# missing ODBC32.DLL file



## david780 (Jun 9, 2001)

I am running windows 98 and I can't load a program because it says can't find ODBC32.DLL I tried to load one from another computer that is running windows 89 then it said that it was the wrong one for my drivers. Where can i get the file I need Thanks.


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

Are you running microsoft office, I believe office installs the ODBC, you maybe able to reinstall office and get the file


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## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

Try here Here


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## GervaseC (Jun 9, 2001)

David:

Apparently you've lost the ODBC32.DLL file that Windows 98 installed. I assume you searched your hard drives for it and it's vanished - who knows where or why.

Well, you have an original copy on your Windows 98 CD. Trouble is how to find it. It's hidden in one of Windows's encrypted CAB files in the Win98 folder of the CD. There may be an easier way, but this is one way to find it.

1. Open up a DOS window (Start > Run > Command - Enter) I'm going to assume you're new to DOS, so please forgive if you know all this stuff.

2. Insert your Win98 CD into your CD drive (hold down the shift key until the CD-ROM light goes out for the second time, to stop Win98 from starting - Hit 'Exit' from Setup if you miss it and Setup starts

3. Change the DOS prompt to your CD-ROM drive letter - let's say 'X' for now. You type "X:" and hit Enter, without the quotes, and the prompt will change to X:\>

4. Change to the Win98 folder on the Windows CD - you type "chdir win98" Enter, and the prompt becomes X:\win98>

5. Check to ensure that a file "extract.exe" exists in the win98 folder - type "dir extract.exe" Enter. DOS should show you the file and date and other suff - OK. If it says "File not Found" you have the wrong CD, so insert the right one, and try again.

6. Type "dir b*.cab" Enter. DOS will show you the first cab files on the CD - probably Base3.cab or Base4.cab - let's assume it's Base4.cab.

7. Search for ODBC32.DLL - type exactly, with all spaces as shown ( and note that the '|' character between DLL and more is the so-called pipe character, usually located on your keyboard as an uppercase symbol on the backslash key), and use the correct name you wrote down for the BASE4.CAB that I've assumed:
"extract /A /D BASE4.CAB ODBC32.DLL | more"
and hit Enter.

8. A page of cabfile names will be listed and the last line will be -- more --. Hit any key to show up the next page of cabfiles. Keep doing this until the filename ODBC32.DLL appears under one of the cab files - this is the file it's hidden in. Write down the name of the guilty cabfile. It'll be something like WIN98_38.CAB. Then keep hitting a key until the listing ends and you're back to the X:\win98> prompt.

9. Now you want to recover the ODBC32.DLL file from that CAB file to a temporary location. We'll use a more specific version of extract.exe to do that.

10. First let's make a safe spot for the new dll file.
Type "mkdir c:\tempdll" Enter (remember, no quotes)

11. Now ectract the new DLL file - at the x:\win98> prompt type exactly (but change WIN98_38.CAB if necessary):
"extract /L c:\tempdll WIN98_38.CAB ODBC32.DLL" Enter

12. DOS will tell you it extracted the file, and it's now safe and sound in your c:\tempdll folder.

13. Type "exit" Enter to close the DOS window.

14. Open Windows Explorer and copy ODBC32.Dll from c:\tempdll to c:\windows\system, restart the system and you're done.

You can keep or delete the c:\tempdll folder with the copied dll file. Take the CD out of the CD-ROM drive and keep it safe.

A caution: if you're not used to DOS, be really careful to type what I've typed exactly - check and double-check the letters and especially the spaces - for examplethere are four and only four spaces in the instruction typed in item 11.

Good Luck


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