How to use an .mdw file in Access 2010

Question

In Access 2010, how do you open a database (created in Access 2003) which requires an .mdw file to be used? In Access 2003 you had to reference the .mdw file first. I can't find out how you would do that in Access 2010.

Can someone tell me how to open the .mdb file in Access 2010?

Answer 1

To open an Access database that has user-level security enabled and does not use the system default Workgroup (.mdw) file you need to launch Access with command-line arguments that specify the database to be opened and the Workgroup (.mdw) file to be used. This is usually done with a Windows shortcut whose Target: is something like...

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\MSACCESS.EXE" "C:\__tmp\zzzzz.mdb" /WRKGRP "C:\__tmp\Security.mdw"

...although the same thing can be accomplished from a batch file or similar "launcher" app.

Answer 2

Instead of using a command line to access your .mdb using your original workgroup file, I actually go to the folder where the new workgroup file is, and replace it with my own. The path to the new workgroup file is: C:\users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Access. Inside this folder, there are 3 .mdw files and I found out that system3.mdw is running when I open Access 2010. As such, I replace this file with my own workgroup file (of course, you should make a copy of the original system3.mdw before you replace it with your own). Now when I run my .mdb, the username/password dialog box will appear.

Answer 3

Target is ok Without the quotes (") for the .mdw and .mdb file : as

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\MSACCESS.EXE" C:__tmp\zzzzz.mdb /WRKGRP C:__tmp\Security.mdw

Answer 4

Joining a workgroup is still possible in later version.
From the Debug Window, simply run:

DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdWorkgroupAdministrator`

and browse for your mdw file.