Applies To
Registry cleaners
Visual Studio

Symptoms
In the Visual Studio you cannot get the Access Database File selection dialog when you choose Tools\Connect to Database. Error: Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0

Cause

1. Deleted ProgID subkey:
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}

2. OLE DB configuration is corrupted

Resolution

1. Add sub-key called "ProgID" with a value of "MSIDXS.1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}]
@="MSIDXS"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\ExtendedErrors]
@="Extended Error Service"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\ExtendedErrors\{F9AE8981-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}]
@="MSIDXS Error Lookup"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\query.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Both"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\OLE DB Provider]
@="Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Indexing Service"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\ProgID]
@="MSIDXS.1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F9AE8980-7E52-11d0-8964-00C04FD611D7}\VersionIndependentProgID]
@="MSIDXS"

2. Repair a corrupted MDAC installation

Summary

Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) are distributed with various products. Since Windows 2000, they have been a core part of the operating system, and come under Windows File Protection. However, this makes it difficult to repair a corrupted installation, since they cannot be removed or re-installed.

Resolution

   1. Download the redistributable package, MDAC_TYP.exe;
   2. Extract the package to a folder, using the command:
      mdac_typ /C /T:c:\temp\mdacinst
   3. Locate the file MDACXPAC.INF. Right-click and choose Install;
   4. Restart your computer.

If this doesn't work, try the following:

   1. Expand the file MDACXPAK.CAB using WinZip;
   2. Create and run the MAKEDIRS.BAT file to create the directories:
      md ADO
      copy /b MSADER15.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADO15.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADO20.TLB ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADO21.TLB ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADOMD.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADOR15.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADOX.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSADRH15.DLL ADO\*.*
      copy /b MSJRO.DLL ADO\*.*

      md MSADC
      copy /b MSADCE.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCER.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCF.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCFR.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCO.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCOR.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADCS.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADDS.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSADDSR.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSDAPRSR.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSDAPRST.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSDAREM.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSDAREMR.DLL MSADC\*.*
      copy /b MSDFMAP.DLL MSADC\*.*

      md "OLE DB"
      copy /b MSDADC.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAENUM.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAER.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAORA.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAOSP.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAPS.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDASC.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDASQL.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDASQLR.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDATL2.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDATT.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSDAURL.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b MSXACTPS.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b OLEDB32.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b OLEDB32R.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
      copy /b OLEDB32X.DLL "OLE DB\*.*"
   3. Copy the three subfolders to C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\, overwriting the existing files and folders;
   4. Create and the REGFILES.BAT file in the C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\ folder:
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msado15.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msador15.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msadrh15.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msadomd.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msadox.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s ADO\msjro.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msadce.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msadcf.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msadco.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msadds.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msdaprst.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msdarem.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s MSADC\msdfmap.dll
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\oledb32.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msxactps.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdaenum.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdaurl.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdatt.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdasql.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdaosp.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdaora.dll"
      regsvr32 /u /s "OLE DB\msdaps.dll"

      regsvr32 /s ADO\msado15.dll
      regsvr32 /s ADO\msador15.dll
      regsvr32 /s ADO\msadrh15.dll
      regsvr32 /s ADO\msadomd.dll
      regsvr32 /s ADO\msadox.dll
      regsvr32 /s ADO\msjro.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msadce.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msadcf.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msadco.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msadds.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msdaprst.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msdarem.dll
      regsvr32 /s MSADC\msdfmap.dll
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\oledb32.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msxactps.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdaenum.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdaurl.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdatt.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdasql.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdaosp.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdaora.dll"
      regsvr32 /s "OLE DB\msdaps.dll"