Re: security wizard cannot be run

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OK - I opened the database using the secure mdw using a username and password.

I granted full permissions to the user group.

Unless I'm getting really confused, when I went into the wrkgrp
administrator it was already referring to a system mdw. God (and Joan) knows
how.

I opened access and it did NOT request a password.

I created a new database ... and it asked me for a password.

The trouble I have is that I have backed up so many things and got myself so
confused that I have got literally hundreds of backups of databases, mdws etc
on several machines. It's getting increasingly difficult to do anything
without worrying that I've already broken it. Any ideas? Sorry for the
ongoing drama.

"Joan Wild" wrote:

You need to open your database using your secured mdw (i.e. the desktop
shortcut) - you said earlier that you were able to get in using this so I
assume you have a username/password.

Once in, grant full permissions to the Users Group for all objects,
including the database object. Then, just to be sure, go to Tools, Security
Workgroup Administrator and join system.mdw. Exit Access.

Open Access (not via the shortcut). You shouldn't need a password since you
are using system.mdw. If you are asked for a password, quit Access. Go to
Start, Search and find system.mdw and rename it to system1.mdw.

Open Access (not via the shortcut). You should not get a password prompt.
Create a new mdb and import everything from your 'secure' mdb. Now you are
looking at a totally unsecured database.

Make sure that you can open every object. If you can, then you are safe to
delete your secure mdw, your secure mdb, and system1.mdw.

Now start at step 1 and secure your mdb. It is important that you follow
every step, in order, leaving nothing out.


--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP

Desperate!! wrote:
Bad news.

Using the secure mdw a password is requested.

Using the system mdw a password is requested, but by leaving the
password blank the database can be opened.

Is there any hope of repairing this?

"Joan Wild" wrote:

That was just to get you back in. You should not be able to even
open the secure mdb while joined to system.mdw. If you can, then you
need to start over. Post back, if this is the case and I'll give
you detailed step by step.

Get the security right first. Then you can split it, however do not
use the database splitter wizard as that will leave you with a
secure FE but an unsecure BE. Split it manually - details on my
website.

As for each user, they'll have a copy of the frontend on their
workstation. If you install the frontend to the same folder on
everyone's computer, and if they all have a typical installation of
Access, you can just copy the shortcut and it will work. You'll put
the mdw and backend on a folder on the server.
--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP


"Desperate!!" wrote:

Thanks - I'm back into the database and it's requesting passwords.

Unfortunately I have 2 questions...

What's to stop people changing the shortcut (it still doesn't seem
that the database is very secure)

Secondly - my plan was to split the database and copy a front end
to every user. How does the shortcut work in that circumstance? Do
I have to set up a different shortcut to each users copy of the FE?

"Desperate!!" wrote:

I was fine with that until 'use your desktop shortcut'. From
reading numerous posts I think that is where I have to set up a
shortcut that specifies the file, the mdw and the path to
access.exe......... I'll just set one up and be back in 5 minutes!

Thanks for your continued patience - so far you've saved me a
broken window and some smashed computer hardware !!

"Joan Wild" wrote:

Don't panic.

Open Access (no mdb). Go to Tools, Security, Workgroup
Administrator and click on Join. Join your secure mdw file.
Quit Access, and restart it. Go to Tools, Security, User
Accounts and click on Password tab. Set a password for the Admin
user.

Go back to Tools, security, workgroup administrator and click on
join. Rejoin your standard system.mdw file. Quit Access and use
your desktop shortcut to login as your user that has full
permisisons.

--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP


"Desperate!!" wrote:

OK - this goes from bad to worse...

From what you said I understood that I need to assign the Admin
user a password. I tried to log on as Admin but couldn't get in
to the database, so I looged in as the user with full
permissions and cleared the Admin users password with the
intention of going back into the database and setting a new
Admin users password. As a result Access won't let me even open
the database. What do I do now? Panic is starting to set in!

"Joan Wild" wrote:


"Desperate!!" wrote:

Thanks Joan, but the more I practise the more confused I get.
I've tried linking to a system.mdw and it won't let me reopen
the database.

That's actually a good sign. You shouldn't be able to open a
secure database while joined to the system.mdw.


Using the secure.mdw I've been able to work out how to
reactivate users passwords, and all seemed to be going
swimmingly until I tried to open the database (which sits in a
shared area on a network) from another user account on the
same PC and there was no request for passwords!!!

The login dialog will pop up only if you set a password for the
Admin user.

That makes access security the brightest thing since george W.
Bush, so I'm sure I'm doing something fundamentally wrong. Why
does the security only seem to apply to a particular users
software rather than the database itself?

Security permissions are stored in the mdb file.
Usernames/groups/passwords are stored in the secure mdw file.
As long as the Admin user in that mdw file has a password set,
then you'll get a login prompt. Then the user must log in
using a valid username/password. Once the database opens, the
permissions on the objects in the mdb determine whether this
user can open/edit/etc. that object.

So create a desktop shortcut to open your mdb. The target will
have the following in it.
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure
mdw" substituting the correct paths of course.

Use that shortcut to open the mdb as a user that has full
permissions to everything (this would be the user you put into
the Admins Group). This user should have all permissions, and
they are able to assign permissions to other users, etc.

--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP



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