Old Question, new twist: No read definitions

[DissentChick]

Hi, I tried to post this earlier, but am not sure itwent thru, so I apologize
if it is duplicate- I was configuring security settings in my db, and forgot
to go into exclusive mode beforehand. I was under the Admin name when doing
the changes, and now everytime I try to open a table, etc., I get the message
"No read definitions.." and/or "Could not read definitions or permissions." I
tried searching thru the posts for help, but they were either over my head or
not really what I needed. I have tried to go under other users ( who did not
yet have passwords set) and at startup, the password prompt doesn't even come
up- It goes straight to the database window. Did I accidently lock out the
admin? Is there a way to get back Admin priveleges? BTW, this db is only on
my machine. Thanks so much for any help in advance-

 

[Joan Wild]

Hi, I tried to post this earlier, but am not sure itwent thru, so I
apologize
if it is duplicate

It did come through. See my answer there.

- I was configuring security settings in my db, and forgot

to go into exclusive mode beforehand.

You don't need to open it exclusively to configure security.

I was under the Admin name when doing

Do you mean you were logged in as 'Admin' or logged in as a member of the
Admins Group?

the changes, and now everytime I try to open a table, etc., I get the
message
"No read definitions.." and/or "Could not read definitions or
permissions."

You need to log in as the user that is a member of the Admins Group. Also
ensure you are using the correct mdw file.

I have tried to go under other users ( who did not
yet have passwords set) and at startup, the password prompt doesn't even
come
up

That suggests that you aren't using the correct mdw, but instead the
standard system.mdw that ships with Access.

- It goes straight to the database window.

And that suggests to me that if you are using the system.mdw then it isn't
secured properly.

Did I accidently lock out the

admin? Is there a way to get back Admin priveleges? BTW, this db is only
on
my machine. Thanks so much for any help in advance-

Use Start, Run, wrkgadm.exe to see what workgroup you are joined to by
default (post back with this).

What is the name of the mdw file that you secured the mdb with?

 

[DissentChick]

Hi Joan,
Thank you so much for your reply! Hopefully this helps: I am able to go back
to the disk that I used to transfer the db, however (shame on me)
reconfiguring the security was one of many, many updates I was doing at the
time this happened, and it is not up to date at all. I'll deal with that if I
have to. To answer your other questions, I was logged in I suppose under the
Admin name, because ever since the transfer I have not been prompted for a
log-in or password at startup. I have tried to log in under a member of
Admins (when occasionally a login box pops up to log in as a different user),
with the same results, the open/run boxes are whited out, etc. I tried to run
the wrkgrp.exe, and the message "Windows cannot find, etc." came up. I find
this particularly odd because I have tried to recreate the original .mdw
since I posted the message, so there has been a workgroup created and joined
on this computer. I do not doubt at all that this was not secure to begin
with, as I am 6 months new to Access and working from a tutorial book. Here
is my .mdw file- C:\Documents and Settings\johnson controls\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw. Please let me know if I can supply other
information to help, I really appreciate your patience and expertise, thanks!

 

[DissentChick]

Ok, Now I'm really freaking out. I had made a partial copy of the db before
this happened, so I opened it to see what name I was logged in under( it
doesn't prompt for a login either) I made absolutely NO changes to the
settings- simply viewed the settings- and I saw the open/run option lock out
and turn white, where when I opened it, it was valid. I'll just sit here
petrified until I hear from you, thanks again-

 

[Joan Wild]

Hi Joan,
I was logged in I suppose under the
Admin name, because ever since the transfer I have not been prompted for a
log-in or password at startup.

If you never see the login dialog, then you are getting logged in as Admin.

I have tried to log in under a member of
Admins (when occasionally a login box pops up to log in as a different
user),

I'm sorry, but that's not possible. The login box either pops up every
time, or never. It can't 'occasionally' pop up unless you do something to
cause it to.

with the same results, the open/run boxes are whited out, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean here. Do you mean that in the Tools, security,
permissions dialog that open/run is disabled? Are you able to change these
permissions?

I tried to run
the wrkgrp.exe, and the message "Windows cannot find, etc." came up.

What version of Access are you using? If 2002 or 2003, go to Tools,
Security, Workgroup Administrator. If a prior version, then use Start, Run
and run wrkgadm.exe (not wrkgrp.exe).

I find
this particularly odd because I have tried to recreate the original .mdw
since I posted the message, so there has been a workgroup created and
joined
on this computer. I do not doubt at all that this was not secure to begin
with, as I am 6 months new to Access and working from a tutorial book.
Here
is my .mdw file- C:\Documents and Settings\johnson controls\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw.

This is the mdw you secured your mdb with?
Search your computer for all *.mdw files and post back with what you have.
Get into workgroup administrator and see which one you are joined to by
default.

 

[DissentChick]

Hi Joan, Thanks for your response! Here's some further information:The Tools,
security, permissions dialog open/run is disabled under any workgroup that I
open this database in. I am unable to change any permissions at all,
regardless of which member of the Admins group I log in as. The original WIF
was the following:
User Name: Johnson Controls
Company: Johnson Controls, Inc.
Workgroup ID: JCInc
WIF: C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw
The default in Workgroup Administrator (Access 2003) is showing the following:
User Name: cg-adm
Company: Johnson Controls, Inc.
WIF: C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw
Why is the User ID changing for the same file name? I have recreated the
original workgroup, but it reverts to "cg-adm" as soon as I close the db, and
I am unable to change any of the permissions in the original workgroup,
either. Here are all the listings for *.mdw:
System.mdw
System1.mdw (C:\Documents and Settings\cg-adm\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw)
System1.mdw (C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw)
Hope this helps!

 

[Joan Wild]

Hi Joan, Thanks for your response! Here's some further information:The
Tools,
security, permissions dialog open/run is disabled under any workgroup that
I
open this database in. I am unable to change any permissions at all,
regardless of which member of the Admins group I log in as.

But you said that you aren't getting a login prompt, so how are you able to
log in?

The original WIF

was the following:
User Name: Johnson Controls
Company: Johnson Controls, Inc.
Workgroup ID: JCInc
WIF: C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw

The default in Workgroup Administrator (Access 2003) is showing the
following:
User Name: cg-adm
Company: Johnson Controls, Inc.
WIF: C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw

Why is the User ID changing for the same file name? I have recreated the
original workgroup, but it reverts to "cg-adm" as soon as I close the db,
and
I am unable to change any of the permissions in the original workgroup,
either.

Given what I see in the above, the 'original WIF' doesn't exist anymore
(both the above have the same path). When you recreated the WIF, you used a
different Name - therefore it is *not* the same as the original.

Here are all the listings for *.mdw:

System.mdw
System1.mdw (C:\Documents and Settings\cg-adm\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw)
System1.mdw (C:\Documents and Settings\johnsoncontrols\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw)

OK, now these are different paths. In this case, I would use the workgroup
administrator to rejoin the standard system.mdw (the 1st listed above).

It appears to me that the C:\Documents and Settings\cg-adm\Application
Data\Microsoft\Access\System1.mdw workgroup should be eliminated. This is
the one resulting from your 'recreation'. It looks as though you did this
while logged in as a different windows user (cg-adm) - that is why it ended
up in the folder it did.

Your original WIF you created while logged in as windows user
johnsoncontrols. Try logging in as this user (to windows).

Now look on your desktop for a shortcut to your secure mdb. If it's there,
right click it and choose properties. The target should have the following
in it:
"c:\program files\microsoft office\office11\msaccess.exe" "path to your mdb"
/wrkgrp "c:\documents and settings\johnsoncontrols\application
data\microsoft\access\system1.mdw"

If you don't have a shortcut, then create one with the above in the target.
When you open via the shortcut, do you get a login prompt? If so, then log
in using an Access username you know is in the Admins Group. If you don't
get a login dialog, then go to Tools, Security, Accounts. Click on the
change password tab and set a password (this is for the Admin User). Close
Access and try the shortcut again; you'll now get a login dialog.

 

[DissentChick]

Ok, I rejoined the standard system, eliminated the cg-adm path (completely,
even out of the recycle bin), assigned the correct WIF to the Shortcut
Properties target, assigned a password to Admin, closed Access, reopened, and
logged in as Admin from the login dialog. I am still unable to make changes
to permissions, and the Open/Run dialog is still disabled. Thank you so much
for your patience-

 

[Joan Wild]

Ok, I rejoined the standard system, eliminated the cg-adm path
(completely,
even out of the recycle bin), assigned the correct WIF to the Shortcut
Properties target, assigned a password to Admin, closed Access, reopened,
and
logged in as Admin from the login dialog. I am still unable to make
changes
to permissions, and the Open/Run dialog is still disabled. Thank you so
much
for your patience-

Hi Aaron, you don't want to log in as 'Admin'. That user in a properly
secured database shouldn't have permissions to do anything (in fact it
shouldn't be able to even open the mdb). Did you use the security wizard to
secure your database? You would have created a user to be a member of the
Admins Group. You need to log in with that username. (maybe cg-adm or
JohnsonControls)?

If you did run the wizard, hopefully you printed out the security report -
that'll tell you the username.

 

[DissentChick]

Thanks again, Joan- I used the security wizard initially, then manually
assigned some things later (making users read-only). I do have the printout,
however, a lot of the information says <Previously Created>. I may have
attempted to do the security myself first by following the book I have, then
going with the wizard. I logged on to the database using an original
user(spelled the same, etc.) of the workgroup with the original password. ( I
had to create it because nothing existed in the workgroup except Admin). Same
results. However, on the report there is this information:
Project Designers
Group ID: a1MpjmazQTfoZEeMkd5
Users: Jim Drissel
I created Jim Drissel's account, so I know his passwords as well. Is a
project designer able to have administering functions? He was also a member
of the admin group.

 

[Joan Wild]

Thanks again, Joan- I used the security wizard initially, then manually
assigned some things later (making users read-only). I do have the
printout,
however, a lot of the information says <Previously Created>. I may have
attempted to do the security myself first by following the book I have,
then
going with the wizard. I logged on to the database using an original
user(spelled the same, etc.) of the workgroup with the original password.

The name of the workgroup is not necessarily a username in the workgroup.

However, on the report there is this information:
Project Designers
Group ID: a1MpjmazQTfoZEeMkd5
Users: Jim Drissel
I created Jim Drissel's account, so I know his passwords as well. Is a
project designer able to have administering functions? He was also a
member
of the admin group.

Try logging in a Jim Drissel and see if you can modify permissions. I
believe you should be able to. (why don't you just try it?).

If I were you, assuming you can log in as Jim, I'd unsecure the database and
start over.

 

[DissentChick]

Joan, I cannot change any permissions from his account either. I'm at a loss.
I tried one of those data recovery demos with success, so I think I'm going
to go that route to avoid pestering you any farther- I am very grateful for
all your help and patience- I will mark your responses as helpful- Thank you!