Access database lost workgroupfile
Not a VB question, but I hope you forgive me this time.
A colleage of mine (a system administrator) created a database with cd information when he worked for his former employer.
He did this with MS Access 2000, and he put the database on his notebook. At one moment he suddenly needed to log into the database. He doesn't remember what he did to cause this.
He said he logged in with username administrator and a blank password.
When he quit his job, he had to return his notebook, so he copied the mdb file to another computer. The notebook got formatted.
Unfortunately he didn't copy the mdw file, so now he can't open the database anymore.
Access gives the message:
You do not have the necessary permissions to use the "...\.CD-Software.mdb" object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you.
I tried importing or linking the tables into another database, but this gives the same error message.
I tried adding a user with the name "administrator" to my system.mdw, but this has no effect.
I tried opening the mdb with a hex editor, but there is no usable, readable information.
When I try to open an ADO connection, and I use usernam "admin", I get the same error.
When I try to connect with username "administrator", I get the message:
Cannot start your application. The workgroup information file is missing or opened exclusively by another user.
OK, this is logical, but at least I know the username is correct.
Is there anybody who has an idea about how to recover the data?
from the Access helpfiles....
Restore a damaged or deleted Microsoft Access workgroup information file
In rare circumstances, the Microsoft Access workgroup information file can become damaged. If you start Microsoft Access and that file can't be opened, a message will be displayed. How you solve this problem depends on whether you have a backup copy and how your workgroup information file was originally created or specified. The following table summarizes how you should address each situation.
Important Microsoft Access stores security account information in the workgroup information file. So in all cases where you don't have a backup copy and have to re-create a workgroup information file, if you've restricted permissions to your databases, you must re-create security accounts with the same case-sensitive names and personal ID (PID) entries as before.
(PID: (personal ID: A case-sensitive alphanumeric string 4 to 20 characters long that Access uses in combination with the account name to identify a user or group in an Access workgroup.))
Note You don't have to redefine permissions or object ownership because this information is stored in the secure databases.
Re-create each user account, making sure to enter the exact case-sensitive user name and PID for each user.
How?
To complete this procedure, you must be logged on as a member of the Admins group.
Note It is usually easier to manage security if you organize users into groups, and then assign permissions to groups rather than to individual users.
Start Microsoft Access by using the workgroup in which you want to use the account.
Important The accounts you create for users must be stored in the workgroup information file that those users will use. If you're using a different workgroup to create the database, change your workgroup before creating the accounts.
Open a database.
On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click User And Group Accounts.
On the Users tab, click New.
In the New User/Group dialog box, type the name of the new account and a personal ID (PID), and then click OK to create the new account, which is automatically added to the Users group.
Caution Be sure to write down the exact account name and PID, including whether letters are uppercase or lowercase, and keep them in a secure place. If you ever have to re-create an account that has been deleted or created in a different workgroup, you must supply the same name and PID entries. If you forget or lose these entries, you can't recover them.
Notes
A user account name cannot be same as an existing group account name, and visa versa.
The PID entered in step 5 is not a password. Microsoft Access uses the PID and the user name as seeds for an encryption algorithm to generate a secure identifier for the user account.
