2d. I want to remove the user-level security for an encrypted database

2d. Removing user-level security for an encrypted database

Encrypted databases are a little tricky. Encrypting a database compacts the database file and makes it indecipherable. Also, the process to remove user-level security for an encrypted database is slightly different.

To remove user-level security for an encrypted database, click the [Encrypted Database...] check box. A screen similar to the one shown below will be displayed :

Next, click [Browse...] and choose the encrypted database whose security you wish to remove.

Removing security from an encrypted database is a two step process :

Step 1: Loading the database

Click the [Load database...] button. The database will be processed, and depending on the type of security used, 'Remove Access Security' will attempt to remove the database-level security and load the database. Please be patient, this process may take a few minutes or more depending on the size of your database. After this process is completed, the database will be loaded, and your screen will look similar to the one shown below. If however this process does not load the database, please make sure that
- the database is not opened by any other application
- the database is not corrupted. (try repairing and compacting the database).
- you have enough hard disk space on the drive you installed the 'Remove Access Security' software'
If problems persist, send a message to neilbritto@yahoo.com.

The bottom portion of the screen shows the database properties, and information about the various tables. The top portion of the screen shows the various Tables, Queries and Relationships of the database.

Tip : Please see the tip 2d.1 below.

Step 2: Removing security

You may remove security one table at a time, by clicking on a table, and clicking [Remove Table Security...] or remove the security of all tables by clicking the [Remove All Security...] button.

In both processes, the table(s) will be processed, and the security will be removed. The bottom portion of the screen will indicated the tables whose security have been removed.

e.g.
***Analyzing table 'Contributors'...
-->Key 16172:15E66
** Successfully removed security for table 'Switchboard Items'.
-->Key 161A0:15E66
** Successfully removed security for table 'Pledges'.
-->Key 15BC6:1599A
** Successfully removed security for table 'Donation Campaign Setup'.
-->Key 15BF4:1599A
** Successfully removed security for table 'Contributors'.

You might want to try opening the database with the current workgroup security settings, and login as a member of the Admins group.
It is however recommended that you create a new workgroup, join it and then open the database.

Tip 2d.1:
During the above process (step 1), 'Remove Access Security' attempts to create an unsecured version of the database named NBUNSECURED.MDB in the same folder that you installed the software. Depending on the type of security used, this method has a 50% chance of success.

Immediately after finishing step 1, close the screen by clicking the [Close] button.
Now load this database [NBUnsecured.MDB] and try removing the security assuming the database is non-encrypted. If this process is successful, rename the database and copy it to another location. If the process is not successful, proceed to step 2.

Notes:
After opening the database, you may have to set access rights to the various tables. Use the Tools > Security > User and Group Permissions to do the same.

Sometimes you may not be allowed to insert data into a table, simply copy and paste the table to a new table (with data) and then rename the table.