> I'm very much a beginner but about a year ago I wrote a Visual Basic
> program using a small Access database which i had set up.
>
> I had to abandon the project but have now come back to it but when I try
> to run the program i get the error message -
> "Can't start your application.  The workgroup information file is
> missing or being used exclusively by another user"
>
> This is apparently an message from Access.  I have read the Microsoft
> Support KB article about it but still don't know what to do.  I have
> never knowingly "secured" this database.  I am not interested in doing
> so for this is a home computer.  There is no group although there is a
> small Wireless LAN with my wife's computer.  She never uses Access.
>
> The file system.mdw does exist and is in the right place.
>
> I'm sure the question has been asked a hundred times on this forum.  But
> what do I do ?
>
> Stuart

> Check the Windows permission on the folder where the system.mdw exists -
> do you have permission to it?
>
> What version of Access?  If >= 2002 then it should create a new mdw for
> you, if it can't find one.
>
> Joan Wild
> MS Access MVP
>
> Stuart Grant wrote:
>> I'm very much a beginner but about a year ago I wrote a Visual Basic
>> program using a small Access database which i had set up.
>>
>> I had to abandon the project but have now come back to it but when I
>> try to run the program i get the error message -
>> "Can't start your application.  The workgroup information file is
>> missing or being used exclusively by another user"
>>
>> This is apparently an message from Access.  I have read the Microsoft
>> Support KB article about it but still don't know what to do.  I have
>> never knowingly "secured" this database.  I am not interested in doing
>> so for this is a home computer.  There is no group although there is a
>> small Wireless LAN with my wife's computer.  She never uses Access.
>>
>> The file system.mdw does exist and is in the right place.
>>
>> I'm sure the question has been asked a hundred times on this forum. 
>> But what do I do ?
>>
>> Stuart

> Check the Windows permission on the folder where the system.mdw exists -
> do you have permission to it?
>
> What version of Access?  If >= 2002 then it should create a new mdw for
> you, if it can't find one.
>
> Joan Wild
> MS Access MVP
>
> Stuart Grant wrote:
>> I'm very much a beginner but about a year ago I wrote a Visual Basic
>> program using a small Access database which i had set up.
>>
>> I had to abandon the project but have now come back to it but when I
>> try to run the program i get the error message -
>> "Can't start your application.  The workgroup information file is
>> missing or being used exclusively by another user"
>>
>> This is apparently an message from Access.  I have read the Microsoft
>> Support KB article about it but still don't know what to do.  I have
>> never knowingly "secured" this database.  I am not interested in doing
>> so for this is a home computer.  There is no group although there is a
>> small Wireless LAN with my wife's computer.  She never uses Access.
>>
>> The file system.mdw does exist and is in the right place.
>>
>> I'm sure the question has been asked a hundred times on this forum. 
>> But what do I do ?
>>
>> Stuart

> Thanks for answering and apologies for delay in responding.
>
> I have permission for the folder with the system.mdw.  I have permission
> for everything as administrator.
>
> Veraion is Access 2003.
>
> Stuart Grant
>
> Joan Wild wrote:
>> Check the Windows permission on the folder where the system.mdw exists
>> - do you have permission to it?
>>
>> What version of Access?  If >= 2002 then it should create a new mdw
>> for you, if it can't find one.
>>
>> Joan Wild
>> MS Access MVP
>>
>> Stuart Grant wrote:
>>> I'm very much a beginner but about a year ago I wrote a Visual Basic
>>> program using a small Access database which i had set up.
>>>
>>> I had to abandon the project but have now come back to it but when I
>>> try to run the program i get the error message -
>>> "Can't start your application.  The workgroup information file is
>>> missing or being used exclusively by another user"
>>>
>>> This is apparently an message from Access.  I have read the Microsoft
>>> Support KB article about it but still don't know what to do.  I have
>>> never knowingly "secured" this database.  I am not interested in
>>> doing so for this is a home computer.  There is no group although
>>> there is a small Wireless LAN with my wife's computer.  She never
>>> uses Access.
>>>
>>> The file system.mdw does exist and is in the right place.
>>>
>>> I'm sure the question has been asked a hundred times on this forum. 
>>> But what do I do ?
>>>
>>> Stuart

>Do a search on your computer for *.mdw; be sure to include system and
>hidden folders in the search.
>
>Rename every mdw file you find.
>
>Then open Access, and it will create a new mdw for you.
>
>Joan Wild
>MS Access MVP
>
>> Thanks for answering and apologies for delay in responding.
>>
>[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>>>>
>>>> Stuart

> I set up user level security on my database, and now when one of my users who
> has "admin" privileges the same as mine tries to do a mail merge, she gets
> the same error.  I checked to see if anyone else had the DB open and they did
> not.  The strange thing is that she can create a mail merge document and gain
> access to the DB to create her letter.  However, after she saves the template,
> she cannot go back in and use it for future mail merges.  We also cannot
> access it from Access to do the mail merge.  It is on a network drive, and my
> IT guys looked at it and can't figure it out either.
>
> It does work on my computer.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Joan Wild wrote:
>> Do a search on your computer for *.mdw; be sure to include system and
>> hidden folders in the search.
>>
>> Rename every mdw file you find.
>>
>> Then open Access, and it will create a new mdw for you.
>>
>> Joan Wild
>> MS Access MVP
>>
>>> Thanks for answering and apologies for delay in responding.
>>>
>> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>>>>> Stuart
>