Create a 32-bit DSN on 64-bit machine for SQL Server

By: Jugal Shah | Comments (9) | Related: > SQL Server Configurations

Problem

During the install of an application on a 64-bit Windows machine, the application was unable to list the ODBC System DSN because it had been setup as a 64-bit DSN and the application needed a 32-bit system DSN for connectivity to SQL Server. In this tip, we cover how to create a 32-bit DSN on 64-bit machine.

Solution

Before creating the DSN make sure the SQL Server Native client component is installed on the machine. You can install the SQL Server native client either from the SQL Server media or by downloading it from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=16978.

Below are the steps to create a 32-bit DSN on a 64-bit machine.

Step 1
On the 64-bit machine where the application is installed, open the Microsoft Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator using one of the methods shown below.

Open C:\WINDOWS\SYSWOW64\odbc32.exe or type %systemdrive%\Windows\SysWoW64\Odbcad32.exe in the Run window.

syswow64 odbc

Step 2
Select the System DSN tab and click on the Add... button.

system dsn

Step 3
Select the SQL Server Native Client 10.0 from the list and click on the Finish button.

create new data source

Step 4
Specify the data source name, description and the SQL Server instance name. Click Next to proceed.

create new data source sql server

Step 5
Select the authentication mode as per the requirement. For SQL authentication, specify the SQL login name and password. Click Next to proceed.

create new data source sql server

Step 6
Select the desired application database from drop down list and click Next.

create new sql server data source

Step 7
Click on Finish and test the data source connectivity.

complete sql server odbc setup

Next Steps

Document the DSN details for the application connectivity
As you may have noticed, the real trick is running the 32-bit version of the ODBC Data Source Administrator

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About the author

MSSQLTips author Jugal Shah

Jugal Shah has 8+ years of extensive SQL Server experience and has worked on SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2008 R2.

This author pledges the content of this article is based on professional experience and not AI generated.

View all my tips

Comments For This Article

Wednesday, April 29, 2015 - 1:55:50 AM - Manimala

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Hi Jugal Shah,

I am new to DB,this post helped me. Recently we are doing migration from windows 2003 server to windows 2008 server (32- bit to 64- bit).

After installing application in new server, it is not pinging the DB, faced problem in ODBC connection.Could you explain me why we need to create this system DSN? We were using User DSN in 32- bit system but it didn't work now. Any idea why user DSN does n't work in 64- it system.

Thanks,

Thursday, December 19, 2013 - 9:25:12 AM - ndeye

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Hi Jugal,

thanks for this post, very useful.

I'm not familiar with SQL.

I'm failing to install vmware update manager because it needs 32 bit DSN. I've tried to follow your procedure but I can't pass the step where the wizard connects to SQL server. It fails and i have 53 error code.

Could you help please.

Monday, January 9, 2012 - 8:45:33 PM - Armena	Back To Top (15576)
I'm not wohrty to be in the same forum. ROTFL

Sunday, October 2, 2011 - 11:40:19 PM - Jugal

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Hi Mike,

As per the error message, you have to install the client components (which will install the Oracle driver).

Thanks,

Jugal Shah

Friday, September 30, 2011 - 1:52:14 PM - Mike Washington

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Jugal:

1. Firewall is not blocking the port required for Oracle 11G. The firewall is open and the actual version is 10g (sorry for the confusion about the version being used).

2. Check the ODBC driver or Oracle client component is installed on your Win 7 Box. The client version is installed on the win7 box.

3. You are able to ping the Oracle Machine from Win 7. I can ping and log into the oracle machine from the win7 box.

4. Account has proper access to Oracle database. Yes.

The actual message that I get is the folowing:

The Oracle(tm) lcient and networking components were not found. These components are supplied by oracle corporation and are part of the Oracle Version 7.3 (or greater) client software installation. You will be unable to use this driver until these components have been installed.

With that being said, I'm not sure or completely understand why I have received that message even after installing Oracle 10g administrator option on the win7 box... Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

Friday, September 30, 2011 - 12:54:51 PM - Mike Washington

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Jugal:

When I attempt to perform a ODBC test connetion to the oracle 11g database I received an error message indicating I needed to install the oracle driver eventhough I had installed the oracle driver.

Mike

Thursday, September 29, 2011 - 1:03:37 AM - Jugal

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Hi Mike,

Are you getting any specific error while connecting to Oracle 11G through ODBC? Can you please share the error details. Please check the below items as well.

1. Firewall is not blocking the port required for Oracle 11G.

2. Check the ODBC driver or Oracle client component is installed on your Win 7 Box

3. You are able to ping the Oracle Machine from Win 7

4. Account has proper access to Oracle database

Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 1:09:59 PM - Mike Washington

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How would this solution work for accessing an oracle 11g database via ODBC on win7 box? When I had win xp accessing the oracle 11g database via odbc but when I moved to win7 I could no longer access the oracle 11g database. Please help.

Thanks,

Mike

Thursday, September 22, 2011 - 7:56:29 AM - Babji talluri	Back To Top (14721)
Thanks jugal,Nice article!!