PRB: Index Server: "ADO Could Not Find the Specified Provider" (216822)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Index Server 2.0
  • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Index Server 3.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0
  • ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.1 SP2
  • ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.5
  • ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.6
  • ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) 2.7
  • Microsoft Index Server 2.0
  • Microsoft Index Server 3.0
This article was previously published under Q216822

SYMPTOMS

When you use ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) in a Visual Basic application to query an Index Server, you may receive the following error message:
ADO could not find the specified provider

CAUSE

The Index Server OLE DB provider (MSIDXS) is not installed on the computer. This situation applies to the case where a Visual Basic application resides on a computer that is remote to the queried Index Server. Index Server cannot be queried remotely using ADO and Visual Basic.

RESOLUTION

Install Index Server from the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack or Index Services from the Microsoft Windows 2000 Add Components dialog box. Use ADO within a Visual Basic application to query Index Server on the local computer.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

SQL Server 7.0 also installs the OLE DB provider for Microsoft Index Server. However, you can not directly use the provider from a consumer such as ADO to perform a query without first installing Index Server on the same computer. You might see the following error if you run a Visual Basic ADO application that tries to open a connection using MSIDXS provider on a computer where SQL Server 7.0 was installed but Index Server was not:
Service is not running

REFERENCES

For additional information about Index Server, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

178849 INFO: Index Server OLEDB Provider Cannot Be Installed Separately

For additional information on Index Server, refer to the Index Server documentation in the Windows NT Option Pack or Windows 2000 documentation. The chapter "SQL Access to Index Server Data" is the best reference for SQL query syntax for Index Server.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/5/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB216822
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.