Prompted for User ID and Password

[Dave]

I recently copied an Access database and its .mdw file to
my local drive in order to gain access to this db. Now
when I attempt to open any other Access database I'm
prompted for a user id and password. No matter what I
enter I get the error message "Not a valid Account name or
password".
How do I undo this so that I can open any Access db
without being prompted for the above info?

Help!
Dave

 

[Lynn Trapp]

You need to use the workgroup administrator (how you find that depends on
your version of Access) to join the system.mdw file that shipped with
Access. Then you create a desktop shortcut that points to the secured
database. The target in the shortcut should follow this general syntax:

"FullPathToMSAccess.exe" "FullPathToSecureDatabase.mdb" /wrkgrp
"FullPathToSecure.mdw"

 

[Guest]

Dave,

Were you able to figure out how to use Lynn's suggestion?
Did it work? I am in the same situation as yourself.

Travis

 

[Dave]

Okay, but the database I'm working with is not a secured
database. I'm trying to databases that I've worked with
all along without being prompted for a user id and
password. The majority of the Access db's I support are
not secured databases - access is controlled by the
individual's rights to network folders on a Novell LAN.

 

[Guest]

Travis,
Not yet. I'm actually out of the office but I posted
another reply to Lynn's suggestion. I will try it
tomorrow morning and let you know if it works.

Dave

 

[Rick Brandt]

Okay, but the database I'm working with is not a secured
database. I'm trying to databases that I've worked with
all along without being prompted for a user id and
password. The majority of the Access db's I support are
not secured databases - access is controlled by the
individual's rights to network folders on a Novell LAN.

The *database* is not what causes you to get a login prompt, it is the
workgroup file that does that. If you are using a shortcut that specifies a
workgroup that has a password on the default "Admin" user or if you have
made such a workgroup your default workgroup file, then you are prompted for
a login when you launch Access.

When you copied that secured MDW to your PC you also did something to make
it your default workgroup file. Normally this would be done by using the
Workgroup Administrator to "Join" that workgroup file. You need to undo
that if you want to get back to using the default workgroup (System.MDW)
which will not prompt you. Of course with that workgroup you won't be able
to open the secure file.

The "usual" practice is to keep the standard System.mdw as your default
workgroup and use shortcuts for secure files that specify a non-default mdw
file as a command line argument. That only uses the secure mdw file for
that session without affecting the workgroup used when you open other files.

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Travis,
Did you try to do it and have a problem?

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Dave,
Just follow Rick's excellent additional explanation, along with mine, and
you should be fine.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for the info. I did get myself out of the jam by
creating a new system.mdw from the Workgroup Administrator
and setting that as my default. I'm able to open all the
databases without getting prompted for a user id and
password.

Dave

 

[Lynn Trapp]

Very good.