New Problem that I need help with

[Guest]

Hi,
I posted the other, 11/19/2006 (with User log in issues). I have tried to
use some of the advice given there, as well as others in this discussion
board. I think I have messed up.
I have admin privleges to the db that my unit uses. I was trying to clear a
password for a specific user, and accidently cleared not only thiers, I
cleared mine and the default admin password. I know, I messed up. Maybe I was
a little click happy.
Now when I try to open my db, as well as anyone in my user group, we can't
get in. It is a permissons error message. I have a feeling I have really done
it this time. Help!!!

Jerrod

 

[Joan Wild]

Hi,
I have admin privleges to the db that my unit uses. I was trying to
clear a password for a specific user, and accidently cleared not only
thiers, I cleared mine and the default admin password. I know, I
messed up. Maybe I was a little click happy.

Quite likely; it's easy to do. The Admin user is quite often the first in
the list and therefore is selected by default. If you get click happy and
hit Clear Password before selecting the user, you will clear the password
for the Admin user. Once you clear the Admin user's password, you get no
login prompt, and you are silently logged in as 'Admin', which doesn't have
any permissions.

To fix, use your desktop shortcut, and dismiss the message about no
permissions. You now have a session open using your secure mdw and you are
logged in as Admin. Go to Tools, security, Accounts and click on the change
password tab. Change the Admin's password to something. Close Access, and
you'll be back in business next time you use the shortcut.

 

[Guest]

Joan,

Thank you again. You have helped me so much, as well as so many others. We
all appreciate yours, and the other regular helpers on here, so much.
So I am back in business. I am still having issues with the three users. I
did discover something unusual though. I noticed on one persons issue, you
told the person to look under the workgroup administrator section to see what
workgroup they belonged to.
When I did this for the user that is having an issue with the 'Admin' error
message, I found the workgroup section contained a lot of boxes.
My settings look like this: C:\Documents and Settings\<myname>\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System.mdw
I tried to copy and paste this into her settings in order to join the same
group as the one I belong to, obviously using her name in the <myname> spot.
When I do all this, it says that I have successfully joined the group. I try
to reopen the db, and it says it can't find the group. So I try to change the
group mannually, and go to the same location in the c:drive and it wont let
me change it. The unknown workgroup remains. All I have to say is Arrrggggg!!!

Jerrod

 

[Joan Wild]

Thank you again. You have helped me so much, as well as so many
others. We all appreciate yours, and the other regular helpers on
here, so much.

I appreciate the feedback, thank you.

So I am back in business. I am still having issues with the three
users. I did discover something unusual though. I noticed on one
persons issue, you told the person to look under the workgroup
administrator section to see what workgroup they belonged to.

Every installation requires some workgroup file (mdw); Access can't work
without one. Out of the box, it ships with a workgroup file named
system.mdw. Access uses this workgroup for all sessions. It silently logs
you in as a user named 'Admin' using this system.mdw. Every installation of
Access has the same system.mdw, and the Users Group and the Admin User are
common to all. That is why it is important not to give any permissions or
ownership to either the Users Group or the Admin User. It is also crucial
to create a new mdw file, as this will ensure that the Admins Group is
different than the Admins Group in system.mdw.

When I did this for the user that is having an issue with the 'Admin'
error message, I found the workgroup section contained a lot of boxes.

What boxes do you mean? A computer can have many mdw files available to it.
You are always joined by default to one of them. Normally one would keep
system.mdw as the default, as that one will be used for all Access sessions
requiring no security. When you want to launch a secure mdb, you'd use a
desktop shortcut with the /wrkgrp switch to over-ride the default (for just
that session). You could join the secure mdw as your default, but that
becomes rather tedious to keep changing the default. Desktop shortcuts are
easier.

My settings look like this: C:\Documents and
Settings\<myname>\Application Data\Microsoft\Access\System.mdw
I tried to copy and paste this into her settings in order to join the
same group as the one I belong to, obviously using her name in the
<myname> spot.

Well system.mdw on your system should be the standard one that ships with
Access. That is not likely the secure mdw you created when you secured the
mdb.

When I do all this, it says that I have successfully
joined the group. I try to reopen the db, and it says it can't find
the group. So I try to change the group mannually, and go to the same
location in the c:drive and it wont let me change it. The unknown
workgroup remains. All I have to say is Arrrggggg!!!

What version are you using? If 2002 or 2003, go to that person's machine
and just open Access (not your secure mdb). If it can't find system.mdw,
it'll create a new one. If you are using 2000, you can copy a pristine
system.mdw from some one else's computer.

You should put your secure mdw (again this isn't/shouldn't be system.mdw on
your computer) in a folder on the network that users have full access to.
Give the users a desktop shortcut with a target like:
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure mdw on network"

I have a feeling that you didn't create a new workgroup file when you
secured. If that is the case, then your mdb is not secure at all.

 

[Joan Wild]

Joan,
I probablly need to clear up a few of your questions.
1. I am using the 2003 version of Acess
2. The db on my backend is a mdw. file

I can't make any sense of this. What do you mean?

3. The boxes I was refering to, when trying to join the workgroup, are
charecters, similar to those that would appear in different font
settings

Again where are you seeing this? If you want to join her computer by
default to your secure mdw, then open Access on her computer and go to
Tools, security, workgroup administrator. Click on Join and locate the
secure mdw on the server. Close Access and then try opening the secure mdb.

4. I have tried to join her, and the others to the mdw. that my db is
on, to no avail

Does the user have windows permission on the folder where the mdb and the
mdw is located? They need full permissions.

5. I can log on with her name on my computer, just not hers

Ca you see athe network folder where the files are located, when you are on
her computer (I mean just using my network places).