Password Required - Never Created One

[EnemyAce]

I've ran into a problem where a database that we've been working on suddenly requires a password to open. I've attempted using a few crackers such as 'database password sleuth', and 'cain and able', but neither have supplied me with the password needed.

According to this article on TechNet,

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;243895,

the problem is most likely the result of someone opening the database with another application. However, Microsoft gives no resolution other than saying not to do this in the first place!

Does anyone know how to recover from our situation? Is there a way to reset the password?

Dave

 

[jrbarnett]

Dave

Have you (or a colleague) recently implemented Access security for another database?

John

 

[EnemyAce]

No, not all. The database was sent offsite, and we had a temp doing data entry. When it arrived back and we tried to open it, we were prompted for a password.

The temp swears she never created one, so the TechNet article seems like a logical conclusion. I figure she must have attempted to open it using notepad, word, or some other app, then saved it.

There has to be some way out of this.

 

[R00K]

Do you have a back up?

Does the temp have a version of the file that may be accessible(sometimes backups are made on crashes, etc.)? See if she used another app to open it and if it can be opened by that app again and perhaps exported.

I would contact Microsoft to see if there is a solution for the article you mention.

Good luck.

 

[MakeItSo]

Hi EnemyAce!

If the problem truly is caused by the opening from another app, then very probably this app destroyed the header:

Try this:
open the file in a hex-view capable editor (UltraEdit or similar)
open another, clean file there.
Compare the first two hex nums (e.g. 0d0f or sth like that)
Insert the same header into the corrupted file.

[red]Be careful: Only work with copies of the file, so you never corrupt it totally...[/red]

Cheers & a good start into 2004!
MakeItSo

Andreas Galambos
EDP / Technical Support Specialist
(andreas.galambos@bowneglobal.de)
HP:

http://home.arcor.de/andygalambos

 

[mkov]

Have you tried importing all of the tables, queries, etc. into a new database? If not give that a try.

 

[EnemyAce]

That's just it. I can't import or do anything until I get into the database, and that's brickwalled by a password.

I tried using the HexEditor and comparing the header of the db with a clean one, as MakeItSo suggested. Unfortunately the headers were the same.

This thing has really got me stumped!

 

[mkov]

You would not have to open the database(persay) to import everything into a new database. You would create a new database and from within the new database goto File - Import and then find the database and choose what you want to import. You will not be directly opening the database that you are having problems with.

 

[EnemyAce]

No that doesn't work. When I select Import and point to the database in question... bingo... password prompt.

 

[mkov]

I have never seen that before. I hope you have a good backup, sounds like that is the only to recover from the problem.

 

[straybullet]

Couldnt hurt to try this either...

http://www.elcomsoft.com/prs.html

Access Advanced PW Recovery - works great... not that expensive...

With some luck, the file isnt corrupt and there really is a pw - if so it will tell you what it is

 

[psemianonymous]

You might be in trouble. If the other person opened the database in Word, then the database is, and I quote, "irretrieveably corrupted". I recommend you do some other searches on the Access newsgroup and maybe post a question there. There's a link to Google Groups in my signature.

The thread I found is:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...assword&meta=group%3Dcomp.databases.ms-access

Good luck,


Pete

--
Find common answers using Google Groups:

http://groups.google.com/groups?group=comp.databases.ms-access

Corrupt MDBs FAQ

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/corruptmdbs.htm

 

[jrbarnett]

I have found several times it is possible to import the data into Excel spreadsheets, which can then be exported out to a separate access Db - you may see if it is possible to salvage the data from there - use Data -> Import External Data and point it at a copy of the MDB file.

John

 

[vbainchicago]

I would ask the temp if they have to use a user name & password to open the DB. If they do, ask them what combination they use and see if it will work for you.

 

[EnemyAce]

I mentioned in a previous post that the temp insists she never created a password for this db. She's using XP Home and has no user account or password on her local computer.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Dave,

Unfortunately it looks like you're out of luck if the problem is saving it with another app. Here's another KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q209/1/37.ASP&NoWebContent=1

Opening and Saving the .mdb File in Another Program
There is no way to recover a .mdb file that is opened and then is saved in a different program. For example, Microsoft Word permits you to open an Access database, and then to save it. (No purpose is served if you open a .mdb file in another application because all you see are extended characters.) Saving the file this way causes the .mdb file to prompt you for a database password when you try to open the file in Access. This occurs although the file may have never been password protected in Access. The password prompt occurs in such cases because the first byte range that Access checks when it opens a file is the location where the database password is. If that byte contains corrupted data, Access treats the file as password protected. Even if there was a way to get around the password prompt in this case, the database is still unrecoverable because the binary structure is scrambled and therefore unreadable to Access. You must recover a backup copy of the file as the only solution in this case.

Hoc nomen meum verum non est.

 

[Hap007]

Dear EnemyAce,

Let's assume that your Temp person still has a copy of the db that she sent to you, and that she can open that db.

Here are several suggestions.
1) First, have the temp make a backup copy.
2) Open the DB and select Tools>Database Utilities>Convert Database>Prior Version. This might create a version that you can open.
3) Have temp then open the database, and set the password. Now you will know what the password might be.
4) Now, have temp send you all the dbs to try.

FYI. Make sure that the temp is running access from the Startup shortcut so that no Access security is involved.

Good Luck,
Hap


Access Developer

http://www.fcs-software.com/fcsaccessdev.html

Access based Add-on Solutions
Access Consultants forum

http://www.tek-tips.com/groups/accessDevelopers

 

[EnemyAce]

PROBLEM SOLVED

I got in touch with the temp, and after a few questions, here is what was revealed.

She was unable to send the file as an attachment to one of our programmer's, the recepient. The programmer had their Outlook Security settings configured to block all unsafe attachments. So the temp decided to change the extension of the database from .mdb to .txt, then sent it and had the programmer change the extension back to .mdb. BINGO, password required!

I had the temp zip the file, to avoid Outlook security, and resend it to me personally. After receiving and unzipping the file, it works.

Thanks everyone for all your input. And make a mental note of this one, strange but true.

Dave

 

[R00K]

Dave,

I was feeling for ya. Now that the problem is solved and you changed your undies, I hope it is smooth sailing from here on out.

David

 

[megw]

To prevent an email system from blocking an mdb, I have the user remove the "b" from the mdb extension. I restore it on receipt, then open it. (And vice versa.) Probably the recipient automatically opened the "txt" file in Notepad instead of renaming it.