Help! I've locked myself out of my Access 2003 database!

  • Thread starter Thread starter sleeplessinannapolis
  • Start date Start date
S

sleeplessinannapolis

While setting up security in a database I've been working on for months, i
seemed to have locked myself out of the database. When trying to open the
database, I get an error telling me that I do not have the right permissions.
How can I recover?
 
It all depends on what you did to 'set up security'. If you ran the wizard (or even if you didn't), do you have a desktop shortcut you use to launch the mdb?

How are you opening it? If via Windows Explorer, then you might be joined by default to system.mdw, in which case you shouldn't be able to get in. Are you prompted for a username/password at all?

--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP
: While setting up security in a database I've been working on for months, i
: seemed to have locked myself out of the database. When trying to open the
: database, I get an error telling me that I do not have the right permissions.
: How can I recover?
 
Thanks Joan, I appreciate your response. To answer your questions, I did use
the security wizard to set up my user accounts. The database is currently on
our share drive, and my Users go into the share drive folder using Windows
Explorer and launch the .mdb.

When either I or my Users launch the .mdb, we all get the same message
saying we do not have permissions to launch the database (I can't remember
the exact wording). This message box appears before being prompted for a
user name and password.

Hope this helps with any ideas you may have in recovering my database.

Thanks,
sleeplessinannapolis
 
Did the wizard not create a shortcut for you that includes the full path to
the MDW file that needs to be used in order to open the database?

Incidentally, having multiple users open the database on the server is a bad
idea. Applications should always be split into a front-end (containing the
queries, forms, reports, macros and modules), linked to a back-end
(containing the tables and relations). Only the back-end should be on the
server: each user should have his/her own copy of the front-end, ideally on
his/her hard drive.
 
You and your users are attempting to open it using the standard system.mdw that ships with Access. Your database shouldn't open while using that mdw (so that's a good thing). As Doug said, the wizard creates a desktop shortcut during the process. Check your desktop for this - if you look at the target (right-click...properties), you'll see that the shortcut starts Access, and opens your mdb using a different mdw file.

You need to split the mdb, and put the backend on the server, along with the secure mdw. Give each user a copy of the frontend on their computer - the FE will contain tables links to the backend.

Do not use the splitter wizard, as that will result in an unsecure backend. Instead do it manually. See www.jmwild.com/splitsecure.htm

So...
1. split the mdb manually
2. your copy of the frontend will contain the links to the backend
3. modify your desktop shortcut so that the path to the frontend is correct (wherever the frontend is located on your PC).
4. copy the frontend and the shortcut to your users. If you put the frontend in the same location on each PC, then you don't have to modify the shortcut for everyone.


--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP
: Thanks Joan, I appreciate your response. To answer your questions, I did use
: the security wizard to set up my user accounts. The database is currently on
: our share drive, and my Users go into the share drive folder using Windows
: Explorer and launch the .mdb.
:
: When either I or my Users launch the .mdb, we all get the same message
: saying we do not have permissions to launch the database (I can't remember
: the exact wording). This message box appears before being prompted for a
: user name and password.
:
: Hope this helps with any ideas you may have in recovering my database.
:
: Thanks,
: sleeplessinannapolis
:
: "Joan Wild" wrote:
:
: > It all depends on what you did to 'set up security'. If you ran the wizard (or even if you didn't), do you have a desktop shortcut you use to launch the mdb?
: >
: > How are you opening it? If via Windows Explorer, then you might be joined by default to system.mdw, in which case you shouldn't be able to get in. Are you prompted for a username/password at all?
: >
: > --
: > Joan Wild
: > Microsoft Access MVP
: > : While setting up security in a database I've been working on for months, i
: > : seemed to have locked myself out of the database. When trying to open the
: > : database, I get an error telling me that I do not have the right permissions.
: > : How can I recover?
: >
 
Hi Doug, Thanks for responding to my post. After running the wizard I do not
think I ever got anything from the wizard directing me a shortcut or to a MDW
file. I take it the MDW file is important?

I work in a small IT shop and I wrote this database..my first by the way, so
me and a few of my co workers could use it. We're a 24x7 operation so only
one person will be accessing the database at a time. I learned everything
about Access 2003 and admittedly that's not much from a book by Virginia
Andersen and by reading these discussion groups.
 
I looked on my desktop and I don't have a shortcut to the mdw file. I try
searching for it.

Thanks for the tip about splitting the database. I'll have to do a bit more
research and learning before attempting that one..
 
You likely answered 'no' when the wizard asked you whether you wanted a shortcut on your desktop. I suggest you create one yourself.

Create a new shortcut that points to msaccess.exe. Then right click the shortcut and choose properties. Add the following (substituting where obvious) to the end of the target line:
<space>"path to frontend.mdb"<space>/wrkgrp<space>"path to secure mdw"


--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP
:I looked on my desktop and I don't have a shortcut to the mdw file. I try
: searching for it.
:
: Thanks for the tip about splitting the database. I'll have to do a bit more
: research and learning before attempting that one..
:
: "Joan Wild" wrote:
:
: > You and your users are attempting to open it using the standard system.mdw that ships with Access. Your database shouldn't open while using that mdw (so that's a good thing). As Doug said, the wizard creates a desktop shortcut during the process. Check your desktop for this - if you look at the target (right-click...properties), you'll see that the shortcut starts Access, and opens your mdb using a different mdw file.
: >
: > You need to split the mdb, and put the backend on the server, along with the secure mdw. Give each user a copy of the frontend on their computer - the FE will contain tables links to the backend.
: >
: > Do not use the splitter wizard, as that will result in an unsecure backend. Instead do it manually. See www.jmwild.com/splitsecure.htm
: >
: > So...
: > 1. split the mdb manually
: > 2. your copy of the frontend will contain the links to the backend
: > 3. modify your desktop shortcut so that the path to the frontend is correct (wherever the frontend is located on your PC).
: > 4. copy the frontend and the shortcut to your users. If you put the frontend in the same location on each PC, then you don't have to modify the shortcut for everyone.
: >
: >
: > --
: > Joan Wild
: > Microsoft Access MVP
: > : Thanks Joan, I appreciate your response. To answer your questions, I did use
: > : the security wizard to set up my user accounts. The database is currently on
: > : our share drive, and my Users go into the share drive folder using Windows
: > : Explorer and launch the .mdb.
: > :
: > : When either I or my Users launch the .mdb, we all get the same message
: > : saying we do not have permissions to launch the database (I can't remember
: > : the exact wording). This message box appears before being prompted for a
: > : user name and password.
: > :
: > : Hope this helps with any ideas you may have in recovering my database.
: > :
: > : Thanks,
: > : sleeplessinannapolis
: > :
: > : "Joan Wild" wrote:
: > :
: > : > It all depends on what you did to 'set up security'. If you ran the wizard (or even if you didn't), do you have a desktop shortcut you use to launch the mdb?
: > : >
: > : > How are you opening it? If via Windows Explorer, then you might be joined by default to system.mdw, in which case you shouldn't be able to get in. Are you prompted for a username/password at all?
: > : >
: > : > --
: > : > Joan Wild
: > : > Microsoft Access MVP
: > : > : While setting up security in a database I've been working on for months, i
: > : > : seemed to have locked myself out of the database. When trying to open the
: > : > : database, I get an error telling me that I do not have the right permissions.
: > : > : How can I recover?
: > : >
: >
 
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