INFO: Redistribution for MDAC 1.5 Components Available

• 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

Redistribution for the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC), including ODBC 3.5, OLE DB 1.5, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 1.5 and the Remote Data Service (RDS), version 1.5 is now available. Two versions of the redistribution can be downloaded from the following Web site:

   http://www.microsoft.com/data/download.htm

Mdacfull.exe for x86 is 3.4 megabytes in size and contains ODBC, OLE DB, ADO, RDS, and the following ODBC Drivers: Microsoft Access, SQL Server, and Oracle.

MORE INFORMATION

Supported Platforms

Unlike the MDAC Standalone setup, the MDAC Redistribution has no operating system dependencies. There is a version for Intel based Windows platforms and a version for Alpha based Windows platforms.

The MDAC Redistribution does require either Windows 95 or Windows NT version 4.0 (Server or Workstation). While ODBC 3.5 has been tested and is supported on Windows NT 3.51, the remaining MDAC components have not been tested and are not supported on Windows NT 3.51. The MDAC Redistribution can be used to install ODBC to Windows NT 3.51 though.

Why no "ODBC-Only" Install?

With this release, the OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers is now a core component of ODBC 3.5 and must be installed in order to run ODBC 3.5 correctly. This redistribution setup contains the minimum configuration necessary to install and run ODBC. The size of the OLE DB Provider, ADO and RDS is actually negligible in comparison to ODBC itself (and various ODBC Drivers).

"Silent" Install Mode

The MDAC 1.5 redistribution package can be installed in silent mode and is invoked by using a command line similar to the following:

   mdacfull /q /c:"setup /Qt"

The best way to avoid this is to ensure that nothing is loaded in memory at the time setup is run, and that the target computer already has the update to the OLE Automation components that the redistribution will otherwise install. The updated OLE Automation components require a reboot if they are installed.

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q178852
   TITLE     : INFO: OLE DB Provider for ODBC now an ODBC 3.5 Core
               Component