Remove security from Access 97 database

[BSman]

I have a complicated Access 97 application that I need to rewrite in Access 2000/2003. (It will not convert directly.) The Access 97 database uses workgroup security. I need to make a copy of the database with no workgroup security, but I can't seem to do that. When I log in to the database I have admin rights, but I can't seem to eliminate the need for the specific workgroup file for the database. If I can't do this I won't be able to import forms, queries, reports, etc., to a new Access 2000/2003 version of the application so I can modify them as needed. Can someone give me an idea how I can do that?

Thanks, Bob S

 

[psemianonymous]

This is a few steps:

1. Make a backup copy of the original database, put it away safely. Even though we're not going to be doing anything...always safety.

2. Open up the original secured database as the admin user.

3. Use File->Export to export every single object into a new database file. Let's call this "DB1"

4. Close Access.

5. Open Access with the default workgroup file (this should be the 'default' behavior).

6. Open DB1 using the "default workgroup file". If you can open the file, excellent! You're done.

7. If you can't open the file, then we have to go in and change a bunch of security properties. Close Access back down.

8. Open up Access with the 'special' workgroup as the admin. Open up DB1 with this special workgroup and admin user. You should have no problems doing this.

9. Go into the Tools->Security and give the Users group rights to absolutely EVERYTHING. Full access for everything.

10. This should be all you need to do. Repeat steps 4-6 to make absolutely sure. If this still doesn't work, then you haven't completed step 9 properly.

 

[BSman]

After I posted this question I found the link below in Tek-Tips FAQS. The link is to the question "How do I de-secure an Access database" and provides a method to do that, although it can take a few tries. Your method is a useful alternate.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/access/content/secfaq.asp#_Toc493299703

Bob

 

[psemianonymous]

Use the KB article. You can't go wrong.