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

ID: Q177136

The information in this article applies to:

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. In fact, what is needed is the version of Comctl32.dll that originally shipped with Internet Explorer 3.x. This version of Comctl32.dll is now available in a separate download, as described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article listed in the REFERENCES section. The updated Comctl32.dll file is also freely redistributable. As long as this version (or newer) of Comctl32.dll is available on your Windows 95 computer, 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

These files must be kept together; you cannot distribute just one, because unexpected behavior will occur on your computer.

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

This article is one of a series dealing with the redistribution of MDAC components; ODBC, OLE DB, ADO, RDS, the MDAC Standalone, MDAC Redistribution and the Data Access SDK. The whitepaper "Redistributing Microsoft Data Access Components" presents a comprehensive overview of this subject, including referencing the content of this Knowledge Base article. This whitepaper is located at the following Web address:

   http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/news/feature/datajul98/redistmdac.htm


To obtain the updated version of OLE Automation, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q180071
   TITLE     : FILE: Msvbvm50.exe Installs Visual Basic 5.0 Run-Time Files


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

   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

Last Reviewed: August 17, 1998