Microsoft Access
Database Engine 2010 Redistributable
There is a bug in the documentation at the download page.
The documentation says:
1.If you are the user of an application, consult your application
documentation for details on how to use the appropriate driver.
2.If
you are an application developer using OLEDB, set the Provider argument
of the ConnectionString property to “Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0”
If
you are connecting to Microsoft Office Excel data, add “Excel 14.0” to
the Extended Properties of the OLEDB connection string.
The "Excel 14.0" is the issue.
It should be "Excel 12.0".
Her are a few connection strings to provide full context.
// Old School Jet, been around for a while
"Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=’C:\MyOldSchoolFile.xls’;Extended Properties=’Excel 8.0;HDR=NO;IMEX=1;’;"
//Newer version with xslx
"Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=’C:\MyXlsXFile.xlsx’;Extended Properties=’Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=NO;IMEX=1;’;"
//Newer version, any xls file
"Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=’C:\AlmostAnyExcelVersionFileRunningUnder64BitOS.xls’;Extended Properties=’Excel 12.0;HDR=NO;IMEX=1;’;"
Don’t take the above as absolute truth. But it should draw attention to the issue (if you’re experiencing it), and help with some more google (errr. bing) searches.
Here are some other phrases which might lead you here.
The OLE DB provider "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0" has not been registered
( Trying to read an excel file on a 64 bit O/S? The purple string above should work for you under a 64 bit O/S. )
"Could not find installable ISAM"
( This might show up because of the "14.0" vs "12.0" bug mentioned above )
GranadaCoder C# Tidbits 
Thank for this post.
As far as I know if I have Office 2007 I can, also, use your recommended connection string. Then, if I install the 2010 Data Access Driver the connection string must be the same. Am I right? How can I be sure I ‘m using the 2010 driver and not the 2007 driver?
Big hug.
Good point.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=7554F536-8C28-4598-9B72-EF94E038C891
2007 Office System Driver: Data Connectivity Components
If you are an application developer using OLEDB, set the Provider argument of the ConnectionString property to “Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0”
So the 2007 install also uses “Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0”.
Now, I don’t have “2007 Office System Driver: Data Connectivity Components” installed on my local computer. I only have the “Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable” installed.
Which (as the blog post points out):
“Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;”
So its ambiguous as to which one you’re trying to use. Maybe the documentation for “Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.14.0;” was right, but the implementation was off (???). I don’t know.
“Right” as in that is what they really meant to do, but they didn’t actually do it that way.
You got me. I just know that (at the time of writing the blog entry) .. “Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.14.0;” does not work.
Man, thanks a lot. I almost lost the hope I will be able read excel file through OLEDB. Spent all day reading posts and trying different combinations, and only this one appeared 100% helpful.
Anybody know that if you do install this (Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable) on a Microsoft Windows Server R2 x86, where we normally use the jet engine.
Here comes my question: Would it still be possible to use the jet engine after installing Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable?
thanks It works! 🙂 Greeting from Poland
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