Microsoft KB Archive/161333

= ACC97: Check NT Permissions When You Use IDC/ASP Files with Access =

Article ID: 161333

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 2.0
 * Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0

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This article was previously published under Q161333



Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.



SUMMARY
This article discusses some of the Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft Windows 2000 permissions issues that you may encounter when you create and use Internet Database Connector (IDC) files or Active Server Page (ASP) files from a Microsoft Access database.

This article assumes that you are familiar with the Internet Database Connector, ActiveX Server, Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000, and Internet Information Server (IIS).

For more information about using ASP to publish data on an intranet or the Internet, please refer to the Active Server online tutorial.

NOTE: This article does not apply to Web servers running Microsoft Windows 95 with Personal Web Server because Microsoft Windows 95 does not use the same security features that are built into Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000.



MORE INFORMATION
If you use IDC or ASP files to publish Microsoft Access data on an intranet or the Internet, you may receive the following error message when you browse through those files with your Web browser if the permissions, usernames and passwords are not set correctly in Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000:

  The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot open the file '(unknown)'. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission to view its data.

The following are the main reasons for the error message:


 * Incorrect Username or Password
 * Insufficient NTFS Directory Permissions
 * Insufficient Share Permissions
 * Access Database Is on a Windows 95 Computer with Insufficient Share Permissions

Each of these problems is explained below, along with the actions you must take to correct them. If you need additional assistance with permissions or user accounts, please refer to your Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft IIS documentation.

NOTE: The troubleshooting tips that follow apply to the anonymous logon username account set up in the IIS Internet Service Manager. IUSR_ is the default account name, but it can be changed. If anonymous logons are not allowed (for example, if Basic Authentication or Windows Challenge/Response is in use), then the following troubleshooting tips apply to whatever user accounts may be trying to access the WWW services. For more information about setting up the WWW service in the Internet Service Manager, please refer to your IIS online documentation.

Incorrect Username or Password
You specified an incorrect username or password for the IUSR_ account, either in the operating system User Manager or in the Internet Service Manager.

IUSR_ is an account that is created when you set up IIS for the purpose of allowing anonymous Internet access to resources on the Web server. The IUSR_ account is created with a randomly generated password. If the password is changed in the Internet Service Manager, the actual Microsoft Windows NT account password must also be changed in the Microsoft Windows NT User Manager.

If the System DSN that your IDC or ASP files use points to a Microsoft Access database located on a different Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 computer than your Web server, then the same IUSR_ account with the same password must be created on the computer where the Microsoft Access database is located. If your Microsoft Access database is not on a different computer than your Web server, but it uses attached tables that are on a different computer, then the same IUSR_ account with the same password must be created on the computer where the attached tables are located. Remember that the IUSR_ account is created initially with a randomly generated password; the only way to know the password is to change it to something else.

Insufficient NTFS Directory Permissions
The IUSR_ account requires both Read and Write permissions on the directories where your Microsoft Access databases are located. Keep in mind that NTFS directory permissions are different than share permissions. If your databases are on a different computer than your Web server, or if you are using attached tables, then Read and Write permissions must be granted on the directories on both computers where the Microsoft Access databases reside.

Insufficient Share Permissions
If the System DSN points to a Microsoft Access database that resides on a different computer than your Web server, then the IUSR_ account must exist on the other computer, and should have Read and Write permissions on the share where the Microsoft Access database resides.

Access Database Is on a Windows 95 Computer with Insufficient Share

Permissions
If your System DSN points to a Microsoft Access database that is located on a Microsoft Windows 95 computer that uses User-level access control, whatever account is set up to be the Anonymous Logon in the Internet Service Manager must be authenticated by the share permissions on Microsoft Windows 95. This means if IUSR_ is set up as the Anonymous Logon, then IUSR_ must also be a valid account in the domain, with the same password used in the Internet Service Manager. The "Username:" value under "Anonymous Logon" in the Internet Service Manager must be modified to use the following format:

DOMAIN\IUSR_<Server Name>

NOTE: The following error message is caused by a Microsoft Access database that resides on a different computer than the Web server, and that has tables linked to a Microsoft Access database on a third computer:

<pre class="fixed_text">  ' ' isn't a valid path. Make sure that the path name is spelled correctly and that you are connected to the server on  which the file resides.

To resolve this error, store the front end database on the same computer as the Web server, or do not use tables linked to a Microsoft Access database that resides on a third computer.

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