Access permissions and security

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Sarles
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike Sarles

A former colleague designed a database for me. Because she
designed it she was set as the administrator.
Subsequently she left the company. Because she had
changed all of the permissions off to modify the database
for anyone else execpt the administrator, I am unable to
modify forms or anything else because when I try to modify
a form it tells me I need to open exclusive but I can't
open exclusive because I don't have permission to open
exclusive.

Any suggestions. I'd hate to have to redo the database.
 
Mike:

1.) Unless this former employee understood well and set up Access security
very correctly, (which can be a challenge,) you may be able to get into the
db by logging in as a standard admin. To do that you need to copy the db
to another PC where Access security has not been implemented and try to open
it. The default log on where security hasn't been implemented is as an
Admin with full rights to all objects in the db. Try that first. If that
works, then you have two options, a.) create a new db and simply import all
the objects into the new db. b.) copy the vanilla system.mdw file from that
machine (which contains the security algorithms Access uses) to the machine
you are working on (of course back up the existing file first.)

2.) Try to track down the former employee. That's your fastest and
shortest route to solve the problem if option 1 doesn't work; then add more
administrators once you know the log ons and passwords. Also ask her what
the values were that were used to create the security template using the
Access Workgroup Administrator. These should be written down and stored
somewhere secured.

3.) If none of those options work, then stop by www.pksolutions.com and look
at their rescue services. Peter Miller may be able to help you. There
are two critical files, one the mdb that you are working with and the other
the system.mdw database that is in use by the db. Dependent on which
version of Access you are using, the location of that system.mdw, may vary,
but he'd need them both.

HTH
 
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