Use Level Security lockout

[Herb]

I have an old application called PeopleScheduler that uses an Access database
which is locked at the user level. The application is soooo old that it no
longer runs on WinXP and the vendor is long out of business.

I want to get access to the data but am having trouble with the user-level
security, which I know nothing about. There is an MDB file that contains the
tables and an MDA file that really doesn't look like it contains anything.

When I try to open the tables in the MDB i get the error "cannot read
definitions; no read definitions permissions for table XYZ".

Is there a method to getting this to open or a program that will help me
crack the security so I can get access to the data.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Herb

 

[Wei Lu [MSFT]]

Hello Herb,

Based on my research, do you have any backup of the database?

You may try to search your computer for the same name of your mdb file
which with bak file extension.

If you find it, you could modify the extension to mdb and try to open it.

Sincerely,

Wei Lu

Microsoft Online Community Support

==================================================

Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif
ications.

Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/support/default.aspx.

==================================================
(This posting is provided "AS IS", with no warranties, and confers no
rights.)

 

[Herb]

Thanks for the post but what help is a backup file going to give me? Any
backup is going to have the same user-level security as the original and that
security has been there since day 1.

 

[jacksonmacd]

Access' UserLevel Security requires both a database file (MDB) and a
workgroup file (.MDW) to function. If your application
(PeopleScheduler) is a standalone app, it may be silently using the
MDW to open your database with some specialized permissions. Or you
may already be logging onto the MDW by supplying the appropriate
username and password???

First thing I would do is to look on the computer for the MDW file and
see if I could use it to open the MDB with the correct credentials.

Failing that, there are a number of Access password crackers that you
could purchase to open the database. Google for "access password
cracker". I believe these programs typically offer a trial version
that returns a portion of the username and password before purchasing
the full version.

Once you're able to open the database, you could move the data into an
unsecured copy of the MDB.

Here are a number of links about security:

http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/resources.html#Security

 

[Herb]

Is it possible that the MDA file is acting as the MDW? If so, how do you use
it to open the MDB?

My guess is that you open the MDB first and then goto tools > security >
Workgroup Admin, click the JOIN button and point to the MDA?

I have tried this and it doesn't seem to help.

Also, there is no login to the PeopleScheduler application and no prompt to
login when I open the MDB.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Joan Wild]

In Access 2.0 security was handled in a MDA file. Can't recall what version
this was changed to MDW, but it doesn't matter.

What do you mean, it won't run on WinXP? I don't believe there is a problem
running version 2.0 on XP.

But anyway, what version of Access are you trying to open it in now? There
is no Workgroup Administrator in the Tools menu of version 2.0.

You could try creating a desktop shortcut using the following format:
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to secure mdb" /wrkgrp "path to whatever.mda"

and see if you can login. If it fails, there was a wide open hole in
security in version 2.0. Search at
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en for the information - a search
in comp.databases.ms-access using the following: CopyObject security

 

[Herb]

Thanks for the post Joan,

What I mean is the application that the Access 2.0 database drives will not
run under WinXP. When launched it simply puts up a "Not enough Disk Space to
run PeopleScheduler" message.

I was opening the database under Access 2003 and was not able to open the
tables because of the security issues.

I ended up dragging an old Win98 machine out and installing the app, copying
the most current MDB file to that machine and then using the application to
export the data to text files.

It makes for a lot of work but I had a crew of 4 working on the data
transformation and we have it all moved into an Access 2003 database now.

Thanks again for all of your help... Herb