Access 2007 not showing System Data Sources (Windows7 64 Bit)

[mdProgrammer]

Not sure if this is more of an Access issue, or Windows issue, but it relates to Access.

I have a vbscript which creates System DSN using an account with administrative rights. This script works fine in Windows XP computers, and Windows 7 computers. The ODBC connection is added to the System DSN.

But, this is where the difference comes in. When I open an Access 2007 database in Windows 7, it doesn't list the ODBC connections in the Machine Data Source tab. On WinXP systems, this works as expected (ODBCs are also added to Machine Data Sources). I tried this with both a 32 bit and 64 bit ODBC drivers. So, why isn't this working?

The only alternative I see is to enter in a Machine Data Source for each computer (which then doesn't show up in the System Data Sources tab in the ODBC Data Source Administrator form). This is something I don't want to do.

 

[mdProgrammer]

Ok, I figured it out... (Microsoft is very sneaky!)

For reference if anyone else is having this issue -

In Windows 7 64 bit, there are two system folders, "System32" and "SysWow64". Apparently, there's *two* versions of "odbcad32.exe". The default one seemed to be in the System32 folder. When I ran the one in the 64 bit folder, I found the ODBCs that I had added when in Access 2007 (I was wondering how to delete those, too).

So, the solution is this -

- Use the ODBC in the SysWOW64 folder.


Now I'm off to make my ODBC vbscripts add to the correct registry based on if it's a 32 or 64 bit OS...

 

[knot22]

This is the exact same problem I am having. However, I don't know how to go about using the 64-bit version for the ODBCs I set up. They appear in the Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Data Sources (ODBC) --> System DSN but I don't see any options to use the 32-bit or the 64-bit version. Does anyone know step-by-step instructions on how to do this so those System DSNs appear in MS Access 2007?

 

[PHV]

ODBC 64-bit version:
simply use the Control Panel

ODBC 32-bit version:
open the SysWOW64 folder in an explorer window
double click the odbcad32.exe program

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886