system.mdw

[Dave_cha]

I have one network based system.mdw file which controls their rights. Regardless of the db being accessed all users authenticate to this file.
This morning users are being told that this file is 'already in use'. I assume soneone has managed to gain exclusive rights over the file.
Can anyone tell me why this may have happened and if there is anyway to kick everyone off the file.
I am unable to delete the file until all users are out and the only other option is to copy this file elsewhere and remap the file within everyone's wrkgadm, something I'd rather not have to do.

Thanks.

 

[ghudson]

You should rename your system workgroup file. The default name could give you problems and also a person should be able to open the secured db and bypass your security since the default system.mdw file has admin permissions which means a person has full rights to everything in your secured db. A true test would be to see if a person can open (using Windows Explorer) your secured db without using your system.mdw file.

Also, you should place the *.mdw file on the users computer. I have had the same problem and I solved it when I placed a copy of the workgroup *.mdw file on each users PC. Which also means the front end should be on each users computer and everybodies front end is linked to the backend on the network.

You should never join a users computer to a system workgroup. Use a custom shortcut to open the secured db with your security info like this example below...

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe" /wrkgrp "C:\Databases\Security.mdw" "X:\Databases\Test\db.mdb" /user TestUser

HTH

 

[bob bisquick]

Sorry -

I was perusing old posts. Why shouldn't you place the system.mdw file on the server. For example, a network has 5 computers all running the database. The back end and the system.mdw file are on a server. Now, any user can access the database from any computer, using his or her own password? Isn't that good. Otherwise I have to create each user on each computer...

 

[hooi]

Just to add from experience that if your system.mdw file is placed in a server and your PC has network connection problem to the server, Access will automatically switch the security file to point to the default security file in:
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Access\System.mdw to open the database using the default system.mdw

This is not what you want to happen. So this gives us another reason why the security file should be placed at the user's PC.