what if user deletes some file from installed folder - deployment

Question

I have created windows application setup using Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate, .Net Framework version 4.0 and Access database ,It is getting installed properly in default location ,but I want to know what if user deletes some file or data from this location ,what can I do for this ?what is the right way?

Answer 1

You have many choices to do that:
1. Use the Compiled Executable Version of Your MS Access Database File.
You can compile your database into an Executable File.
But I don't know that you can access to it from other Programming Languages like C# or not. I think you must search the Internet.
In MS Access 2013:
Go to the File -> Save As -> Save Database As -> Make ACCDE "File will be compiled into an executable only file."
In MS Access 2010:
Go to the File -> Save & Publish -> Save Database As -> Make ACCDE
In MS Access 2007:
Go to the Database Tools ribbon tab -> Make ACCDE (in the Database Tools group)
2. Encrypt Database with the Password.
You can save your MS Access database file with Password; in this way, you must set the Password in database connection string for accessing to it.
In MS Access 2013:
Go to the File -> Info -> Encrypt with Password "Use a password to restrict access to your database. Files that use the 2007 Microsoft Access file format or later are encrypted."
Go to the File -> Info -> Decrypt Database "Removes the password from this database."
In MS Access 2010:
Go to the File -> Info -> Encrypt with Password
Go to the File -> Info -> Decrypt Database
In MS Access 2007:
Go to the Database Tools ribbon tab -> Encrypt with Password (in the Database Tools group)
Go to the Database Tools ribbon tab -> Decrypt Database (in the Database Tools group)
3. Backup Your Main Database.
You can create a backup version of your database in somewhere else; you can do this with two ways:
Write some codes for create a backup file from your database with the backup ability of the MS Access. You can do this manually from MS Access program:
In MS Access 2013:
Go to the File -> Save As -> Save Database As -> Back Up Database "Back up important database regularly to prevent data loss."
In MS Access 2010:
Go to the File -> Save & Publish -> Save Database As -> Back Up Database
In MS Access 2007:
Go to the Microsoft Office Button -> Manage -> Back Up Database (under Manage this database)
For creating A backup file, you can simply create a copy of your file with writing some codes to do that.
The scenario for doing both is as follows:
Add or Call your codes for closing time of your application program that is closed by the end-user. Run your codes in the background Thread(s). Copy or back up it in somewhere like as follows:
%WINDIR%..\ProgramData\YourSubFolder(s)
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\YourSubFolder(s)
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\YourSubFolder(s)
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\YourSubFolder(s)
Somewhere else like:
Another folder in your program root folder or sub-folders(s)
Another folder in where you want
Etc.
Hint: You can change attributes of your database file (in the root folder or sub-folder(s) of your program) and/or its backup file (in somewhere else) to the Read-only, Hidden, System, Read-only + Hidden, Read-only + System, Hidden + System or Read-only + Hidden + System for increasing security.
You can't see Hidden files in default mode of displaying items; so, for see Hidden items, you must do the following:
or
You can't see System files in default mode of displaying items; so, for see System items, you must do the following:
With doing this scenario, you can add some codes for running in the start-up time of your program for checking is there Database in its folder or not. And if it can't find the main database, just copy your database simply from backup folder to its initial folder in your application folder/sub-folder(s).
4. Change the Security Attributes of the Main and Backup Database.
You can change the security attributes for the Main Database (in the root folder or sub-folder(s) of your program) and its backup file (in somewhere else) to restrict access to both of them as follows:
Add or Call your codes in closing time of your application program that is closed by the end-user. Run your codes after completing background Thread(s) for backup the Main Database (if you're used Backup Scenario). These codes must change the Security attributes to the specific Windows OS or User-defined (must define by you if you want to use it) Group or User. With this method, when program isn't running, no one can access to both database files.
Remember that you must add or call some codes for changing the Security attributes of both databases in start-up time of your application program; because they must accessible by the application.
If you want to use a Group, you can do the following:
In order of what I mentioned above, THE BEST SOLUTION IS:
Hybrid method:
Combine all methods together for achieve to the better and more secure method:
Compiled Executable Version of the MS Access Database File + Encryption with the Password + Backing Up the Main Database + Changing Security Attributes for Both Databases