Hey everyone,

I am finally at my witts end with this problem. I two webservers, one holds the pages, and the other holds the database. These two servers are only in a workgroup, not a domain. Because of this, I cannot give permissions for the IUSR account on the other machine. Is there any other way to create a connection? The customer will not upgrade to SQL server, and they insist running this on two servers. What are my options.

thanks in advance.

I've fixed similar issue by creating a duplicate local userid (with same password) on the 2nd box, granting rights to that user. when box #1 tries to access resources on box #2, it uses credentials for local user defined on 2nd box, since they appear to be the same.

Are you creating an IUSR Id, or just using anything like "testuser"?

truth be told, I don't use IUSR_... accounts - I define a specific userid for web / data access, delete the IUSR account(s) (security "best practices").

but it doesn't really matter what the username is, as long as you have one on box #2 which is a duplicate of the web user on box #1, give the dupe user on box #2 rights to the data resource on box #2.

Ok.. i did try creating just a normal user.. I dont like the IUSR accounts either... I still get a Jet database error.. says " cannot open the file '(unknow)'. It is already opened exclusively by another user, or you need permission.

I know its not opened already. i have try using a system DSN, a File DSN and a connection string. I get all different answers, but the bottom line is, it doesn't work.. UGHHHHHH

you gave the user on box #2 read/write/create/delete permissions to the folder the data resource is in? when an Access db is opend, new files are created in the folder, which are deleted when db is closed.

I gave everything but FULL CONTROL....

hmm... okay, what about the folder that system.mdw is in (unless db is secured - that's a whole 'nother issue)? same thing, a file named system.ldb is created there when the db is opened, deleted when closed.

Actually.. I haven't created a system database.. its just a plain ole access database.. .mdb file.. i even went to the c:\winnt\temp folder and gave access to those user because i read that jet drivers create something in the temp directory. i also gave rights to the ODBC regkey too... I just don't get it..

seems to me there SHOULD be a system.mdw file somewhere on the box the db is on, regardless of whether db is secured or not.

when an unsecured Access db (e.g., db1.mdb) is opened, a file named db1.ldb is created in the folder where db resides; a file named system.ldb is created where system.mdw resides (ususally c:\windows\system or c:\winnt\system32).

if db is secured, the any_filename.mdw can be located anywhere - DSN or connection criteria need to point to it - but similar procedure occurs: a file any_filename.ldb is created/deleted in folder where file resides when db is opened/closed. user must have appropriate rights.

I did find a system.mdw file. I had loaded microsoft access onto the server and it was in the microsoft office folder. I have all rights to it.. still nothing... I guess i am just stuck.

I'm sorry, I'm about out of ideas - the error msg sure seems to point at a rights issue, tho.

you could try logging on to box #2 as web_userid, open the db directly. this will ascertain beyond any doubt that user can open the db.

doh! my last post made me think of something else: I believe the web_userid you defined on box #2 must have "Log on locally" privilege...

I'm not sure what you mean by having "log on locally" priviledges.. where do i set that up? I have created a user on both machines.. on the machine that houses the db, i logged in as that user. I was able to open the db from the machine, however, i still cannot create the connection.

if you were able to log onto the db box with the web_userid, it has "Log On Locally" rights. it's a User Rights policy, set in User Manager...

thinking from another perspective, is the web_userid able to "see" the db (and system.mdw) from the web server? is it located in or under a network share to which the web_userid has network permissions? i.e., if you log on to the web server with web_userid, can you browse Net 'hood and see the db?

NT file rights across a network are combined in a "most restrictive" manner. on the db box, the web_userid may have rights to use the db, but across the net, he may not.