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MS Access Forum / Security / July 2006Access-New User-Help!!
I have Microsoft Office XP 2002. When I first loaded Office, I installed all of its components, but until recently never had a use for Access. I was recently diagnosed with Diabetes and along with my tester, I purchased specialty software for tracking my Diabetes. Some of the Data files contained in this software are MS Access files and the first time I tried to get at them, Access opened up and asked me for a password. I've never used it, so I don't understand why. I checked with the Diabetes software provider to see if it was something in their software that would password protect their generated data files and they've told me that there is nothing in their software that would put in password protection in Access. Is there a way to beat this? I'm long past a 'free' call to MS. I sure would appreciate some help with this. Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you find. Now open Access. Next open the mdb file. Does this work?  SignatureJoan Wild Microsoft Access MVP > I have Microsoft Office XP 2002. When I first loaded Office, I > installed all of its components, but until recently never had a use [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > this? I'm long past a 'free' call to MS. I sure would appreciate > some help with this. >Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you find. > >Now open Access. Next open the mdb file. Does this work? The files in question have an .MDB suffix. Can these be renamed? If so, to what? >>Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you find. >> >>Now open Access. Next open the mdb file. Does this work? > > The files in question have an .MDB suffix. Can these be renamed? If > so, to what? The mdw file(s) that Joan referred to might be what's causing Access to prompt for a password. By re-naming them all you'll force Access to create a new ("clean") one on launch to use as its default. By default Access would use "system.mdw" to start up (it will always need an mdw of some description in order to be able to start up). HTH - Keith. www.keithwilby.com >>>Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you find. >>> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >HTH - Keith. >www.keithwilby.com There are no .mdw file being generated by the program. The files are contained in the DATA folder of the 'One Touch' directory and are Access files. There are no other files in the DATA folder. You cannot install Access and have no mdw file. One named system.mdw gets installed on your computer when you install Access - it won't start without it. Be sure you search in all folders (including hidden ones). SignatureJoan Wild Microsoft Access MVP >>>> Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you >>>> find. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > contained in the DATA folder of the 'One Touch' directory and are > Access files. There are no other files in the DATA folder. >> Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you >> find. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > The files in question have an .MDB suffix. Can these be renamed? If > so, to what? You don't want to rename the mdb files. Every session of Access uses a workgroup file (.mdw extension). Even unsecured files use one - it normally uses system.mdw and silently logs you in as a user called 'Admin'. In your case you are joined by default to some mdw file that has a password set for the Admin user - this is what causes the username/password dialog to show up. You need to rejoin a mdw that has no password set for 'Admin'. since you are using 2002, an easy way to do this is to rename all mdw files on your computer. Access 2002 will create a new pristine mdw on startup since it can't find the mdw that is set as its default. If you are leary of trying my advice, just backup all mdw and mdb files on your computer. Try what I suggested and see if it works. SignatureJoan Wild Microsoft Access MVP >>> Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you >>> find. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >If you are leary of trying my advice, just backup all mdw and mdb files on >your computer. Try what I suggested and see if it works. We're kinda back to square one. The only Access files generated by the program I mentioned above are .MDB files; There are no other files shown. One Touch.mdb (1420KB) One Touch_Blank.mdb (1400KB) Where are you looking for the MDW files? They will not usually be in the same folder as the MDB file(s). Look everywhere on the hard drive, especially in your System32 folder. SignatureDoug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP http://I.Am/DougSteele (no private e-mails, please) >>>> Start, Search and search for all *.mdw files. Rename any that you >>>> find. [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > One Touch.mdb (1420KB) > One Touch_Blank.mdb (1400KB) >Where are you looking for the MDW files? They will not usually be in the >same folder as the MDB file(s). Look everywhere on the hard drive, >especially in your System32 folder. I've done a 'Search' and it didn't turn up any MDW files, I've also looked in the System32 Folder. As I said in my original post, other than the original install of Access I've never used it. >>Where are you looking for the MDW files? They will not usually be in the >>same folder as the MDB file(s). Look everywhere on the hard drive, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >looked in the System32 Folder. As I said in my original post, other >than the original install of Access I've never used it. If you open RegEdit, and search for "systemdb" in the CurrentUser hive, it should find the name of the currently-defined default workgroup file. That's the one that Access is using when you don't explicitly specify a different file upon launching Access, and should be renamed (Using Windows Explorer!!!) to follow Joan's advice. -- jackmacMACdonald@telusTELUS.net remove uppercase letters for true email http://www.geocities.com/jacksonmacd/ for info on MS Access security > You need to rejoin a mdw that has no password set for 'Admin'. since you > are using 2002, an easy way to do this is to rename all mdw files on your > computer. Access 2002 will create a new pristine mdw on startup since it > can't find the mdw that is set as its default. Since E. seems to still be having trouble with this, I tested Joan's advice with A2002. She is correct, as usual. One minor point, is that A2002 will not create a new mdw merely by starting Access, but it will if you create or open a database (ie actually use it!). This is such a minor point, that even I could think to try it. I believe I have a standard-install US version A2002 (no directory mods). The file was created in: C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Access alrighty...in Win98! anyway it can be found by Joan's method and a Windows File Search. HTH Chris P.S. I am sending a bill to Joan for all the rogue mdw's I never knew about on my system, and she made me change <g> >> You need to rejoin a mdw that has no password set for 'Admin'. since you >> are using 2002, an easy way to do this is to rename all mdw files on your [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >P.S. I am sending a bill to Joan for all the rogue mdw's I never knew about on >my system, and she made me change <g> I appreciate all of the advice, but a complete & thorough search has not highlighted a single MDW file on my computer. The only files are the 2 MDB files created as an Access file by my 3rd party software. There are no registry entries referencing any MDW files, either. Do you actually have Access installed on your computer? Can you open Access and create a new blank mdb file? SignatureJoan Wild Microsoft Access MVP >>> You need to rejoin a mdw that has no password set for 'Admin'. >>> since you are using 2002, an easy way to do this is to rename all [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > the 2 MDB files created as an Access file by my 3rd party software. > There are no registry entries referencing any MDW files, either. >Do you actually have Access installed on your computer? > >Can you open Access and create a new blank mdb file? I've already said that Access is fully installed. I have not tried to create a 'new' blank mdb file, but I will now. Once you've created a new mdb, close Access and search again for *.mdw files. It isn't possible to install Access and have no mdw file - it requires one in order to use Access. SignatureJoan Wild Microsoft Access MVP >> Do you actually have Access installed on your computer? >> >> Can you open Access and create a new blank mdb file? > > I've already said that Access is fully installed. I have not tried to > create a 'new' blank mdb file, but I will now. > I appreciate all of the advice, but a complete & thorough search has > not highlighted a single MDW file on my computer. The only files are > the 2 MDB files created as an Access file by my 3rd party software. > There are no registry entries referencing any MDW files, either. My guess is that you are incorrect. Did you tell the search to include hidden and system folders? Do you have administrator rights on the system? Do you have file extensions beign displayed? Having them hidden wouldn't fool the search, but it could add to your confusion and it's a stupid option to have them hidden anyway. SignatureRick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP Email (as appropriate) to... RBrandt at Hunter dot com >> I appreciate all of the advice, but a complete & thorough search has >> not highlighted a single MDW file on my computer. The only files are [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >My guess is that you are incorrect. Did you tell the search to include hidden >and system folders? I no files 'hidden'. >Do you have administrator rights on the system? Yes, I am the only user. >Do you have file extensions beign displayed? Having them hidden wouldn't fool >the search, but it could add to your confusion and it's a stupid option to have >them hidden anyway. As I stated, I always use the option to show all files. I am also not a new computer user, but I have never used Access before and wouldn't be now if the third party software I just installed hadn't 'created' its data files in Access. On re-reading the thread, I don't see any evidence what type of password this is. Are you asked for a Name and Password, or only a Password? What exactly does the logon screen text say? What exactly is the (third-party) program you are running? I mean, is the "main program" an mdb/mde, and does it have a command-line given with the product? Is the main program an "exe" or something (Access mdb data files can be used by a lot more programming languages than Access) Did the product say it was to be run under Access? Did it have instructions how to implement it, or did the CD come with a "setup"? If the CD did not come with Access on it ("Runtime Access"), what version of Access do you know it is supposed to run with? Have you EVER inadvertently opened one of the mdb's in Word? There's a lot of people racking their brains trying to imagine what you may not have told us. None of my suggestions (here) contradict the idea of finding at least one mdw(security file) with your Access installation. If indeed it is an Access installation as against something else which just uses some mdb files. List the main program, how it is described you should start it, or if it came on CD list all the files/folders on the CD (perhaps, since we aren't familiar with it). There's little doubt, that there is either something you dont know about, or something you've been unable to tell us. And we can only guess what it might be. Like: though you say you are familiar with Windows, sometimes a File!Search does not default to the root directory, or does not search other disks beyond C: drive, etc. Since your feedback does not seem to make sense, please forgive all wild-card suggestions (not meaning Joan Wild <g>) Chris > I have not tried to create a 'new' blank mdb file, but I will now. and what is the point of posting what you WILL do, when but for a few hours you could post what you HAVE DONE? |
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