What you would rather do? A) Spend time troubleshooting a Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) installation to see which components are present, where they're installed, and which versions they are. B) Anything else.
If you chose A, stop reading now. You need therapy, not SQL Server information. If you chose B, you might want to download the Microsoft Component Checker tool.
According to the blurb on Microsoft’s Web site, the Component Checker tool is "designed to help you determine installed version information and diagnose installation issues with the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC). Component Checker runs on the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000. Only 32-bit and 64-bit platforms are supported.
"Component Checker is a customizable tool that performs the following tasks:
- Identifies the current MDAC installation on a computer.
- Creates a series of reports about the files identified for the current MDAC installation.
- Removes the current MDAC installation after listing .dll conflicts and identifying programs that reference a given .dll."
People often ask me where they can get the latest version of MDAC. Bookmark http://www.microsoft.com/data for all your MDAC and related data-access information needs. You'll find all the latest downloads and valuable technical documentation and information.
On a somewhat related note, several weeks ago, one of our readers wrote, "I love the SQL Server Magazine UPDATE editorial you write and you're clearly the smartest person in the world! But I wish you'd offer a little more information for SQL Server developers in addition to the amazingly insightful DBA and architecture advice you give." OK, I seem to have misplaced the email, so it's possible the reader didn't say that he "loved" the editorial or that I was the "smartest person in the world." But I'm positive he asked for more developer coverage. I'm more of a DBA at heart so it's easy for me to get stuck in the DBA groove, but I promise to try harder in the new year. I hope this MDAC checker and related information is something new and valuable to you!
