was referring to and using the default Access
admin, Joan, you advised me to first return to the default MDW-file,
and then import, but that didn't work.

I still feel its rather silly that this security doesn't only secure
the specific database but the whole of access, that you can make a
custom security/user-database(MDW) which you will need to open
databases made on that Access on other PC's, and that, apparently, the
'admin'-user in one MDW-file will have the same rights as an
'admin'-user in another MDW-file.........

And I'll refrain from commenting on the 50 mouseclicks you have to make
to 'reset' security on a database (when owner/admin)...

But I like to puzzle with computers, so it kept me of the streets :-D
Thx for your help Joan

 

[Joan Wild]

Yeh I thought about that myself yesterday, and it indeed is part of the
problem. They have made a custom admin-user who has all the rights, and
the standard admin has no rights at all. I've got it to work yesterday,
but its pretty tricky:

I'm glad you got it working, but just a few comments....

1.- Join Access to the custom MDW-file and login to the database with
the custom admin.
2.- In Security, give the 'users'-group full control, give the
'admin'-user full control, and join 'admin' to the 'admins'-group (this
last one is important too; 'Admins'-group should have full control by
the way).

Well all you really need to do is to give the Users group full control.

3.- Now close Access, and restart the database.

First you should rejoin the standard system.mdw, then start Access. Then
create a blank database and import all objects.
Admin will own all the objects.

I still feel its rather silly that this security doesn't only secure
the specific database but the whole of access, that you can make a
custom security/user-database(MDW) which you will need to open
databases made on that Access on other PC's, and that, apparently, the
'admin'-user in one MDW-file will have the same rights as an
'admin'-user in another MDW-file

It is unfortunate that they named that user Admin, as you are correct, the
Admin user is common to all mdw files (as is the Users Group). The Admins
Group isn't. As for securing the whole of access, that isn't really what
happens. Access uses security for every session; and it must use a mdw
file. For unsecured databases, it uses the system.mdw that ships with
Access, and silently logs you in as 'Admin'. That is why Admin is common to
all mdw files. Since it owns all the databases you create, and has full
permissions on them, you are able to send an unsecured database to someone
else and they are able to use it with their default mdw file.

You are always joined by default to some workgroup. When you secure a
database, you don't really need to change your default; nor should you.
Just create a desktop shortcut to use with your secure database. The target
will specify the workgroup to use for that session only, and not change your
default. The target looks like
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure mdw"

And I'll refrain from commenting on the 50 mouseclicks you have to make
to 'reset' security on a database (when owner/admin)...

Not really...The object list is a multi-select listbox, so you don't need to
do them one at a time.