INFO: Required Files to Install MDAC 1.5 (ODBC/OLEDB/ADO/RDS)

• Microsoft Data Access Components, version 1.5
• Microsoft Open Database Connectivity, version 3.5
• Microsoft OLE DB, version 1.5
• ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), version 1.5
• Remote Data Service for ADO version 1.5

SUMMARY

This article addresses the system requirements on Windows NT and Windows 95 for the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) standalone setup program. There has been some confusion and incorrect information made available regarding exactly what is required both for the standalone setup program to run, as well as the components it installs, including ODBC 3.5, OLE DB 1.5, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 1.5, and Remote Data Service (RDS) 1.5.

MORE INFORMATION

Requirements for the MDAC Standalone Setup

The Microsoft Data Access Components can be installed by one of three standalone EXE files for the Intel platform (Mdac_nts.exe for Windows NT 4.0 Server, Mdac_ntw.exe for Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Mdac_95.exe for Windows 95), and two standalone EXE's for the Alpha platform (Mdac_as.exe for Windows NT 4.0 Server on Alpha and Mdac_aw.exe for Windows NT 4.0 Workstation on Alpha).

The download page for the MDAC version 1.5 standalone setup program indicates that Internet Explorer 4.0 is required for the Windows 95 version of the MDAC standalone setup program. This is incorrect. The required version of Comctl32.dll, which ships with Internet Explorer version 3.x. This version of Comctl32.dll is available in a separate download from Internet Explorer version 3.x, as described in the Knowledge Base article below. It is also freely redistributable. As long as this version (or newer) of Comctl32.dll is available on your Windows 95 machine, the MDAC standalone EXE will install correctly.

Both the original release of Windows 95 and the updated OEM version requires this update to Comctl32.dll.

Windows NT 4.0, both Intel and Alpha, already include a newer version of Comctl32.dll than was shipped with Windows 95.

Requirements of the MDAC Components

In addition, OLE DB, ADO, and RDS all require the updated OLE Automation files. The four OLE Automation files are:

   Oleaut32.dll
   Olepro32.dll
   Asycfilt.dll
   Stdole2.tlb

What Happens on Windows 95 Without These Patches?

Missing the patch to Oleaut32.dll does not generate a specific error. Instead, anything (OLE DB, ADO, RDS) that uses OLE Automation may fail to work correctly.

With Comctl32.dll, the symptoms are much more specific. The MDAC standalone setup dialog box appears several times wider than the actual screen display. You cannot see the buttons that let you move to the next step in the setup process without moving the dialog box's left edge off the screen. If you do proceed to the next step, you will see an error message similar to the one below as the setup fails:

   SYSOCMGR caused a divide error in USER.EXE
   at 0004:00053D9

REFERENCES

For additional information on how to obtain the updates for Oleaut32.dll and Comctl32.dll, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q164529
   TITLE     : FILE: Updated Automation System Files

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165487
   TITLE     : Incorrect or Garbled Text on Tab Labels in Properties

   ARTICLE-ID: Q177514
   TITLE     : PRB: Installing MDAC/ADO/RDS on NT Requires Admin Privileges

   ARTICLE-ID: Q177136
   TITLE     : INFO: Required Files to Install MDAC 1.5
               (ODBC/OLEDB/ADO/RDS)

Keywords          : kbinterop kbother
Technology        : ole odbc
Version           : WINDOWS:1.5,3.5
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo