A03: Can't Link ODBC Tables

[Neil]

I just started using Access 2003, and I can't link a SQL Server table. I
right-click on the database window; select Link Tables; and select ODBC
Databases from the Files of Type dropdown. As soon as I select ODBC
Databases from the Files of Type dropdown, the entire dialog box disappears.
No error message. Just disappears, and I'm back at the database window.

I have tried this with other databases, including a brand new blank one, and
the results are the same. So it's definitely something in my system, not the
database. I also tried it on another computer I have running Access 2003,
and it works fine. But on this computer, it won't link ODBC.

I applied the SP3 patch last night, but the results are the same.

Any ideas about what I can try, or perhaps a file I can copy from my other
PC, in which Link Tables works?

Thanks!

Neil

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Quite likely, this is your antiviruses at work. Deactivate any protection
related to Office, VBScript or ActiveScript and you should be OK. Later,
when you'll have finished etablishing your linked tables, you can reenable
this protection.

 

[Neil]

The only security I have is my Norton Internet Security, which includes
Norton Antivirus. (This, by the way, is the same product I have on my other
computer, the one with no problems in this regard.) I disabled Norton
Internet Security, but the problem remained. I also checked Windows
Firewall, and it is turned off.

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

If you have NAV 2006, deactivate the Office Plug-in that you will find under
the Miscellaneous tab; if you have NAV 2007, deactivate the Scanning for
Microsoft Office Documents. More info at:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329820/en-us

If you don't find the right item, simply deactivate (temporarily) the whole
anti-viruse package. The Norton Internet Security is simply a firewall and
has nothing to do with this problem (and neither the Windows Firewall).
(However, the firewall can give trouble later when accessing the data
through a linked table.)

 

[Gary Walter]

I just started using Access 2003, and I can't link a SQL Server table. I
right-click on the database window; select Link Tables; and select ODBC
Databases from the Files of Type dropdown. As soon as I select ODBC
Databases from the Files of Type dropdown, the entire dialog box
disappears. No error message. Just disappears, and I'm back at the database
window.

I have tried this with other databases, including a brand new blank one,
and the results are the same. So it's definitely something in my system,
not the database. I also tried it on another computer I have running
Access 2003, and it works fine. But on this computer, it won't link ODBC.

I applied the SP3 patch last night, but the results are the same.

Any ideas about what I can try, or perhaps a file I can copy from my other
PC, in which Link Tables works?

Hi Neil,

If this were AccessXP, I might try checking the following
(not sure about Access 2003):

Close all Access programs.

1) try to find these 3 files on hard drive:

Acwzmain.mde
Acwztool.mde
Acwzlib.mde

{probably in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\ if Access XP}

Do they exist?

2) If so, then start 2 Window Searches

in one, search for Regsvr32.exe
in second, search for accwiz.dll


Drag-and-drop accwiz.dll onto Regsvr32.exe

You should get a message that reg successful.

Does it work properly now?

If not, you might try unregistering the dll,
then reregister.

Like I said before, I am unsure about Access 2003.

good luck,

gary

 

[Jens Schilling]

Hi,

I think you're confusing Norton Internet Security with Norton
Firewall. Norton Internet Security is not simply a firewall; it's an
integration of Norton Firewall, Norton Antivirus, Norton Antispam,
etc., into one module. Disabling Norton Internet Security disables
Norton Antivirus.
However, to make the point, I explicitly disabled the Antivirus
module. Results are the same. So I'm sure that's not it.

Take a look at this thread, and you can read that it's not enough to disable
NAV:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.databases.ms-access/browse_thread/thread/10fa0a14b03dcaf3

Regards
Jens

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Well, the last version of Norton that I've bought was the 2003; so I might
be a little confused with all these name changes that Norton and Symantec
have brought to their list of products.

However, as far as I know, all people who have been confronted with the same
problem as you have found that the cause was their antivirus and in most
cases, it was NAV who was involved. I think that I remember some peoples
having problems with other antiviruses but I'm not sure. I don't remember
anyone who had the same problem as you but with a cause that was rooted into
something else than an antivirus.

 

[Neil]

Well, that resolved it. Thanks so much!

Strange because:

a) didn't have this problem on my other computer with the same configuration
(is an older computer, so I must have disabled that option years ago)

b) didn't have this problem with Access 2000, even with that option turned
on.

Anyway, all is good now. Thanks again!

Neil

 

[Neil]

Yes, those name changes can be confusing. As you can see from the other post
I just posted, the situation is resolved, and you were right about it being
NAV. So thanks so much for your help!

Neil

 

[Jens Schilling]

Hi,

b) didn't have this problem with Access 2000, even with that option
turned on.

It seems that only A03 shows this behaviour - I didn't noticed it for
another version.

Regards
Jens

 

[Neil]

It seems that only A03 shows this behaviour - I didn't noticed it for

another version.

*shaking fist at Microsoft*

 

[terrymandin]

Well, the last version of Norton that I've bought was the 2003; so I might
be a little confused with all these name changes that Norton and Symantec
have brought to their list of products.

However, as far as I know, all people who have been confronted with the same
problem as you have found that the cause was their antivirus and in most
cases, it was NAV who was involved.  I think that I remember some peoples
having problems with other antiviruses but I'm not sure. I don't remember
anyone who had the same problem as you but with a cause that was rooted into
something else than an antivirus.

For details on disabling the Norton Office Plug-in on various Norton
installs, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329820.