This is a security question - Desktop shortcut & System.mdw

[sweeneysmsm]

Sorry to put it here but the Access Security forum is not working properly
and can't accept new threads.

I have created an Access.mdb with its own workgoup file, different from
System.mdw. I have created a desktop shortcut to open the database with that
workgroup. The database has been secured. Admin has been removed from the
Users group and all permissions have been removed from the Users group. I
have tested it out on my own desktop and it works like a charm. (If I open
Access and then try to open the database using the System.mdw I cannot get in
– which is what I want.).

However, when I put it on the client’s Windows XP Pro desktop – new computer
with Office 11 – but probably no service pack – strange things happen.

If I open Access and then go to open the database, I am not prompted to
login and I open the database. I check the workgroup by clicking on
Tools/Security/Workgroup Administrator and it says that I am opening it with
System.mdw – which is what I would expect, but not that it would open.

If I instead click on the desktop shortcut whose Target includes the paths
to Access, the database, and the workgroup file, I am correctly prompted for
a login. If I use one of the correct login names, I get in; if I type in
Admin, I am denied. Yet, if using one of the correct logins, I open the
database and then go to Tools/Security/Workgoup Administrator, it says that
the workgroup in use is System.mdw – which it should not be, and if it is,
how come Admin was denied access?

I am wondering if my problem is somehow related to an unapplied patch. Does
this sound familiar to anyone? Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Should I try deleting the System.mdw and having a new file?

Mary

 

[Wayne Morgan]

Did you put a password on the Admin user when you set up the security? If
not, there should be one. Without a password for Admin, the system.mdw will
be able to open the file. The user names and group assignments are in the
mdw file, the passwords and permissions are in the mdb file. If no password
is assigned to Admin, the system.mdw logs onto the file automatically as
Admin and no password. Since the group assignments are in the mdw file,
system.mdw has Admin as a User and Administrator.

I think I got all of the details correct, but Admin must have a password
assigned for security to work properly.

 

[sweeneysmsm]

Thank you so much! I am sure that that is the issue and should be easy to
solve. The devil is in the details. Will give it a shot.

Mary

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

If I open Access and then go to open the database, I am not prompted to

login

Yes, the above is correct, that the default workgroup does not prompt for
passwords, since admin user password is blank.

and I open the database.

No, something is wrong. You should not be able to open the database. If you
can, then you have NOT secured the database correctly. The only thing I can
think of is that you messed with the original workgroup file on the ordinal
machine..and THAT IS WHY you can't open the mdb file using the DEFAULT
workgroup file on that pc. (but, that ONLY worked, because I am guessing
that you somehow changed the default workgroup file originally...and that is
wrong).

At this point, we likely should stop, and fix the above...as security is not
setup correct. (it would be silly if some could use a different workgroup
file, or create their own and simply get into your file... - so, we got to
fix the above...).

I check the workgroup by clicking on
Tools/Security/Workgroup Administrator and it says that I am opening it
with
System.mdw - which is what I would expect, but not that it would open.

I agree with the above. and, since you CAN open the file with the default
workgroup file, then security HAS NOT been applied correct. Plain and
simple....

If I instead click on the desktop shortcut whose Target includes the paths
to Access, the database, and the workgroup file, I am correctly prompted
for
a login. If I use one of the correct login names, I get in; if I type in
Admin, I am denied.

I assume that in your workgroup file, that you do NOT have a user id called
admin? so, the above is certainly possible.

Yet, if using one of the correct logins, I open the
database and then go to Tools/Security/Workgoup Administrator, it says
that
the workgroup in use is System.mdw - which it should not be, and if it is,
how come Admin was denied access?

The above don't seem right. Either that shortcut is actually pointing to the
wrong workgroup, or something else...

Should I try deleting the System.mdw and having a new file?

Well, I would most certainly create a blank new "default" workgroup file on
your development machine.