How to Connect to Access 2002 database on Windows 11 using OLEDB in VS2019

Question

How to Connect to Access 2002 database on Windows 11 using OLEDB in VS2019

Michael Marchand 0

I have written an application in C# using VS2019 that needs to connect to a Microsoft Access 2002 database. It works well on a Windows 10 machine but won't work on a Windows 11 machine. The error is that Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 is not registered on the machine. I downloaded the redistributable but the Windows 11 machine says that this file could harm the system. What are my alternatives?

Karen Payne MVP 35,586 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2023-01-20T02:10:24.6766667+00:00

You are better off using SQL-Server Express edition or for a personal project, localDb which is installed with Visual Studio rather than Microsoft Access. If you happen to go with SQL-Server you manage the databases using SSMS.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-20T02:15:48.46+00:00

I don't disagree at all, but the Access database in question is owned by a client. Part of this effort is to get them away from Access and into a SQL Server sol

Jack J Jun 25,296

@Michael Marchand, Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, based on my test, I could connect to a Microsoft Access 2002 database by using the following code in windows 11:

OleDbConnection con = new OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\\Users\\Administrator\\Desktop\\Test2.mdb;Persist Security Info=False;");
con.Open();
DataTable dt=new DataTable();
using (OleDbCommand comm = new OleDbCommand())
{
comm.CommandText = "Select * from Student";
comm.Connection = con;
using (OleDbDataAdapter da = new OleDbDataAdapter())
{
da.SelectCommand = comm;
da.Fill(dt);
}
}
con.Close();

Please check if you used the above code. Did you install the office software in windows 11? I installed office 2016.

Michael Marchand 0

@Jack J Jun. This is the code I'm using:

public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
       private String Connect = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;DataSource=C:\\Users\\raust\\Documents\\Bam.mdb;";
 
      public String ConnectionString
        {
            get { return Connect; }
        }

       private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
       { 
            String stSMfg;
            String strSQL = "Select DISTINCT MfgCode From Mfg ORDER BY MfgCode";
            OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString);
            OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(strSQL, Connection);
            OleDbDataReader reader;
            IDataRecord dr;
            try
            {
                Connection.Open();
                reader = command.ExecuteReader();
                if(reader.HasRows)
                {
                    while(reader.Read())
                    {
                        dr = (IDataRecord)reader;
                        cboMfg.Items.Add(dr["MfgCode"]);
                    }
                }
            }
            catch(Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Error", ex.Message, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
            }
            finally
            {
                Connection.Close();
                command.Dispose();
            }
       }
 }

The error returned is "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 is not registered on this machine"

The solution, according to all the websites that "know", is to download Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable.

I did that and the Windows 11 operating system said that the file could harm the OS, so I didn't install it.

I believe that the Access install is from a CD they purchased back in 2002 and it is used on the Windows 11 machine and a couple of Windows XP machines all pointing to the database on the Windows 11 machine.

Michael Marchand 0

I don't see the reply I posted for @Jack J Jun so I will repost it.

This is the code I wrote:

public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
       private String Connect = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\\Users\\raust\\Documents\\Bam.mdb;";
 
      public String ConnectionString
        {
            get { return Connect; }
        }

       private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
       { 
            String stSMfg;
            String strSQL = "Select DISTINCT MfgCode From Mfg ORDER BY MfgCode";
            OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString);
            OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(strSQL, Connection);
            OleDbDataReader reader;
            IDataRecord dr;
            try
            {
                Connection.Open();
                reader = command.ExecuteReader();
                if(reader.HasRows)
                {
                    while(reader.Read())
                    {
                        dr = (IDataRecord)reader;
                        cboMfg.Items.Add(dr["MfgCode"]);
                    }
                }
            }
            catch(Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Error", ex.Message, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
            }
            finally
            {
                Connection.Close();
                command.Dispose();
            }
       }

I get the error "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 not registered on this machine."

I downloaded the 

The Access application was installed from a CD purchased in 2002 for the local workgroup installation.

Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2023-01-21T05:50:52.5733333+00:00

Did you recompile the program for Windows 11 and accidentally change the options related to "Any CPU", "Prefer 32-bit"? I think that your program must run in 32-bit mode.

In order to check if the provider is available, try creating an empty text file called "test.txt", rename it to "test.udl", open (double-click) it, and check the Provider tab.
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2023-01-24T08:31:24.7166667+00:00

@Michael Marchand , Sorry for the late response, I think you could take the advice from the Viorel's comment. We could change platform from AnyCPU to x86 or x64 to check if it works for you. I had this problem once and I solved it by changing the platform.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-26T02:42:57.0733333+00:00

I changed the code to X86 Only but the problem still remains - Windows 11 claims that installing the redistributable may cause harm to Windows 11. So I guess that is the REAL question - Will the installation of the Microsoft Access 2010 Redistributable damage the Windows 11 installation? I cannot afford to harm a client's OS.
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2023-02-01T05:08:56.1833333+00:00

@Michael Marchand, based on my further test. I find that there is no need to install Microsoft Access 2010 Redistributable. When I set platform to AnyCPU or X86 and click Prefer 32 bit, it will not throw the error is that Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 is not registered on the machine.

BTW, I used console app(.net 4.8）to test it. what is your current app type?

1 answer

Your answer

Karen Payne MVP 35,586 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2023-01-20T02:10:24.6766667+00:00

You are better off using SQL-Server Express edition or for a personal project, localDb which is installed with Visual Studio rather than Microsoft Access. If you happen to go with SQL-Server you manage the databases using SSMS.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-20T02:15:48.46+00:00

I don't disagree at all, but the Access database in question is owned by a client. Part of this effort is to get them away from Access and into a SQL Server sol
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2023-01-20T06:15:50.6+00:00

@Michael Marchand, Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, based on my test, I could connect to a Microsoft Access 2002 database by using the following code in windows 11:

OleDbConnection con = new OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\\Users\\Administrator\\Desktop\\Test2.mdb;Persist Security Info=False;"); con.Open(); DataTable dt=new DataTable(); using (OleDbCommand comm = new OleDbCommand()) { comm.CommandText = "Select * from Student"; comm.Connection = con; using (OleDbDataAdapter da = new OleDbDataAdapter()) { da.SelectCommand = comm; da.Fill(dt); } } con.Close();

Please check if you used the above code. Did you install the office software in windows 11? I installed office 2016.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-21T01:40:48.1033333+00:00

@Jack J Jun. This is the code I'm using:

public partial class Form1 : Form { private String Connect = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;DataSource=C:\\Users\\raust\\Documents\\Bam.mdb;"; public String ConnectionString { get { return Connect; } } private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { String stSMfg; String strSQL = "Select DISTINCT MfgCode From Mfg ORDER BY MfgCode"; OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString); OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(strSQL, Connection); OleDbDataReader reader; IDataRecord dr; try { Connection.Open(); reader = command.ExecuteReader(); if(reader.HasRows) { while(reader.Read()) { dr = (IDataRecord)reader; cboMfg.Items.Add(dr["MfgCode"]); } } } catch(Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show("Error", ex.Message, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error); } finally { Connection.Close(); command.Dispose(); } } }

The error returned is "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 is not registered on this machine"

The solution, according to all the websites that "know", is to download Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable.

I did that and the Windows 11 operating system said that the file could harm the OS, so I didn't install it.

I believe that the Access install is from a CD they purchased back in 2002 and it is used on the Windows 11 machine and a couple of Windows XP machines all pointing to the database on the Windows 11 machine.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-21T02:11:41.32+00:00

I don't see the reply I posted for @Jack J Jun so I will repost it.

This is the code I wrote:

public partial class Form1 : Form { private String Connect = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=C:\\Users\\raust\\Documents\\Bam.mdb;"; public String ConnectionString { get { return Connect; } } private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { String stSMfg; String strSQL = "Select DISTINCT MfgCode From Mfg ORDER BY MfgCode"; OleDbConnection Connection = new OleDbConnection(ConnectionString); OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(strSQL, Connection); OleDbDataReader reader; IDataRecord dr; try { Connection.Open(); reader = command.ExecuteReader(); if(reader.HasRows) { while(reader.Read()) { dr = (IDataRecord)reader; cboMfg.Items.Add(dr["MfgCode"]); } } } catch(Exception ex) { MessageBox.Show("Error", ex.Message, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error); } finally { Connection.Close(); command.Dispose(); } } I get the error "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 not registered on this machine." I downloaded the The Access application was installed from a CD purchased in 2002 for the local workgroup installation.
Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2023-01-21T05:50:52.5733333+00:00

Did you recompile the program for Windows 11 and accidentally change the options related to "Any CPU", "Prefer 32-bit"? I think that your program must run in 32-bit mode.

In order to check if the provider is available, try creating an empty text file called "test.txt", rename it to "test.udl", open (double-click) it, and check the Provider tab.
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2023-01-24T08:31:24.7166667+00:00

@Michael Marchand , Sorry for the late response, I think you could take the advice from the Viorel's comment. We could change platform from AnyCPU to x86 or x64 to check if it works for you. I had this problem once and I solved it by changing the platform.
Michael Marchand 0 Reputation points

2023-01-26T02:42:57.0733333+00:00

I changed the code to X86 Only but the problem still remains - Windows 11 claims that installing the redistributable may cause harm to Windows 11. So I guess that is the REAL question - Will the installation of the Microsoft Access 2010 Redistributable damage the Windows 11 installation? I cannot afford to harm a client's OS.
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2023-02-01T05:08:56.1833333+00:00

@Michael Marchand, based on my further test. I find that there is no need to install Microsoft Access 2010 Redistributable. When I set platform to AnyCPU or X86 and click Prefer 32 bit, it will not throw the error is that Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 is not registered on the machine.

BTW, I used console app(.net 4.8）to test it. what is your current app type?

Answer 1

Hello there,

A 64-bit version of the 'Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable' that will allow you to use the 'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0' provider is available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255

The below thread discusses the same issue and you can try out some troubleshooting steps from this and see if that helps you to sort the Issue. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/296080/how-to-fix-microsoft-ace-oledb-12-0-provider-is-no

Hope this resolves your Query !!

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer–

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How to Connect to Access 2002 database on Windows 11 using OLEDB in VS2019

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