What would cause DSN file to change database to master?

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What would cause DSN file to change database to master?

WayneS

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April 29, 2009 at 8:22 am

#95130

Users access sql server via MS Access 2003, with DSN connections. In sql, there is a domain group where the default db is set to their db. Yesterday users started having problems, where they weren't seeing the tables in their database. It ends up that somehow, all users have had their dsn's changes from their db to master. The group login was still pointing to their db.
What would cause this?
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
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GSquared SSC Guru Points: 260824 More actions · Answer 1

Most likely, a change in the domain. Otherwise, something changed in the DNS files or the server.

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WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 2

GSquared (4/29/2009)
Most likely, a change in the domain.

Agreed. Investigating to see if any updates might have been pushed to the workstations.

Otherwise, something changed in the DNS files

What would have changed them? The users didn't. They need the help desk to make the changes.

or the server.

What could have changed on the server to affect multiple users DSN entries? Since these are "System" DSNs, all of the settings are stored in the user's registry... and the user's can't get to that except through the "Data Sources (ODBC)" control panel applet.

I just got back from visiting the users. They all share an access "program" (though only one can be in it at a time). They are using linked tables with the DSN. This needs for all of the users to have the same named DSN, with the same properties. Some of the users had a different name (space vs. underscore). However, several also had their "Change the default database to:" unchecked, and those had the "master" database selected (though dimmed).

Once the DSNs are changed to be consistent, then there doesn't appear to be any problems.

But, with many users, this is a PIA. I'm just looking for ways that all of these user's settings could have been altered.

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

Steve Jones - SSC Editor SSC Guru Points: 736478 More actions · Answer 3

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

SSC Guru

Points: 736478

April 29, 2009 at 10:38 am

#986118

Any changes to databases? renames?

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 4

Nothing about the databases or the servers the database is on was changed.

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

xitiz.barve Grasshopper Points: 19 More actions · Answer 5

Just today, Similar scenario occurred for all the users at my end as well. System DSN for a DB somehow got changed to master on that server for al teh users in domain. Now, Though I am able to change the DSN back to the db manually on my local machine, but it is still a chaos among all other users. I checked with the DBA and there was no change to the database or the server hosting the database. Please keep posted if someone finds the reason and how do you deal with such situation.