ACC: "Can't Encrypt Database" Error Message Is Misleading

 Last reviewed: May 5, 1997
Article ID: Q162089
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

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

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

The requirements for encrypting a database are as follows:

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.

REFERENCES

For more information about encrypting a database, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q140406
   TITLE     : ACC: How Microsoft Access Uses Encryption

Keywords : kberrmsg
Version : 1.0 1.1 2.0 7.0 97
Platform : WINDOWS
Hardware : X86
Issue type : kbdocerr

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Last reviewed: May 5, 1997
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