SQL Compact Edition 3.5 - Access to the database file is not allowed

Question

I developed an application (100% local, no access to servers) using SQL Server Compact 3.5, and it works fine on my computer. However, when I deployed it on another computer, it shows this error:

Access to the database file is not allowed. [ File name = data\BDApepucCE.sdf ]

I deployed on a Windows XP computer. It shows this error whenever I try to write on the database, however, it works when I read.

I did a test on a Windows 7 computer, and it worked 100%, except when the file was accessed through the homegroup (that is, local network), on which it failed on both read/write.

Platform: Windows 7, Visual Studio 2010, and .NET 4 Client Profile

Did you ever figure out this problem? I'm having the same issue — wangburger, May 10 '11 at 19:36
I did, although i don't remember the solution now. I may be able to find the solution when i get home, if you still want it. — WoF_Angel, May 16 '11 at 12:41
Sadly, its been like 2 days and I can't remember what I did to fix it. I got around it though. Thanks — wangburger, May 16 '11 at 12:53
giving read/write permissions to the Sdf file to IIS_USERS fixed this issue for me on Windows 7 — Brendan Kendrick, Feb 17 '12 at 02:12
giving read/write permissions to the sdf file to the [local computer]\Users fixed this issue for me on Win 10 (win-from application) — Asaf, Aug 16 '15 at 17:54

score 20 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 12 '13 at 14:50

20

Make sure you use |DataDirectory| in your connection string. Here is an example

connectionString="Data Source=|DataDirectory|MyDB.sdf"

I had the exact same problem ay you and I managed to fix it by adding the |DataDirectory| to my connection string.

Good luck.

edited Aug 12 '13 at 14:50

Ian Boyd

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answered Mar 14 '11 at 08:12

Payman

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Just for clarity's sake, your answer worked for me, but with only |DataDirectory| preceding the file name, not including any asterisks. – Aug 17 '12 at 22:26

score 16 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 24 '11 at 22:10

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This worked for me: http://solutionevangelist.com/community/discussion/20/access-to-the-database-file-is-not-allowed.-system.data.sqlserverce.sqlceexception/p1

It it usually a permissions issue. I give "Everyone" full permissions to the .sdf file in App_Data, either via the GUI, or using
icacls database.sdf /grant Everyone:F

answered Dec 24 '11 at 22:10

Whiz

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This worked for me. I modified the Windows ACL /permissions on the App_Data directory. Gave permissions to Authenticated Users. – p.campbell Feb 22 '12 at 20:23
Funcionou pra mim também dei acesso ao arquivo e voila. – Jeterson Miranda Gomes Sep 09 '17 at 11:42

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 31 '12 at 14:29

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I also had this same problem. My solution was in TFS/SourceControl at the time when I deployed it and the sdf file was checked-in (ie read-only) and this caused me the exact same error as above. When I checked out the sdf file and deployed again, everything was fine. Thought I'd share that in case other TFS users experience the same issue.

answered Jul 31 '12 at 14:29

Ghlouw

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Good, but we need a code to automate the removing of "readonly" file attribute once the CAB project is built (maybe using Post Build) – FindOutIslamNow Dec 07 '17 at 06:38

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 07 '10 at 14:43

4

Here are a two other suggestions:

Try to run your Visual Studio as administrator
Check if the 'readonly' attribute is set on the sdf file

answered Sep 07 '10 at 14:43

Edwin de Koning

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Is there a technique to get around the 'readonly' setting? I found this post on MSDN, but it points to a dead link: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlsecurity/thread/d72a020e-bd5e-4f1f-99e3-b77337560021 – Jul 14 '11 at 21:09

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 17 '13 at 01:29

Also you may want to check and see if your Application Pool is using Network Service (not Application Pool) and the Network Service Permissions are set to full control under your AppData folder. This was my problem awhile ago and I forgot how I did it, but this question reminded me of how I did it.

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 04 '14 at 07:16

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You just need to make 'Server Side Includes" allowed under the IIS menu 'Web Services Extensions'

that fixed all my problems.

answered Jul 04 '14 at 07:16

Barkov

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jun 08 '16 at 05:49

The following solution worked for me:

"Program Files" in Windows is protected, so normal users cannot write there, your applications will probably work only with an administrator user.

Change the data folder path for your database to somewhere where all users have permission to write.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Mar 15 '17 at 17:55

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This would not be the typical cause, but I ran into this error message when my connection string had the incorrect path to the CE SDF file. Once I fixed that the error went away.

answered Mar 15 '17 at 17:55

Bryan B

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score -1 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 17 '16 at 12:06

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Just run your application as administrator. I solved my problem using this.

answered Oct 17 '16 at 12:06

Shakir Ali

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Thank you very much, this solves the error when I attemp to make a new SQL CE 4 database in LINQPad4. – sevenkul Feb 05 '17 at 17:58

SQL Compact Edition 3.5 - Access to the database file is not allowed

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