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I want to add 32-bit data sources. There seems to be no obvious way to see existing instances of these or create new ones.

How can I open the 32-bit "ODBC Data Source Administrator" window in Windows 7 64-bit?

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  • On my version of Windows (10 pro), a shortcut to ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) is included in the Windows Administrative Tools folder (along with the 64-bit version, and things like Computer Management, Services, etc.)
    – mwfearnley
    Oct 11, 2019 at 8:37
  • Why on earth did they remove the shortcut to open the 32-bit version from the Administrative Tools folder? On my old Windows XP x64 computer there were shortcuts to open both the 64-bit and 32-bit versions...
    – Dai
    May 16, 2020 at 7:00

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Run the Datasource editor from this path c:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe.

Ref: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/farukcelik/archive/2008/10/17/why-my-32-bit-applications-cannot-see-the-odbc-dsns-that-i-created-on-my-64-bit-machine.aspx

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  • 1
    Zoredache, still helpful years later! Thanks for posting the answer.
    – plditallo
    Jan 7, 2016 at 20:28
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    Worthy of note: if you have the 64 bit version already open, running the command for the 32bit does not open a second ODBC window and puts the 64bit window into focus.
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    Dec 16, 2019 at 17:23
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Just a small note to Zorodache answer, if you use the search box from the start menu type the whole path to get the correct version c:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe.

Otherwise, you will get the 64-bit version, even if you enter odbcad32.exe in the search box.

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  • This should be upvoted more!
    – Denys Vitali
    Jun 8, 2016 at 9:23
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    @DenysVitali except, apparently, if you put the whole path in the search box, you still only get the 64-bit version. I ended up having to open a command window
    – Auspex
    Jun 28, 2017 at 10:21
  • Seriously? Really strange... but I'm not surprised anymore when Windows is involved...
    – Denys Vitali
    Jun 28, 2017 at 13:48
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    @Auspex for me it works entering the full path c:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe
    – Carlos Escalera Alonso
    Jul 17, 2017 at 17:04
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A 64-bit version of the Microsoft Windows operating system includes the following versions of the Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Data Source Administrator tool (Odbcad32.exe):

  • The 32-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\SysWoW64 folder.
  • The 64-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\System32 folder.

The Odbcad32.exe file displays the following types of data source names (DSNs):

  • System DSNs
  • User DSNs
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