Access to DB lost

[chuckmg]

I am the Administrator, user, owner, and creator of an access db. It also
has a WID. Used it 2 days ago. Tried to access it today and get the error msg:
You do not have the necessary permissions to use the xxx.mdb object. Have
your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the
appropriate permissions for you.

What do I do now??

 

[Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com]

You aren't joined to the secure workgroup. If you're currently joined to the
default workgroup, that's usually a very good idea. It means you won't be
prompted for user name and password for *every* db you open.

To get prompted for only the secure dbs, use a shortcut that joins you to the
secure workgroup before opening the secure db. The target of the shortcut
looks like this (all one line):

"path to msaccess.exe" "path to db.mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure.mdw"

Chris

 

[chuckmg]

Chris,

I created a shortcut with target:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\BetChavDB.mdb" /wrkgrp
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access Work Group info.mdw"
and received the same error message.

Did a system search on *.mdw files and found 1, system2.mdw, created on
4/7/09. Tried using the pathname to that in the shortcut but same error msg.
Is there something I need to modify?

Chuck

 

[Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com]

This means you're either not joined to the workgroup used to secure the db,
or you're not logged in as a member who has permissions to open the db. Try
signing in as the owner of the db.

As a side note, when using the security wizard to secure a db, you're given
an option to make a backup. If that option is taken, the original db -
without security - is renamed with the .bak extension. In your case it would
probably be BetChavDB.bak in the same directory as your mdb file. If you
find it, rename it to an mdb file and try to open it if you can't open the
secure mdb file.

Chris

 

[chuckmg]

Chris,

I was able to logon to BetCharDB.bak but, of course, non of the updates I
had done since it was created (a lot) are there. I also tried logging on as
system administrator Administrator, instead of as Chuck (who is also an
administrator and creater) but no luck.

I looked at the queries in Access Work Group info.mdw and found the
following - if it means anything):
MSysGroupList: Admins, Users
MSysGroupMembers:
prompts for GroupName
tables: MSysAccounts, MSysAccounts_1
MSysUserLst: admin, Chuck,Creator,Engine
MSysUserMemberships:
prompts for UsernName
tables: MSysAccounts, MSysAccounts_1
Criteria: FGroup <>0
Once I try to log into the db with a given login name, it no loner asks me
for UserID or Passwd.

Any more thoughts? Chuck

 

[Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com]

For this workgroup file, you only have 2 choices for which is the owner of
the db: Chuck and admin.

It's not a good idea to open up the mdw files, even if you're only "looking".
Create another shortcut to open Access without a db but joined to the secure
workgroup. All one line:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE" /wrkgrp "D:\
Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access Work Group info.mdw"

Click on this shortcut to open Access. Go to the tools menu > security >
user and group accounts. Check each user name (should only be Chuck and
admin) and which group each user belongs to. That should confirm Chuck is
the only member of the admins group for this workgroup. Admin (the user)
shouldn't be in the admins group.

If you can't get into the secure db file with your Access Work Group info.mdw
workgroup file, Chuck as the user name and the correct password, it means the
workgroup you're joined to wasn't the workgroup used to secure the db file.
Even if somebody removed permissions from the admins group to open the db,
the db owner can still open the db file with the secure workgroup, because
this permission can't be taken away from the db owner.

Confirm you were joined to the secure workgroup and signed in as Chuck, not
admin, when you created the secure db file. That would make Chuck the owner.

I suppose it's possible to create the db file as admin, then make Chuck the
owner, then remove permissions from the admin user and accidentally remove
permissions from the admins group so the admins group (including Chuck) can't
open the db file. At first glance, the admin user (the original owner)
couldn't open the db file either, but that could be fixed because in this
case the db file wouldn't have been secured properly.

You should probably open Access without a shortcut (you should be joined to
the system2.mdw file under ordinary circumstances). Check the user and group
accounts. See if there are any users besides admin. There shouldn't be.

Search again for any other mdw files on the pc, just in case you have the
wrong workgroup file. Include hidden and system files and folders.

Chris

 

[chuckmg]

Chris,

Accessed "Access Work Group info.mdw" as you suggested. Contrary to what
you thought should be there I found the following:
There are 2 Available Groups: Admins and Users
Admin is a member of Users.
Chuck is a member of Admins and Users

Opened Access without a shortcut and found Groups and Users the same as
above. Are the ID's case sensitive?

Did not find any other mdw files.

Chuck

 

[Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com]

That's not contrary to what I thought. You confirmed Chuck is the only
member of admins and admin isn't. This is the correct configuration for a
secure db.

Your default system2.mdw workgroup has Chuck as a member. It shouldn't have
any member besides admin. This means somebody was joined to the default
workgroup while adding members - and probably trying to secure a db file. We
can talk about that later.

You have only two workgroup files to test, which makes your job easy. For
testing purposes, add the admin user to the admins group in your Access Work
Group info.mdw workgroup. Try to open the secure db when signed in as admin
and joined to this workgroup with the shortcut. If you can open the db as
admin, give user Chuck open/run permission to open the db. Close the db and
open it again, this time signed in as Chuck.

If that doesn't work, give the admin user in the system2.mdw workgroup a
password so you'll be prompted for user name and password when opening dbs.
Try to sign in as Chuck with the system2.mdw workgroup when opening the
secure db.

User names aren't case sensitive. Chuck is chuck is CHUCK, etc.

Chris

 

[chuckmg]

Chris,

Now I am completely confused.

1. When you say to login as Chuck or Admin, are you talking about logging
into WinXP or msaccess.exe? 'Chuck' is my WinXP userID and a BetChavDB.exe
user and Admins ID. 'Administrator' is my WinXP Administrator ID. I have
no idea what 'Admin' is except that it is obviously a BetChavDB.mdb user.

2. I can't try to login to msaccess.exe as Admin since I don't know how to
get msaccess.exe to log Chuck out.

3. When I use the shortcut to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE" /wrkgrp "D:\

Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access Work Group info.mdw", OR access BetchavDB.mdb directly, I can't add any user to either group, Admins or Users.

Chuck

 

[Chris O'C via AccessMonster.com]

1 - We're talking about Access (Jet) security, not Windows. As long as
Windows is running and you can open applications, particularly Access, and
don't get "access denied" errors on any of the files you need, you're fine,
whichever Windows user you're logged into Windows as - even if it's your
cat's name.

Admin is the default user for every workgroup. You can't get rid of this
user, no matter what.

2 - You can sign in as Admin by changing the user name from Chuck to Admin
when you're prompted for the user name and password. The user name you see
is the last user who successfully opened a db file with that workgroup.

3 - Use the shortcut "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE" /wrkgrp "D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access
Work Group info.mdw" to open Access without a db file. Tools > Security >
User and Group Accounts.

You're prompted for a user and password. Type Chuck (if it's not there
already) and your password. The user and group accounts window appears,
showing the Users tab. The first user name you see is Admin. On the left
side is group names. Highlight Admins and click on the Add button. Now
Admin is a member of the Admins and Users groups. Close Access.

Use the "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\BetChavDB.mdb" /wrkgrp
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access Work Group info.mdw" shortcut to open
the db file. You're prompted as Chuck. Change this to Admin and give the
Admin user's password. The secure db file should open.

Tools > security > user and group permissions. On the left side, change from
"list users" to "list groups". Highlight the Admins group. In the dropdown,
object type, change it to "Database". Be sure "open/run", "open exclusive"
and "administer" boxes are all checked, then click the ok button to save.
Close Access.

Use the "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2003\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\BetChavDB.mdb" /wrkgrp
"D:\Home\Temple\Members\Database\Access Work Group info.mdw" shortcut to open
the db file. You're prompted as Admin. Change the name to Chuck and type
your password. It should open the secure db for you. If it does, remove the
admin user from the admins group, because that's a security hole you need to
plug again now that Chuck can get into the secure db.

If this doesn't work, please post back.

Chris