Removing Security from a Database

Securing a database is usually a one-way process. However, certain development issues might require you to work with an unsecured copy. You can follow these steps to reverse the process of securing your database.

Û To remove security from a database

1. Make a backup copy of the database you want to remove security from.
   
   
2. Start Microsoft Access and log on as a member of the Admins group. This can be the administrator account you created when you secured the database, or any member of the Admins group. Be sure you’re using your own secure workgroup information file when starting Microsoft Access.
   
   
3. Open the database.
   
   
4. On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click User And Group Permissions.
   
   
5. In the User And Group Permissions dialog box, assign full permissions to the Users group for the database and all the objects in the database.

   Because all users are automatically part of the Users group in Microsoft Jet, this step has the effect of rendering security “invisible” again.

6. On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click User And Group Accounts. On the Users tab, click Admin in the Name box, and then click Clear Password.

   Clearing the password for the Admin user disables the Logon dialog box that displays when you start Microsoft Access. You and your users will be automatically logged on as the Admin user the next time you or they start Microsoft Access.

   Important This step disables the Logon dialog box for all databases using the same workgroup information file.

7. Restart Microsoft Access.
   
   
8. Create a new database and import all objects from the secured database. You can accomplish this easily by using the Import command (File menu, Get External Data submenu).

Note In versions prior to Microsoft Access for Windows 95, database relationships cannot be imported, either through Microsoft Access or with the Microsoft Access Import Database add-in. You can write DAO code to programmatically re-create them, or re-create them manually.

The new database you created in step 8 is now an unsecured version of the original. As always, Microsoft Jet security is still active, but once again, it’s transparent.