Access Security wizard mistake

[MikeSawt]

I made the mistake of using the security wizard to protect a database that I was still developing. I am now no longer able to gain access to this database. For a while it was asking me for a password, but it no longer asks for a password and I now get the following message when I double click to open it.

You do not have the necessary permissions to use the ‘Q:\Access\Careplan.mdb. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you.

I am the person who created this and do not know how to establish the appropriate permissions. Is there a way for me to remove the security on the database so I can continue working on it?

 

[MelissaT]

The security wizard creates a .bak file of the database before securing it. Rename the .bak file to a .mdb file and you'll be able to get in.

Melissa
Designing Access databases since 1999

 

[MikeSawt]

I used the wizard last week and have made many change to the DB since. I have been able to get the old version but I was hoping to get the one that I lost access to today.

I lost access today, after I making a copy in windows. So I now have two versions of the same file and can not get logged into either of them. Plus I have the old version about 10 hours of missing updates.

Can anyone else make a suggestion?

 

[GDGarth]

When you ran the security wizard, did you make a new .mdw file? If so, do you still have that file, or did you lose it too? If you do, you probably just need to join that workgroup.

If you didn't make a new .mdw file, you just modified system.mdw (or you made a copy of it to modify). The good news is, your database isn't really too secure. You can modify system.mdw again, and add back in your user name (or, you can just put the admin user back into the "admins" group).

Even if you're still joined to the correct workgroup, you're logging in as the "admin" user (default user) since you're not being prompted for a login. Open a new database and set a password for the default user (admin). Now, when you open a database, you'll get the login prompt. Try putting your user name and password, and see if that gets you in.

You could try creating a blank database, and importing all the objects from the locked database. Depending on how your security is set up, it may or may not allow you to do it.

I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get back in, one way or the other.

 

[MikeSawt]

GDGarth:

I still had the secured.mdw file. But I do not have a system.mdw. Are they the same? I opened the secured.mdw and I am still listed as a user.

I am unable to moidify the querry in the secured.mdw. When I open the querry in the design view there are no tables available. I can not change anything on the querry itself.

I creating a second database and used the wizard to secure the second DB. I exited and restarted Access in the second DB. This now asked more my password to the second DB, The same username and password. I then tried to import a table for the original DB and I got the error message,(Wrong permission).

I also notice that I can only get access the second DB from the shortcut on the desktop. If I try to open the db from the explorer window, I can not get in. But if I open it from the desktop short cut I can get in????

Additionally I had the IS department restore the file to the version from the night before. I am still unable to get access to the restored version. Should I try to have the shortcut restored? Is there anything else I can try?

 

[GDGarth]

The reason you can get in using a shortcut but not clicking on the database file is you're not joined to the proper workgroup.

Run WRKGADM.EXE and see what workgroup file you're joined to. Then search your hard drive and see how many other .mdw (workgroup information files) files there are. Then, try to join one of the other ones and see if that gets you what you want.

When you say you "opened the .mdw file" do you really mean that, or that you opened the .mdb (database) file?

Have you tried recreating your user name? You'll have to use the same ID#, but that might work.