Here is my steps: Download and install MS Access database engine 2016, and I can query sample databases. Please note I have a 64 bit PC, but I have to install 32 bit as the set-up instructed. In my vb.net project, I want to connect to the MS Access. In visual studio I NuGet System.Data.Oledb. In visual basic code I use "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0" to connect. but I got an error: The 'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0' provider is not registered in the local machine. I follow the link https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/ask.html to enable 32 bit, still get the same OLEDB error In control panel I cannot find the drivers of Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0. My question is where can I download the OLEDB or ODBC driver to connect to MS Access? Thanks!

I installed both 32 and 64-bit versions on my OS (Windows 10, 64-bit, but Office 2016 32-bit ) (with flag /quiet ) from Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable and it works with "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0" or "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"

vb.net cannot connect to MS Access database

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Castorix31 86,311 Reputation points

2021-02-16T15:29:13.21+00:00

I installed both 32 and 64-bit versions on my OS (Windows 10, 64-bit, but Office 2016 32-bit ) (with flag /quiet)
from Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable
and it works with "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0" or "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
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1 person found this answer helpful.
jinshou xiao 26 Reputation points

2021-02-16T16:13:55.397+00:00

Thank you very much for your information. But I got the error with both of your Provider.
When you install the 32 bit, do you change some settings or just install everything by default?

Castorix31 86,311 Reputation points

2021-02-16T16:24:56.733+00:00

I did it a long time ago, but I just had to add "/quiet" to install 32-bit drivers above 64-bit drivers that I had installed first

(there are similar articles on Google like this one for 2010 : Installing the Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0 Provider for Both 64-bit and 32-bit Processing
(/passive instead of /quiet)

jinshou xiao 26 Reputation points

2021-02-16T16:54:05.383+00:00

This is great! I'll follow the pdf to do it.

Thank you so much!

jinshou xiao 26 Reputation points

2021-02-16T21:01:58.273+00:00

Now the problem is resolved. I did the following steps:

This morning, in command prompt, I type

C:\Users\User\Downloads\accessdatabaseengine_X64.exe /quiet

However, it finishes immediately. I suspect whether the set up was performed or not. But I wait for several hours, pretending it is doing the set up.

I installed access runtime for 2013. After installation of this, it still does not work.

In the afternoon I pretended the accessdatabaseengine_X64.exe set up is done. Try connection, it still does not work.

I checked the connection string, and found I miss a ";". After adding the ;, I can do query in MS Access.

Anyway my problems are resolved, but I'm not sure in step1-3 which is the root cause.

Thank you again!
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