Reclaim ownership!

[simongallop]

I am in the process of converting all of our databases to Acc2k and in some cases I am unable to do so. This is because Acc2k comes up with:

THE CURRENT USER ACCOUNT DOESN'T HAVE PERMISSION TO CONVERT OR ENABLE THIS DATABASE.

Having reopened the database in Acc97 and gone to Security / User & Group Permissions / Change Owner, I have permission as Admin for everything EXCEPT for DATABASE level, which is what I need. At present it is set to <Unknown>. How can I change that to Admin???

If I try to select New Owner Admin, the button Change Owner is disabled!

HELP!!!

 

[Autoeng]

Perhaps you could create new blank db's and import the info from the existing ones. That should make you the owner.

 

[3divine]

Reclaim ownership

if you still need help, perhaps i can help. i ran into the same problem when we switched to XP.

 

[simongallop]

Autoeng - Have thought of that idea but am not too keen on it due to the size of the database ... though it does look like I will have to do it unless...

GEMMA: How did you get around it?

 

[Autoeng]

Why is size a factor?

 

[simongallop]

I have about 50 of these, with around 10 linktables per db and about 40 queries, 20 reports and 4 code modules. Just a pain in the a**e to do especialy if there is an easier way such as being able to assign <unknown. to admin or something like it!

Comes down to laziness

 

[3divine]

you need to find these 2 files: system.mdw and shsystem.mdw.

One should be in Program files and the other is where ever is your network drive.

Ungroup from the other and join the other.

Trust me, this is a much easy way!!!

I have a deadline to meet right now, I will give you detailed instruction. You will get it by tomorrow.

 

[simongallop]

I look forward to it .. cheers

 

[3divine]

Didn’t mean to make it sound so complicated, because it really isn’t, it’s just that everything takes time.

This is what I have to do from Access 97 to 2YK

From Access 97 to XP is a little different.

“Having reopened the database in Acc97 and gone to Security / User & Group Permissions” instead click on one above that called Workgroup Administrator, another box will pop-up and click on Join. Whatever is diplayed in the Workgroup Information File means you are currently a member of that Workgroup.

As I said, it’s a toggle between system.mdw and shsystem.mdw Click on Browse to follow the path and OK.

Then you should be able to convert

If you have problem repost. Goodluck!

 

[Autoeng]

A2K uses system.mdw not shsystem.mdw so I don't think that this is going to work for you.

 

[simongallop]

Am starting to get that impression as Workgroup administrator does not exist! The one above User and Group Permission is set Database password. Oh well ... here goes opening ablank db and transferring the contents. Bo*$@%s!!

 

[Autoeng]

I bet you could code the process as tables, ect can be referred to by systable (all tables general hidden in the db). I'm guessing that code could be created that names each of your db's then creates new db with maybe an extra charactor added onto the end and then imports the data from the original. Try posting in Modules to see if anyone can come up with something.

 

[3divine]

Another option:

If the Workgroup Administrator is disabled in Access 97, how about

1. create a blank database in A2k. Close the database.

2. in access 97 open the database and if prompted with password you should be able to just click OK.

3. If prompted with "the current user does not have permission ....etc" click OK.

4. In Access menu: File -> Open the new database that you created in A2k. On the Tools -> Security -> Workgroup Administrator (hopefully is not disabled.) and click on Join then Browse to find the path where the system.mdw is located then ok.

You should be prompted with "You have successfully joined.....etc"

Open the 97 database and immediately you should see the Convert/Open database box. Be sure that the radio button for convert is selected (if that's what you want to do), then OK. followed by Convert Database into.

Click on the access 97 database you wanted to convert/open and save.

 

[Autoeng]

I'm sorry to disagree but the workgroup administrator is not available from within Access. The only way to access the workgroup admin is to locate it on your pc (via Explorer) it is file wrkgadm.exe. Double click on that then you can join other workgroups. But I don't think that this is the problem because as I stated earlier there is no shsystem.mdw workgroup file in Access 2K. There might be in Access 2002, I don't know but I think that GEMMA is actually joining a workgroup that someone else created on their system. I think that what she proposes will only work for her.

 

[Waltang]

Its been a long time since I have dealt with it, but as I recall, with Acc 97, you can rename the system.mdw file so access wont find it, and then open access. As I recall, it will not ask you for a password, and will give you full rights to it. Your application likely will not run properly without the system.mdw, but it may let you open the database to convert it. When your done, just name the system.mdw file back.

 

[Autoeng]

I hate to disagree with you too Waltag but that won't work. If you rename the system.mdw file the when Access starts it will create a new one. Now the problem with that is that not all of the security information is stored in the mdw file. Some of it is stored in the db itself. Without the mdw file the db will definately not open.

Having the multiple explainations offered I began to wonder what others were seeing that I wasn't about this post so I went back a re-read everything. Let me get this straight. If the db is in the original A97 format you are able to open it. It is only after conversion to A2k that you are having the problem. Now are all of the db's secured? Do all of the secured db's use the same workgroup?

 

[3divine]

Another option:

Refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 232589 for detailed information.

How to Import the Objects to a New Database

Create a new database. This action will establish you as the database owner.

Import all of the objects from your original database into the new database.

I think this is worth a try


Autoeng:

I have to agree with you. True, that I have to toggle between my databases and the one from our network (shsystem.mdw). Also true that in Program Files -> Microsoft Office you should be able to double-click on MS Access Workgroup Administrator. Every situation is unique, depending on you Org.

 

[simongallop]

Auto: Not quite. In the Acc97 version I can open and do what I like. When I open it in 2k, it immediately tells me where to stick it as I am not the owner. No question as to whether I want to convert etc.

Security. We do not use security settings. All of us are automaticaly deemed to be Admin group. This particular DB (and numerous like it) has the top level ie database level, set to <Unknown> rather than Admin. All the other levels ie table, query etc are set to Admin but not the one that controls Open Exclusive.

Talking it over here, the conclusion is that these db's were created in Access 2 and converted to 97 and that is the most likely reason why NOBODY has overall ownership.

As you can imagine moving everything from a database that is over 8 years old will be a pain, but I think that that is what I will have to do, as so far I am coming up against a brick wall trying to claim overall ownership!