How to work with Data Sources (ODBC) or ODBC connection in 64bit Windows OS

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

The Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) is installed on a 64 bit Windows Operating System. The Data Source Name (DSN) entry is not listed on the System DSN tab when Data Sources (ODBC) is accessed using control panel or through Administrative tools.

Symptoms
The Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) is installed on a 64 bit Windows Operating System.

• The installation of the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) produces no errors during installation, but the DSN name is still not listed.
• The "SymantecEndpointDSN" is not listed in the System DSN tab in the ODBC connection.

Cause

The ODBC information for 64 bit systems will not appear in the Data Sources (ODBC) applet, because the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) creates a 32-bit DSN.

Resolution

Go to %systemroot%\Windows\SysWoW64 folder (Example - Click Start -> Run -> C:\Windows\Syswow64 and click on OK)

1. Locate Odbcad32.exe & double click on the file
2. Click on System DSN Tab
3. You will find the "SymantecEndpointDSN" listed in the window.
4. Now click on the CONFIGURE button and proceed with the configuration of the DSN for the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager

References
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942976

Technical Information
The 64-bit ODBC Administrator tool can be invoked from Control Panel to manage user DSN's and system DSN's that are used by 64-bit processes. On a 64-bit operating system, the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool is used for Windows on Windows 64 (WOW64) processes. You must directly invoke the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool from the SysWoW64 folder. You can use the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool to manage user DSN's and system DSN's that are used by WOW64 processes.

System DSN's are stored in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ODBC\ODBC.INI

Registry redirection is enabled for this registry subkey. Therefore, system DSN's for 32-bit drivers and for 64-bit drivers are separated. The 64-bit ODBC Administrator tool does not display system DSN's that are created by the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool. Similarly, the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool does not display system DSN's that are created by the 64-bit ODBC Administrator tool. Also, the 64-bit ODBC Administrator tool does not display system DSN's that use 32-bit drivers. Similarly, the 32-bit ODBC Administrator tool does not display system DSN's that use 64-bit drivers.