Access database workgroup issue after upgrade

Question

Hi support, 

Good morning. I have an issue with MS Access database after I have upgraded to MS Office 2007. Previously the database is created using .mdb and soon after I upgrade the database to .accdb, I have an issue on the workgroup file (.mdw). When I open the database from a shortcut created, it will ask me for username and password as how .mdb does, but however I could not find an option to add in new member to the database for login. I have tried to open the .mdw file and edit the member but it is not allowing me to do so.

Please help me with this issue as I have been trying hard to solve this issue for some time already. Is there a way to link the .mdw file to this newly upgraded .accdb?

Your help is much appreciated.

Regards,

Ashwin

Answer 1

Again, YOU CAN'T, if you have converted to .accdb. The .accdb conversion destroys all your security settings so users are irrelevant.  From the Help file:

"Also, if you convert your .mdb file to the new format (an .accdb file), Office Access 2007 discards your user-level security settings".

If you're still using a .mdb, in the Database Tools ribbon, under the Administer tab (on the right), choose Users and Permissions. You can add new users, create new groups, and so on. For more details, see the Help topic for "Set or change Access 2003 user-level security in Access 2007".

Answer 2

Clear enough. But the issue is I already have a group of users in the .mdw file previously used in .mdb. And when I want to add new user when a person join the organization, how can I do that? 

That is the issue we are facing over here.

Answer 3

Please help me with this issue as I have been trying hard to solve this issue for some time already. Is there a way to link the .mdw file to this newly upgraded .accdb? 

No, unfortunately. Workgroup security is not supported in the new .accdb format.

Access 2007 and 2010 continue to work just fine with .mdb files, and workgroup security IS supported in that format. But the .accdb simply doesn't.

Workgroup security has always been a bit weak, and a chore to maintain; if you really need strong security on the data in the tables, consider using SQL/Server (including the free SQL/Server Express) as the backend to your Access application. This actually provides STRONGER security than Workgroup ever has been.