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Access 97 not prompting for username and password

I am using an Access 97 database named "Shelter" which uses an mdw file (hssa.mdw) with usernames and passwords.  I have been using it forever this way with no problems.  I have /wrkgp in the shortcut as well as I have run the wrkgrp.exe file and pointed to the .mdw.  The problem is that all of a sudden it is not prompting for the username and password and just logging people in as Admin.  The admin user does not have full permissions to the database.  I have different .mdw files that are used for other databases and if I use one of them to open "Shelter" it prompts me for the UN and PW.  Any idea whats up with hssa.mdw?

Thank you in advance for your help!
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animallover

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I had an old copy of my hssa.mdw file so I renamed the broken one and copied the backup into the same folder and voila it now prompts me for a UN and PW.  But it's a copy from over a year ago and I have added users since then.  Any idea how I can get my broken one to work again?
Avatar of Scott McDaniel (EE MVE )
The "trigger" that causes ULS to prompt for a password is the existence of a non-blank password for the Admin user. If the Admin user's password in hssa.mdw has somehow become blank (i.e. no value) then it will no longer prompt users for a password.

I'd also encourage you to NOT "join" the hssa.mdw workgroup on the machine, as this can cause troubles for other databases on that machine. Use the workgroup utility to rejoin the default system.mdw file, and continue to use your shortcut with the /wrkgrp switch.

BTW, the fact that you can open your Shelter database with other workgroup files indicates that you haven't secured it properly. If you had, then when you tried to open it with the other workgroups you should have received the "You don't have permissions blah blah" error and Access should have not allowed you to in to the database. This might not be an issue if you're only goal is user navigation, but if you're trying to keep data secure, then understand that ULS isn't properly configured.
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I figured it our on my own.