I am working in an office where we use a mdb file as our main database. We run 2010, and like most databases, there is the problem of getting around the Workgroup security file by bypassing the shortcut (seperate issue).

I just made a newer database for a different project in a ACCDB file, split it, works fine. However, one the first computer I take it to to test, it asks for the workgroup password--with no shortcut directing the file to the path of the secure file. In fact, I can only get it to operate by making said shortcut.

Now, how in the heck did this happen? It doesn't happen on my end, there is a documented problem with how easy it is to avoid the log in, Accdb doesn't even support workgroup security settings, and now it's demanding that a user supply his log in at a computer.

If anyone has any light to shed, that would be appreciated as always.

I suspect the standard system.mdw file has been changed, so that is the reason you are being prompted for a password. Make a backup copy of it on the machine with the issue and then copy your system.mdw over and it should be OK.

Malc.

Thanks. I'll look into that.

Hello drexasaurus,

Thanks for the post here, I wanted to add a few more bits of information here. Malcolm is correct, the 1st machine you are using probably has a different MDW file (which is part of the User Level Security feature in Access). This MDW might be specified in shortcut file and a separate file OR the instance of Access on the 1st machine might be joined to a different MDW file than the default MDW file. You said:

The first thing you can do is you can look in the shortcut file to see the "username" and "password" for the MDW file on that machine (and possibly even the location of the MDW file path, unless the modified MDW is set as the default MDW for Access, which you can see through the Workgroup Administrator dialog). So, that brings me to your next statement:

Actually, this is kind of a misconception. Although ACCDB file format does not support the ULS (User Level Security) feature that was available in the older MDB file format, Access still uses the MDW file for the "Admin" and "User" accounts and any database created by a modified MDW (which will be the case when Access is joined to a different MDW file than the default), will require THAT PARTICULAR MDW before the ACCDB database file can be used on a different machine!!!!

So, what can you do to figure this all out?

1. Check the Shortcut file to see if it specifies a particular MDW file. If it does, then this will be the MDW file you need to use to run the database application on other machine.

NOTE: I highly recommend NEVER modifying the DEFAULT Access MDW file nor joining Access to a different MDW file, ALWAYS USE A SHORTCUT to specify the MDW file...you will avoid a lot of very painful issues just like the ones you are having now.

But, if the MDW is not specified in the Shortcut file, then you know that the instance of Access on one machine is different than on other machines if you are having these kinds of problems.

2. So, if the Shortcut doesn't specify an MDW file, then you can call the code:
This will open the Workgroup Administrator dialog (in Access 2007 and higher, because it is still there, it is just harder to get to). That will tell you which/where the MDW file resides, that is currently joined to Access.

Again, I NEVER RECOMMEND JOINING ACCESS TO A DIFFERENT MDW FILE and if you do decide to do that, always make a BACKUP OF THE ORIGINAL MDW FILE FIRST, BECAUSE ALL DATABASE FILES CREATED UNDER ANY SPECIFIC MDW FILE WILL ONLY WORK WITH THAT PARTICULAR MDW FILE - I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. But, you can create MDWs, and Join Access to different MDW files using, via the Workgroup Administrator dialog.

And, I should note that I discuss these topics in the Access 2007 VBA Programmer's Reference in Chapter 18, under the "Security for the MDB File Format" section, starting on Page 606.

So, I hope that helps, but if you still have questions, please feel free to let me know!

__________________
Geoffrey L. Griffith
http://www.ImagineThought.com

Wrox Author of:
Microsoft Access 2010 24-Hour Trainer
Access 2010 Programmer's Reference
Access 2007 VBA Programmer's Reference

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