ACC2000: Cannot Delete the Admin User (209053)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access 2000
This article was previously published under Q209053
Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

SYMPTOMS

When you try to delete the Admin user, you may receive the following message:

Are you sure you want to delete this account?
You can't undo the deletion of a user or group account. To restore a user or group account that has been deleted, you must recreate the account using the same name and personal identifier (PID).

If you click Yes, you receive the following error message:
Cannot perform this operation.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because in Microsoft Access you cannot delete any of the default user or group accounts. The default accounts are as follows:

Admin, Admins, and Users

RESOLUTION

It is not necessary to delete the default users and groups. Instead, you can create alternate users and groups, and then disable the default users and groups.

MORE INFORMATION

How to Disable the Admin User

NOTE: Microsoft Access requires that there be at least one user in the Admins group. Before disabling the Admin user, you need to create another user account and include it in the Admins group.

To disable the Admin user, follow these steps:
  1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample file Northwind.mdb
  2. If prompted for a user ID and password, type the user name and password of a user who is also a member of the Admins group.
  3. On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click User and Group Accounts on the menu that appears.
  4. On the Users tab, select Admin as the user, and Admins as the group. Click Remove. Notice that now the Admin user is a member of only the Users group. Click OK to close the window.

REFERENCES

For more information about work with user and group accounts, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type security user accounts in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about securing a Microsoft Access database, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type secure a microsoft access database in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about joining or creating new workgroups, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type work with a workgroup information file in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/26/2005
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB209053
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.