Microsoft KB Archive/199142

= Can't encrypt database" error message is misleading in Access 2000 =

Article ID: 199142

Article Last Modified on 1/26/2005

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q199142



Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.



SUMMARY
When you try to encrypt a database, you may receive the following error message:

You can't encrypt a database that you didn't create or don't own. See the owner of the database or your workgroup administrator.

This message is incomplete. It should also include being a member of the Admins group of the system database that was in use when the database was created as a requirement for encrypting the database.



MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft Access requires that one of the following be true for the person trying to encrypt a database:
 * The person is the owner of the database.
 * The person is the creator of the database.
 * The person is a member of the Admins group in the workgroup (the default name is System.mdw) that was in use when the database was created.

NOTE: Encrypting a database compacts the database file and makes it unreadable by a utility program or word processor. It is used to prevent someone using a file or disk editor from reading or writing data directly to an .MDB file, bypassing the Microsoft Jet database engine.

Additional query words: you can t encrypt a database that you didn t create or don t own

Keywords: kberrmsg KB199142

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.