Password Problems

[Guest]

I have locked myself out of Access. First, I attempted to set security
access to the database. It didn't seem to work, so I went in to a blank page
of Access (no database) and set a password. I attempted to open the
database, and was asked for a password. For some reason, all the passwords I
set up would not work. I thought if I deleted the "secured" file, that would
free it up, but that didn't work. Now I'm locked out of all my databases.

I'm desperate! Please Help!

 

[Joan Wild]

I have locked myself out of Access. First, I attempted to set
security access to the database.

How did you do this?

It didn't seem to work, so I went
in to a blank page of Access (no database) and set a password. I
attempted to open the database, and was asked for a password.

Do you mean set a database password, or are you prompted for
username/password?

For
some reason, all the passwords I set up would not work. I thought if
I deleted the "secured" file, that would free it up, but that didn't
work. Now I'm locked out of all my databases.

It depends on what steps you took to 'secure' it. Just deleting the
workgroup file (mdw) wouldn't help.

Did you create a new workgroup? If so, you may just need to rejoin the
standard system.mdw using the workgroup administrator. System.mdw is
usually found in the windows system folder.

If you want to implement security you should download and study the security
FAQ, practising on a copy of your database.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=207793

 

[Guest]

I used the User Level Security Wizard. After I followed the wizard and
finished, I opened the database, without a request for a password. I figured
it was not working properly, so I opened access without a database, and set a
password for me as Admin (not really knowing what I was doing), and ended up
locking myself out. I was asked for a User Name/Password. I thought I knew
the password, but Access would not take what I thought was the password.

I ended up deleting the System.mdw file, which allowed me to get into Access
again. Access appears to have created a clean copy of System.mdw, so I'm
back to where I started.

Will the Security FAQ help me through setting up database security with
layman terms?

 

[Joan Wild]

I used the User Level Security Wizard.

What version of Access?

After I followed the wizard
and finished, I opened the database, without a request for a
password.

How did you open the database? Did you use the desktop shortcut the wizard
created for you (depending on version)?

I figured it was not working properly, so I opened access
without a database, and set a password for me as Admin (not really
knowing what I was doing), and ended up locking myself out.

Depending on version, you should not have set a password for Admin (the
wizard would have done this).

I was
asked for a User Name/Password. I thought I knew the password, but
Access would not take what I thought was the password.

It asked you for a password because you set a password for the Admin user
(that is what causes the login prompt to appear).

I ended up deleting the System.mdw file, which allowed me to get into
Access again. Access appears to have created a clean copy of
System.mdw, so I'm back to where I started.

OK that sounds like you are using Access 2002 or 2003.

When you ran the wizard, it should have created a desktop shortcut for your
database. Open it with that, logging in as the user you created during the
wizard (the password may be blank).

Will the Security FAQ help me through setting up database security
with layman terms?

Implementing security is not simple. It is essential that you follow
*every* step outlined (every phrase is important), in order.

You may find the step-by-step at the following easier, however do read the
FAQ.
www.jmwild.com/AccessSecurity.htm

 

[Guest]

What version of Access? Access 2002


How did you open the database? Did you use the desktop shortcut the wizard
created for you (depending on version)?

Nope, I really didn't understand that I was supposed to use the shortcut at
that time.

 

[Cheah Chin Thai]

I don't know.

 

[Joan Wild]

Nope, I really didn't understand that I was supposed to use the
shortcut at that time.

OK, then you were opening the database using the standard system.mdw
workgroup. Access uses this for every session (it silently logs you in as
Admin user).

What you did was set a password for the Admin user in the system.mdw
workgroup. Since you created a new system.mdw, you should be OK.