Removing security wizard registry entry

[Clark Buttner]

I ran the User Level Security Wizard in my Access 2000
primary database. Now I have to log in for all of my other
Access 2000 databases as well. I would like to delete the
changes made when I ran the wizard and use a command line
option to select a workgroup information file. Apparently
there are changes made to the registry when the wizard is
run. Is there a way to safely delete these registry
entries to return my program operation to how it was
before I ran the wizard?

 

[Joan Wild]

Use Start, Search, and locate all *.mdw files on your computer.

You are joined by default to the workgroup you used to secure your database
with.

Use Start, Run, wrkgadm.exe and you'll see what you are joined to by
default. You can then rejoin the standard system.mdw that ships with Access
(usually in the windows system folder - if not try one of the locations you
found above).

All sessions of Access will then use this workgroup (no login). To launch
your secure mdb use a desktop shortcut that specifies a different workgroup
file to use for that session. The target would look like
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure mdw"

Finally, if all you did was run the wizard, there's more to securing a mdb
than that (in fact the wizard in 2000 doesn't do the job). Have a look at
www.jmwild.com/AccessSecurity.htm for links and information.

 

[Clark Buttner]

Thanks for your quick response. I found one system.mdw
file in C:\program files\common files\system. I had
previously looked in the c:\winnt\system32 folder and did
not find it there. After using wrkgadm.exe to join I was
not able to start access without a login prompt. Note:
when I first ran the security wizard it created two files
in the database directory. I erased these files thinking
it would remove the security features implemented by the
wizard. Thanks again

 

[Joan Wild]

That's what I feared. You ran the wizard without first creating a new mdw
file (or you've since erased it).

Try renaming the system.mdw to system1.mdw and restart Access - it may
create a new system.mdw for you (I can't recall if 2000 does this or not).

If it doesn't work then rename it back to system.mdw. Can you login using a
username that is a member of the Admins Group? If so, open your secure mdb
assign all permissions back to the Users Group. Also go to Tools, Security,
User and Group Accounts and reset the password for the Admin user. You
should also remove any users and groups that you created.

Removing the password for the Admin user will stop the login prompt.

If this doesn't work for you, try copying system.mdw from another computer
where no security has been implemented.

Post back with what works for you, and we'll go from there.

 

[Clark Buttner]

OK - That got me where I wanted to be. When I renamed the
system.mdw file it removed the login window seen when
starting Access 2000. It also created another system.mdw
file for me. The user and group security permissions are
also at their default settings.
I assume I can now create a new mdw file using wrkgadm.exe
and start Access 2000 with a command line option referring
to the new mdw file. Any subsequent modifications to
security settings will be retained in the new file.
Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Joan Wild]

OK - That got me where I wanted to be. When I renamed the
system.mdw file it removed the login window seen when
starting Access 2000. It also created another system.mdw
file for me. The user and group security permissions are
also at their default settings.

OK, so it created a new system.mdw for you, don't delete the original
system.mdw just yet. The new one it created will be used for all sessions
of Access, and require no login prompt.

I assume I can now create a new mdw file using wrkgadm.exe
and start Access 2000 with a command line option referring
to the new mdw file. Any subsequent modifications to
security settings will be retained in the new file.

Hang on a sec, you need to understand that the mdw contains users, groups,
group memberships, and passwords that's all. It doesn't contain
permissions. Those are stored in the mdb. You still have your mdb that you
ran the wizard on, and it is still 'secured' using that original system.mdw
that you renamed. Also when you run wrkgadm.exe it will join you by default
to the newly created mdw.

First I would rename that original system1.mdw (whatever you renamed it to)
to secure.mdw. Calling it system.mdw will be confusing - let the default
one be named that.

You don't want to create a new mdw file vie wrkgadm.exe because you already
have a 'secure' mdw. Actually you don't, but you may need it to restore
your mdb.

I would suggest you start by unsecuring your mdb.

Create a desktop shortcut like
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to secure mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure.mdw"

Login and grant all permissions to all objects to the Users group, and close
Access.

Reopen Access and create a new mdb (you should get no login prompt), and
import all objects from your mdb.

You're now back a square one. You can delete the secure.mdw and start over.

Follow the steps outlined at
www.jmwild.com/AccessSecurity.htm for version 2000. It's important that
you don't run the wizard as it doesn't do the job correctly in 2000.