security affecting all databases

[Guest]

I have created a database to be used only by 3 departments in my company. We
have never used security before on any of the databases since they were not
being used in a multiuser environment. We have Access 2000 and I have used
the security wizard to create a new workgroup and setup group and user
accounts and permissions. I have created a shortcut to my desktop using the
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" ...mdb" /WRKGRP
....Secured.mdw" to be used only with that database. I thought I had
everything working as I would like with that database but I am now needing to
login each time I open other databases that have not been secured. I have
found in my search somehow my default system.mdw in the registry has changed
to reflect the security I had setup for my secure database. I am perplexed
as to how this happened since I used the wizard and now what to do about it.
Is there any way to restore the default workgroup without having to de-secure
my other database? Also, I wanted to create an mde after having this worked
out -- anything I should be aware of?

 

[Rick Brandt]

I have created a database to be used only by 3 departments in my
company. We have never used security before on any of the databases
since they were not being used in a multiuser environment. We have
Access 2000 and I have used the security wizard to create a new
workgroup and setup group and user accounts and permissions. I have
created a shortcut to my desktop using the "C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" ...mdb" /WRKGRP
...Secured.mdw" to be used only with that database. I thought I had
everything working as I would like with that database but I am now
needing to login each time I open other databases that have not been
secured. I have found in my search somehow my default system.mdw in
the registry has changed to reflect the security I had setup for my
secure database. I am perplexed as to how this happened since I used
the wizard and now what to do about it. Is there any way to restore
the default workgroup without having to de-secure my other database?
Also, I wanted to create an mde after having this worked out --
anything I should be aware of?

What has probably happened is that Secured.mdw has been made your default
workgroup. Just go into the Workgroup Administrator utility and "re-join"
the default workgroup (system.mdw).

If you really discover that System.MDW is asking for a login prompt try
renaming it and then launch Access without specifying a file to open. In
versions 2000 and higher Access will automatically create a new System.mdw
if it can't find it. If that works then the renamed one can be safely
deleted.

 

[Guest]

I have only worked with Access for about one year but I have seen your
problem. People here will know much more than me.

What version are you using? I think it's easier to fix in 2002/2003 vs prior
versions.

Good luck

 

[Guest]

Thank you Rick. I will try your suggestion however I will be creating more
secured databases. Should I not use the security wizard in 2000 to create
new workgroups? I am concerned that this will happen each time. I guess
since I have a solution to it, it's no big deal but just a hassle. Is it a
bug? Should I create and join them manually always?

 

[Guest]

Rick, renaming did not help. I had to delete the system.mdw and then it
worked. I am most appreciative for your advise.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thank you Rick. I will try your suggestion however I will be
creating more secured databases. Should I not use the security
wizard in 2000 to create new workgroups? I am concerned that this
will happen each time. I guess since I have a solution to it, it's
no big deal but just a hassle. Is it a bug? Should I create and
join them manually always?

I have never used it, but my impression from these groups is that the wizard
doesn't even properly secure your app anyway (at least not in Access 2000).
Try this test. Open Access using your default unsecured System.mdw
workgroup file. Once opened you should find that you cannot open your
secured file. Do you find that to be the case or do you find that it will
let you right in?

Also, when securing multiple files I would not normally create a secured
workgroup for each one unless the target audience was completely different.
Even then you need a good naming convention for the workgroup files instead
of just naming them all Secured.mdw.

The wizard (as I understand it) is supposed to ask you at some point whether
you want to make the new workgroup file your default OR if you want to make
a custom shortcut for the secured app. It should not do both. As long as
you choose the shortcut option your default workgroup setting should not be
changed.

 

[Guest]

It is true that I cannot open my secured file once I have opened my default
system.mdw file.

Thanks for the tip about multiple workgroup files. I've already considered
that and only put security on db's that require it. There is a need here for
a few (not many) workgroup files because of the audience they each will apply
to and I've also prepared to name them differently.

Lastly, I'm not sure I am comfortable with using the wizard because of this
experience. Access 2000 does prompt you and I had specified that I did not
want it to be my default and instead setup the shortcut on the desktop.
So.... that did not work, at least not for me. Anyway, your suggestion
helped and thanks again. I'll keep you in mind for other issues that may
arise.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Shar wrote:
[snip]

Lastly, I'm not sure I am comfortable with using the wizard because
of this experience. Access 2000 does prompt you and I had specified
that I did not want it to be my default and instead setup the
shortcut on the desktop. So.... that did not work, at least not for
me. Anyway, your suggestion helped and thanks again. I'll keep you
in mind for other issues that may arise.

I'm not a big fan of the security wizard. My view is that a wizard is a
nice way to automate a task that would otherwise take longer or to provide a
step-by-step process to help complete a complicated task correctly. I do
NOT approve of a wizard that just "does something complicated" without the
user needing to have any understanding of what is happening or how to
analyze the results.

There are way too many people who use security without understanding how it
works and the wizard is what makes that possible. Most end up with
incorrect security and are oblivious to that fact and when something wrong
is discovered they have no knowledge of how to correct it.

 

[Guest]

I agree. The wizard really needs to be changed. I do not know if this has
been addressed with later versions.

Shar wrote:
[snip]

Lastly, I'm not sure I am comfortable with using the wizard because
of this experience. Access 2000 does prompt you and I had specified
that I did not want it to be my default and instead setup the
shortcut on the desktop. So.... that did not work, at least not for
me. Anyway, your suggestion helped and thanks again. I'll keep you
in mind for other issues that may arise.

I'm not a big fan of the security wizard. My view is that a wizard is a
nice way to automate a task that would otherwise take longer or to provide a
step-by-step process to help complete a complicated task correctly. I do
NOT approve of a wizard that just "does something complicated" without the
user needing to have any understanding of what is happening or how to
analyze the results.

There are way too many people who use security without understanding how it
works and the wizard is what makes that possible. Most end up with
incorrect security and are oblivious to that fact and when something wrong
is discovered they have no knowledge of how to correct it.

 

[Larry Linson]

Chances are that you followed the directions and "joined" that workgroup,
which made it _your_ (not the system's) standard. No, the Security Wizard is
not adequate.

Check this knowledgebase article for the Access Security FAQ
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;207793 -- it covers
all recent versions. It takes "a little" study... read, re-read, study, etc.
and then expect a few slipups on your first few efforts at securing a
database.

Always save an unsecured copy, just in case. Missing one step can either
leave you with a database so insecure that most anyone can get it, or so
secure that even you cannot get in. The latter can be very, very frustrating
if you have not saved that unsecured copy!

You'll want to set a shortcut on the desktop that defines the workgroup to
be used with the database that requires security, and for everything else,
rejoin the standard system workgroup (restore it from CD if need be) that
starts you out with no security.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Guest]

I am having the same problem where everything requires a log-in. I tried
finding where to re-join, but I can find it and I tried deleting my
secured.mdw and opening it, but it just said it was invaild. Can you help me
out?? I spent too much time programing SQL and VB too loose it over Security.

Jake