WTF is up with Access Security? 1

[perrymans]

I am having a really hard time setting up my security for a database. i have the SECFAQ from microsoft, and have used it to successfully secure databases before. Not now though.

My biggest problem is that whenever I try to change or add something new to the database, I get a message telling me that I do not have exclusive access to the database and that changes may be lost (which they are). The DB resides on my hard drive, and I just created it, so obviously multiple users are not in there.

I am added to Admins, and no one else.

Also, all of my databases are now opening with this new .mdw file. How can I get them back onto the System.mdw?

Thanks. Sean.

 

[perrymans]

Update: WRKGADM.exe shows my newly created .mdw as the default, so how do I get System.mdw as the default?

Thanks. Sean.

 

[FancyPrairie]

The default .mdw file is defined in the system registry. To change it, select Run from the Start button and type regedit. Then select Edit|Find and enter YourWorkGroupName.mdw in the find box. You should see it defined under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Office
10.0
Access
Jet
4.0
Engines

Simply double-click on the name to change it. Note, you should save your registry prior to changing it.

 

[perrymans]

Thanks FancyPrairie! It was under local machine, but I found it, and now it works. So far, the exclusive access warning is gone, but I'll be keeping an eye out for it.

SOOOOOOO,

Now my new database is looking at system.mdw, not at engineering.mdw. How do I get a database to use a certain .mdw by default? I have all the users and permissions setup in the engineering.mdw, so how do I keep the .mdb from using System.mdw?

Thanks. Sean.

 

[FancyPrairie]

You will need to set up a short cut (i.e. on the desktop) and set the target (via the properties) to something like this:

"\\path\msaccess.exe" "\\path\YourDb.mdb" /wrkgrp "\\path\YourWorkgroup.mdw"

 

[evalesthy]

There are several good posts in this forum (including previous answers by Fancy Prairie)

thread181-670500
thread181-520105
thread181-473613

 

[perrymans]

I follow EVERY step of the SECFAQ, and in the end all of a users databases are oppening off of the new .mdw. Why?

I use FancyPrairie's Regedit advice to put the default .mdw back to System.mdw. Now all databases, including the one I just secured, open WITHOUT a password requirement. Why?

The DATABASE is not being secured, merely associated to the .mdw file. If I change the default, the DATABASE no longer requires the security I set up.

How do I get a single database to use a single .mdw file (not System.mdw)? I don't mean the shortcut either, I know how the shortcut works, but if I click on the DATABASE without using the shortcut, it opens without any security!

I know this isn't right because I have used the SECFAQ before to set up security on a different database. With that one, I can not click on the .mdb, _be.mdb, or .mde without being told I don't have permission (which is what is supposed to happen).

It seems like there is some magical step somewhere that is not included in the FAQ or in posting or FAQ on this site.

Sean.

 

[FancyPrairie]

I use FancyPrairie's Regedit advice to put the default .mdw back to System.mdw. Now all databases, including the one I just secured, open WITHOUT a password requirement. Why? Because, when you open a database without specifying which workgroup to use, it defaults to what's defined in regedit (i.e. System.mdw). That's why I suggested using the short cut so that when the user opens your database it uses your new .mdw file. However, the user still may not need to enter his/her name and password. To require this, open the database (via the shortcut) and define a password for user Admin. Then exit you application. The next time you launch your db, you will be forced to enter a user name and password (if a password has been setup for the user)

How do I get a single database to use a single .mdw file (not System.mdw)? I don't mean the shortcut either, I know how the shortcut works, but if I click on the DATABASE without using the shortcut, it opens without any security! I would suggest putting your .mdw file on a server so that all users will have access to it. It also appears that you have not set up your security correctly. User Admin and group Users should have no rights to any objects in your db.

 

[JeremyNYC]

Sean,

You're missing a step. If you follow every step in the FAQ, you _will not_ be able to open a database without that mdw file you created during that process.

I would suggest not hacking the registry to change the default mdw file. Use the workgroup administrator--that's what it does, and that's what it's for.

Really, though, you _are_ missing at least one step in the FAQ. There are a lot of steps there, and it's easy to miss one. But once you get them all, the behavior you're describing won't be possible.

Jeremy

==
Jeremy Wallace
AlphaBet City Dataworks

http://www.ABCDataworks.com

Access Databases for Non-Profit Organizations

Please post in the appropriate forum with a descriptive subject; code and SQL, if referenced; and expected results. See thread181-473997 for more pointers.

 

[perrymans]

I figured it out, and now the clouds are clearing. It seems the fault lies with the SECFAQ document, unless I missed something.

The very last step tells you to import all of the items into a new database, which will strip off any unseen rights Users may have. But instead, it gave Users full access to everything in my DB! When I went back to the pre-import version of the DB, it is working as it should (needs the .mdw to get in).

Thanks again for all the help. You were right after all, it wasn't set-up right, but it was before the import.

Thanks again. Sean.