[AccessD] Getting around old workgroup security

Y'all might remember me picking your brains on this one before...but now it has become a bit more of a must do issue...
 
One of our departments went behind my back a few years back and had an outside programmer come in and write a program for them. The program has been a thorn in my side, and has been nothing but problems since its inception. 
 
The biggest problem is that this guy used workgroup security. I am NOT a fan of Access' security...I think there are, in a network environment anyhow, better ways to do this and access just gets in the way.  I had worked w/this programmer on a past project, and I stressed this to him at that time. But, since I was unaware of this one even taking place, I could not steer this one. 
 
The current issue is that the program, which was written in A97, does not work properly in our updated environment. Windows 7 does not like Access 97...I know you CAN get it to work, and I HAVE...but it a pain to do so, and it never seems to be quite right. I want to update this program, but I cannot seem to do it...roadblocks at every turn. 
 
My initial plan was to open it up in A97, and then get rid of the security. But this did not work. There must be something w/the libraries because on two different installs, pieces of A97 just wouldn't work. 
 
This also shut down plan B, because that plan was to create a new DB and import the pieces. But, I cannot even create a new DB...Access 97 shuts down when I try. 
 
Is there ANY way to get rid of workgroups w/out opening this thing in A97? 
 

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