Access database, lost .mdw file

[gbscobel]

Hi,

I have a user whose computer crashed. They have a few
secured databases which they saved on a zip drive but
they did not save their system.mdw file. We believe they
were using Access 97. They now have Access XP but cannot
open the databases and when we try to import the forms,
reports and macros from the old database we get a
security error there. Without the original System.mdw
file is there anyway to retrieve the objects from the
original database? Thanks.

 

[Scott McDaniel]

You can try using a system.mdw file from another Access 97 installation. Are
you sure the file was secured with the system.mdw file? It's the file that
ships with Access and is the same on every machine (assuming it's never been
altered). Often db's are secured with an .mdw file by another name.

If you can't find the .mdw file, and if the database was correctly secured,
then you likely won't be able to get in without resorting to one of the
recovery services.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the response. I'm pretty positive it was
secured because I get the message, "The current user
account doesn't have permission to convert or enable this
database" when I try to open it in Access 2000. When I
try to import the components, certain ones give me the
same kind of message, saying I don't have rights to
import the object.

I will check and see if they have any machines that still
have Access 97 on them and try to use one of the other
system.mdb files. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Scott,

Unfortunately, using a different system.mdw from Access
97 did not fix the problem. It appears as though I'll
have to recreate it. You mentioned recovery services,
can you refer me somewhere that does recovery in this
sort of situation? I'd appreciate any help you can give
me.