Where do I put System.mdw?

  • Thread starter Thread starter David Portwood
  • Start date Start date
D

David Portwood

I'm ready to establish security by creating a workgroup. I'm not real clear
on how this works just yet. Do I put the System.mdw file on the network
server?

So if Access is installed on John Smith's computer (assume John Smith is NOT
a member of my workgroup) and he doubleclicks my .mdb file residing on a
network drive, what happens? Does he get limited access as a "guest" or
something? Or is he refused access entirely?
 
Hi, David.
Do I put the System.mdw file on the network server?
Click to expand...

The secure workgroup information file should be on the network server, but
it shouldn't be called System.mdw (which indicates it's the unsecured
default workroup information file), even if you took your default workgroup
information file and added a password for the default Admin user. A common
practice is to name it the same as the database application, i.e., Sales.MDW
for the Sales.MDB database file, but "Secure" is also common, i.e., either
Secure.MDW or SecureSales.MDW.
So if Access is installed on John Smith's computer (assume John Smith is
NOT a member of my workgroup) and he doubleclicks my .mdb file residing on
a network drive, what happens?
Click to expand...

If you've done your job correctly, then he won't be able to open the
database file from the network, because it won't be there. A multiuser
database should be split, with the front end on the user's workstation,
which is linked to the tables located in a database file on the network
server. If he double-clicks on the secure MDB file on his workstation, he
should receive the "You do not have permission to open this database" error
message.

Instead, he should remain joined to the unsecured default workroup and
double-click on a shortcut which joins him to the secure workgroup only for
the current session before prompting him for his User ID and password, and
then opening the secure database. This way, he can open _any_ database that
is unsecured without being prompted for User ID and password, because he's
joined to an unsecured workgroup.

Use the following syntax for the shortcut's target (all one line):

"<Full path to Office>\MSAccess.EXE" "<Full path to DB>\MyDB.MDB" /wrkgrp
Does he get limited access as a "guest" or something?
Click to expand...

If he gets _any_ access to the secure database file, then you have failed to
properly secure the database. But don't feel too bad if this happens, as it
happens to most of us the first few times trying to secure an Access
database. For more information about User-Level Security, please see the
following Web page for the Security FAQ:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=207793

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.
 
Hi, David.

You'll also be interested in Access MVP Joan Wild's tutorial on securing a
split database. Using the Split Database Wizard will unsecure your
database, so you don't want to use that. Please see the following Web page:

http://www.jmwild.com/SplitSecure.htm

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blogs: www.DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com, www.DatabaseTips.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.
 
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