Reinstalling MDAC Tools
Document 4160
Revised 8/22/2006 LD1


WinTOTAL uses Microsoft’s standard Data Access Components and Jet Tools to access, read and write to WinTOTAL’s databases. Out-of-date or missing components can cause a variety of errors accessing databases, including; runtime and automation errors, errors opening database, error porting database, and missing file errors. If you're experiencing problems with your WinTOTAL databases, it may be necessary to reinstall these components.

 
 

 

     
  Note: This document only applies if you have not yet installed XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). Since MDAC 2.8 is required for SP2 and only available to SP2 users in the SP2 setup, the only way to repair MDAC 2.8 is to uninstall SP2 and then re-install it. Reinstalling a service pack for your operating system is not trivial and should be done by an experienced PC specialist on site.

You can find out if you have XP SP2 by opening Internet Explorer and clicking Help and About. If you don't have SP2 on your system, follow the instructions in this document. If you do have SP2, contact a local technician for assistance.

 
     

 

The current version of Microsoft Data Access Components is 2.8, and is recommended for Windows 98, 2000, NT Server, and ME. Upon the recommendation of our tech staff, you may need to download and install this utility as well as the Microsoft Jet tools from Microsoft's website.

Microsoft Jet Tools

These tools allow Windows to read our databases so it's important that you have the latest version. To reinstall Jet Tools, do the following.

  1. Point your Internet browser to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
  2. Microsoft does not have a page specifically devoted to downloading Jet Tools, so you’ll need to do a search in order to display the necessary web page.  Search for Jet database engine.
  3. From the list or results that appears, click the item for Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8 which corresponds to your operating system.  (The download for XP should be the first one in the list.)
  4. On the download details page for the appropriate Jet 4.0 Service Pack , find and click the Download link.


  5. Follow any on screen instructions to reinstall Jet Tools.

Download and install the Microsoft Data Access Components

Like the Jet tools, these MDAC tools are another portion of Windows that enables you to read our databases. As such it's important to make sure they are up to date as well.

  1. Open your web browser to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads
  2. On the page that displays, search for MDAC 2.8.
  3. The search results should yield the download link for MDAC 2.8 SP1 in a fairly prominent position. Just click the link.
         
      Note: If you're using Windows XP and have not yet installed Service Pack 2, you should download MDAC 2.8, NOT MDAC 2.8 SP1.
    		 
         

     
  4. Microsoft recently added a requirement that your Windows installation is validated before initiating the download.   So, you'll need to click Continue and then follow steps on a couple of extra screens before the Download link appears.
  5. Once you're able to download, follow any other instructions as they appear.

Once MDAC is installed, you should be able to access WinTOTAL databases.