32-Bit ODBC Drivers in Windows Server 2008 R2
Lately I’ve been taking advantage of my MSDN subscription (thanks to Ken Simmons‘ competition last month) and playing with some new technologies, initially experimenting with Windows Server 2008 R2. If you hadn’t heard prior to launch period, Microsoft made 2008 R2 64-bit only – probably the right decision to make but whilst the software industry is still making a transition from 32-bit to 64-bit there are bound to be some niggles here and there.
Being a database guy, one of the issues I noticed right away was that the ODBC Data Source Administrator accessible via Control Panel / Administrative Tools is the 64-bit version and can only be used to setup connections for 64-bit ODBC drivers. Not only was the 64-bit version missing the Postgres driver I had just installed, there were no drivers at all other than SQL Server…
It turns out that there are are two, entirely identical ODBC tools and the one that most of us will end up using initially (unless we’re lucky enough to have an all 64-bit architecture) is kept in the basement that is the c:\Windows folder. The 32-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator can be found by going to the Start Menu, selecting Run and executing c:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe as follows…
Once launched, you’ll see a tool that appears to be identical in every way, except that the ‘missing’ ODBC drivers are now available…
Please note that you can’t run both 32-bit and 64-bit tools at the same time so please make sure you close the 64-bit one first, it’s also worth bearing in mind that if you’re running 32-bit applications they will probably be looking for 32-bit DSNs so even if you can get a 64-bit driver for your data source it doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do.
As much as I understand Microsoft’s decision to stop developing 32-bit operating systems, a little bit of a helping hand during the transition period would’ve been nice - perhaps a second shortcut in the Administrative tools folder and the ability to run them simultaneously? The whole thing seems like a confisuing mess in their own words…
The 32-bit version of the ODBC Administrator tool displays 32-bit system DSNs, 32-bit user DSNs, and 64-bit user DSNs. The 64-bit version of the ODBC Administrator tool displays 64-bit system DSNs, 32-bit user DSNs, and 64-bit user DSNs.
To maintain backward compatibility, no resolution for this problem is currently available… to work around this problem, use the appropriate version of the ODBC Administrator tool.
I’ve made my own shortcuts to the 32-bit version and if you’re like me and constantly diving in and out of ODBC Administrator then you’ll probably want to do the same.
Thank you for this information!!!. my problem was result with this
How do I turn off the 64bit ODBC administrator?
Thank you
I’m not sure that you can turn it off, since it would be necessary if you needed to use a 64-bit application. The easiest thing is to make a shortcut to the 32-bit version and place it in a more prominent location (on the Start Menu for example).
[...] Setup CMS + Audit ODBC Sources using c:windowssysWOW64odbcad32.exe (see: 32-Bit ODBC Drivers in Windows Server 2008 R2) [...]
This solution worked for me! Except on Windows 2008 R2… the Postgres drivers don’t display in either 64 or 32-bit versions. Dang!
Strange, it was fine for me – did you use the driver I list on my Tools & ODBC page? There were dozens of different Postgres drivers so you might have installed one that isn’t compatible.
Dear,
Thanks for your help.
Ramehs
Superb… To the point help with screen shots… unlike most of the sites which gives lengthy descriptions with out solution.
Thank you very much for your help.
Got excited too early I guess!!!!
Still I am getting the errors when tried to connect through external systems. I guess the external systems are looking for 64 bit ODBC drivers.
How can I make the external system to use 32 bit ODBC drivers only
how do you close the 64 bit drivers
Hi, not sure what you mean by that – could you expand or drop me an email? Remember, my name is ash and bisql.net is my domain so you should be able to guess the email address (sorry for being vague, I’m paranoid about SPAM).
Sometimes you really have to wonder if MS developers have their heads screwed on the right way. Or at all, really.
Huge thanks for this.
Hi,
On 2008 R2, i created a DSN with 32-bit odbc. But external client applications trying to connect the DB, are unable to find 32-bit DSN, rather they are still only finding 64-bit DSNs. I tried removing the registry entries for the 64-bit DSN. But now i’m getting error on client(cognos) that no DSN available. Is there a way that the client applications (32-bit) see 32-bit DSNs?
Thanks a lot
As far as I know all 32-bit apps will look at 32-bit DSNs and all 64-bit apps will look at 64-bit DSNs – it’s all down to which ones Windows presents. In most cases I setup both DSNs as standard and I don’t tend to have any issues (unless a 64-bit driver is not available).
The one part that concerns me is that you’re talking about registry entries – are you not using the standard ODBC tools?
32-bit = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
64-bit = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
Hope that helps, if not feel free to mail be back the error text and I’ll see if there’s anything I can do.
Thanks for the doc it was good. I was able to see the drivers.
I am not able to connect using BO XI Client tools to our DB2 database.
On the server I have setup the odbc system drivers using 32-bit. Everthing works on the server connection wise but the client tools do not. Any suggestions?
Sorry, I’m not familiar enough with DB2 to answer – if you have more detail you can email me, remember my name is ash and I’m @bisql.net
Thanks a lot!!! It made me crazy trying to find the right ODBC. Your page it’s awesome
Hi All
Thanx for your suggestion and it worked fine since its seems like a temprory solution, are there any way to get odbc driver direct under DSN like in 32 bit?
Excellent, I was able to complete my migration. Thank you!!!