Access prompting to logon for all databases?!

[plumba]

I have a local installation on my laptop of Office XP. For somereason Access wont open any database. It keeps prompting for a logon username and password.

Even if i try to fire off a wizard or open a template DB it keeps asking to logon. Access as an application opens fine, but it will not open any DB's.. I've tried uninstalling Office completley and reinstalling - still the same thing.

It was suggested that I delete the System.mdw file - still the same problem.

Any ideas??

 

[statsman]

The problem is still the system.mdw
When security was added to the database it was asked to perform certain functions when it opened, one of which is to ask for a login. The login data WAS contained in your system.mdw Now there is no system.mdw but the database is still being instructed to ask for a login even thought the log in data is gone.
You will have to re-install windows to set-up a new system.mdw (do a search on system.mdw first as there may be another way).

The correct method when using Access security is to create a new .mdw file unique to only that database. This way the .mdw file only effects that database, not the entire system. Storing security settings to system.mdw will effect ALL Access databases.

 

[stopher]

You will have to re-install windows to set-up a new system.mdw (do a search on system.mdw first as there may be another way).

Surely you mean Access not Windows?

Plumba:
Are all these databases ones that you have created? Have you ever applied any security? Are you on a network?

I would take a copy of that system.mdw you deleted just in case you need it (assuming you can un-delete it).

Are you loading Access directly? Or are you using a shortcut with some attributes?

Also have a search for any other .mdw files on your laptop.

Open Access then Tools=>Security=>Workgroup Administrator. This will tell you the .mdw that you are loading Access with. If Access can't find the file then it will ask you if you want a new default (which will be system.mdw). This is certainly the case in 2003 (not sure about XP). But creating a new system.mdw won't solve your problem if all your databases have security imposed.

Chris

 

[statsman]

Stopher:
System.mdw is a WINDOWS file which is not restricted to just Access. All of your MS Office settings are stored there in addition to other things.

 

[plumba]

It is only one database. The problem is the database has been created at work on an AD network, but the database is stored on a pen drive and run from there. It has also been saved to a colleagues PC who has done work on it then passed back to my machine then copied to the pen drive. So it has been used on two different PCs at work, it just when i come to loading it on my home laptop that i'm getting the problem.

I've tried loading access up first - same problem, also by loading up the db file directly out side of access - i've hit a bit of a brick wall here really as the db is for use at home!

Thanks for you contributions so far, would appreciate if you keep your suggesting coming....

 

[plumba]

Open Access then Tools=>Security=>Workgroup Administrator. This will tell you the .mdw that you are loading Access with. If Access can't find the file then it will ask you if you want a new default (which will be system.mdw). This is certainly the case in 2003 (not sure about XP). But creating a new system.mdw won't solve your problem if all your databases have security imposed.

Chris

EXCELLENT!!!!

Went to Tools-Security-workgroup admin, it was using a different mdw than the system one, i have deleted (bit taken a backup), and it works fine now!!!

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[stopher]

Stopher:
System.mdw is a WINDOWS file which is not restricted to just Access. All of your MS Office settings are stored there in addition to other things.

You were stating that to get system.mdw back you would have to re-install the Windows. But this is just not correct. Installing Windows will not produce system.mdw.

If you re-install Access then you will get system.mdw (no need to install full Office). Installing Office will only install system.mdw if Access is included (at least that's what I've observed). That indicates to me that Office doesn't require system.mdw, only Access does. However, I'd be interested to know different if you have some info as I'm keen to improve my knowledge in this area.

In any case, system.mdw can be re-created as I mentioned earlier for 2003 or by using wrkgadm.exe on earlier versions.

Obviously this is a side issue to plumba's problem that he has now fixed.

Chris

 

[statsman]

Actually stopher we were both right and both wrong.
System.mdw is an OFFICE file, not a Windows file.
It contains the startup info for all of your MS Office software (example, it's what stores the instructions to open the Normal.doc when you start Word).
System.mdw is used by all of the Office programs.

 

[WIS]

You will have to re-install windows to set-up a new system.mdw (do a search on system.mdw first as there may be another way).

Thanks, Statsman and Stopher, for your detailed discussions and explanations of system.mdw.

I had a very similar experience at a site where someone had fiddled with Access and set up Security. The users there were asked for a login and pwd before they could use any db. It appears that system.mdw was the Security file responsible. No-one knew the pwd as the "fiddler" didn't own up.

However, I took a wild guess and managed to solve their problem. I copied system.mdw from another computer (even using a diff vs of Access) over their system.mdw and it worked.