ACC: "Communication Link Failure" Err Msg Using RAS and ODBC

ID: Q128884

The information in this article applies to:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat).

SYMPTOMS

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

When you connect to a SQL Server database using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) and Remote Access Service (RAS), you receive the following ODBC error message:

Communication Link Failure


CAUSE

This error can occur if the following conditions are met:

When you shut down a RAS connection, RAS closes the connection to the SQL Server. Microsoft Access, however, believes the connection is still open because it did not close the connection. So, Microsoft Access tries to reuse the same connection without reconnecting. This causes the error.


RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, avoid closing the RAS connection. Also, fix any hardware problems that may be causing the RAS connection to close.

You can also set the ConnectionTimeout value in the Windows 95 registry (for Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97) or in the [ODBC] section of the MSACC20.INI (for version 2.0) to a smaller value. By default, Microsoft Access assumes it to be 600 seconds. To have Microsoft Access close the ODBC connection after 10 seconds if it is not being used, follow the steps appropriate for your version of Microsoft Access.

NOTE: By default, the ConnectionTimeout setting is not included in the MSACC20.INI file for version 2.0 or the Windows 95 registry for version 7.0.

In Microsoft Access 97

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. The ODBC settings are all written to the registary during setup. Locate the ConnectionTimeout value in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHIN\SOFTWARE\Microsoft Jet\3.5\Engines\ODBC.


  2. Double-Click on ConnectionTimeout, type 10 in Value data, and then click OK.


In Microsoft Access 7.0

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
  1. Add a new key named ODBC under the 
    
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Access/7.0/Jet/3.0/Engines key


  2. Add the following new value to the ODBC key: 
    
      Name: ConnectionTimeout
      Type: DWORD
      Value: 10


In Microsoft Access version 2.0

Add the following line to the [ODBC] section of the MSACC20.INI file: 

   ConnectionTimeout=10

Because Microsoft Access initiates the disconnection with this setting, it knows to reconnect before using the connection again.

NOTE: This change to the ConnectionTimeout setting may reduce performance because Microsoft Access must create an ODBC connection more frequently over the RAS connection.


REFERENCES

For more information about creating ODBC registry settings in Microsoft Access 7.0, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q139044 ACC95: How to Add Former MSACC20.INI ODBC Section to Registry 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbusage OdbcOthr 
Version           : 2.0 7.0 97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: April 9, 1999