Able to open secured database with default MDW

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I've searched the newsgroups on this topic and have come up with answers that
I have already addressed. The problem is that I am able to open my "secured"
file when using the default System.mdw. (I'm using Access 2003) Plus, I
followed Joan Wild's and Lynn Trapps instructions closely. Maybe there's
something I've overlooked?
1) Created custom workgroup file, with a custom admin user, "sradmin."
2) Logged on as SR admin & created password.
3) Logged on again as sradmin and created blank database into which I
imported all objects.
4) Verified that sradmin owns all objects including the database itself.
5) Verified that the Users group has no privileges.
6) Moved the Admin user to the Users group.
7) Created shortcut for opening the secured database.

When I set up security before (Access 2000), whenever I double clicked the
database icon, I received a "no privileges" message. The only way to get in
was to use the shortcut. I originally thought it might be my copy of Access
at work, but the same thing is happening on my home computer (Access 2003).
Any suggestions?
 
Hi Susan,

You missed a step somewhere.

Are you sure you were joined to your secure mdw when you added the user?
You may have still be joined to system.mdw.
 
I'm pretty sure I was. Could my user "sradmin" be the owner of the database
and all objects if I were't in the custom workgroup file when I created the
new database? Do you think I need to start all over?
 
When you open your secure database, are you logging in as sradmin? If so,
then you can go to Tools, Security, Permissions and verify that the Admin
User and the Users Group have NO permissions on anything. You can also go
to the Change Owner tab, and verify that sradmin does indeed own everything.

You may not need to start over.

Also once you log in, hit Ctrl-G and type
?DBEngine.SystemDB
That should tell you for certain, what mdw file you are currently using.
 
Joan: I logged on as sradmin and confirmed that the database and all objects
were owned by that user. The admin user is in the Users group -- and I
confirmed that this group has no privileges on anything. Then typed what you
suggested in the immediate window -- and my custom workgroup appeared in
response.

All this and I can still get into the database directly when using
System.mdw. I really am puzzled.
 
How are you testing that you can get into the db directly using system.mdw?

When you think you've done this, go to the immediate window and type the
dbengine.systemdb and verify that it returns the path to system.mdw

Also you say you can get in; can you do anything?
 
I'm testing as follows: made sure that my copy of Access is joined to
System.mdw then double-clicked the "secured" database. Checked the immediate
window and it showed the System.mdw.

I then created a test table and deleted it. So yes, I can do things.
 
Susan said:
I'm testing as follows: made sure that my copy of Access is joined to
System.mdw then double-clicked the "secured" database. Checked the
immediate window and it showed the System.mdw.

I then created a test table and deleted it. So yes, I can do things.
Click to expand...

What I meant was can you open any of the existing tables, queries, forms,
reports?
 
Yes. I opened forms, ran queries, looked at reports, created new records.
Sorry to be dragging this out.
 
That doesn't make any sense. You are saying that the Users Group has no
permissions, the Admin User has no permissions, and the Admin User doesn't
own anything (looking at this while joined to your secure mdw)

If that is the case, then it isn't possible for the 'Admin' User in
system.mdw to open the database.
 
Just a point: the admin user is in /this/ Users group /here/.

The admin user can be (and is) in any other group in any other
workgroup.

In particular, the admin user is in the Admins group in most
default system.mdw files.

The question is not if this Users group has any permission:
the question is if any of the groups in your default system.mdw
have any permissions.

On your description, there is a group or user in your default
system workgroup that does have permission.

There is a small chance that you have accidentally created
a secured workgroup where the Admins group is identical to
your default Admins group. (by making the wrong choices for
the security strings).

For myself, it is more common to have a lapse of concentration
at a critical point, and do something wrong, like use the
wrong workgroup, or the wrong login, or use a copy of the
default workgroup, or whatever.

(david)
 
Joan and David: I want to thank you both for your efforts to help me. It
seems the impossible is happening, so I think I need to go back and start
from scratch, following your (Joan's) instructions precisely. I must have had
some sort of lapse -- as David mentioned. Just to close the loop, I'll post
back once I get it working properly. Thank you again.
 
Well, here's what I found. If I used the Security Wizard, I was able to open
the database when joined to Syst em.mdw. Finally, after three tries, I
decided to give up on the Wizard and do everything manually (a note in step
10 of Lynn Trapp's instructions gave me the idea). That worked! My database
is now only accessible with my custom mdw.

--susan
 
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