Database keeps opening as READ-ONLY??

[golfnut019]

Everytime I open up my Access database, it says "This database has been opened read-only. You can only change data in linked tables. To make design changes, save a copy of the database."

This DB is saved on my desktop. ( I'm getting familiarized with Access 07 so I'm running some test DB's. )

Anybody know how I can get rid of this?



Thanks in advance!

 

[golfnut019]

Anybody?

 

[SydneyGeek]

Close Access down. Check in the directory for a 1kb file with the same name but an .ldb extension (for mdb databases) or .laccdb (for the 2007 format). Delete that file; it's a locking file that should go away when you close down normally but can remain if you have had a crash or used a force quit.

Let us know how you go.

Denis

 

[golfnut019]

Nope. Can't find the file. Any other ideas?

 

[xenou]

It seems this occurs if you don't have write permissions in the directory the db is in. Is that possible? For instance, I can't save files to my C:\ directory when I'm logged in as a limited user (which is how I normally login on my laptop). I also found a thread suggesting that if you've downloaded a Demo version of 2007, then it simply can't be used to save changes in design mode.

 

[SydneyGeek]

I think you'll find that if you don't have read-write access to the directory, you won't even be able to open the database.
To launch the DB, Access needs to create the locking file. Read-only prevents that, and you don't launch.

I wasn't aware of the 2007 demo 'feature' though.

Denis

 

[xenou]

This was the thread I found:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6129_102-0.html?threadID=239384

 

[SydneyGeek]

Thanks. Some useful pointers in there.

Denis

 

[bfarley4]

I had a similar issue w/ my files and it seemed to be centered around a folder setting randomly getting updated to "read only". Look at the folder permissions and make sure the box is unchecked along w/ all the subfolders if needed.

This fixed my issue.
Ben

 

[caringsharingbristolbilly]

Just a quick note in case it helps anyone else... I ran into this problem as well and the cause was quite simple in the end - I had an Excel document open that had a data connection to the database in question. Closing the spreadsheet allowed me to open the DB as normal.