MS Access Database Engine 2016 not located

[Jshantz8211]

I am using AutoCad Electrical 2021 x64 on Windows 10. On startup I get an error saying that "Microsoft  Access Database Engine 2016 (64-bit) driver cannot be located."  I know the driver is installed and working. I originally had the same error when I first installed the program and i resolved it by switching all my Office products to x64.   It worked for about 3 days then quit again. I have rebooted, uninstalled, reinstalled, deleted, and updated to no avail.  Any suggestions?

I know this is a common issue when you have 32bit microsoft products but I got IT to help me with a manual removal of Office and upgraded to x64. We went through the registry and everything. I also deleted the 32bit access engine and associated C++ and the x64 version successfully installed when I reinstalled AutoCAD. I don't think thats the issue anymore because it worked fine for a bit. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

[jallenDBQ7U]

The Uninstall Gods and Install Gods are bathing in the whirl of hard drive data flow

[alds02]

Got the error today, along with a coworker. We still use 2020. I don't even hesitate anymore, just uninstall and reinstall the Access thingy.

[zach.amavisca]

For anyone still having this issue, I ran through a few things such as reinstalling ACADE, repairing MS office, but the one thing that worked in the end was running a repair on the Access Database Engine here: 

The picture is a bit blurry but go to Control Panel, click Programs, click Programs and Features, then find the Access driver and do a repair.

[thomas.strick]

i made the mistake of upgrading to 2023 autocadE, and I now too have this problem. Daily fixing of the Access Database takes more time than FILEDIA.  They bragging about fixing FILEDIA in release notes, but burdened us with ACESS fixes for each launch.  Now that's progress

[jallenDBQ7U]

I reinstalled the software because I also had other issues related to two versions active, but the MS Access fix is the solution.  I just hope this isn't going to be a regular issue. 

AutoDESK needs to separate their database engine code from MSOffice.  MSOffice will get non-stop updates for security upgrades/fixes due to it being one of the big targets for hackers.

[testsubject]

I did this and so far it is working.

I uninstalled the database engine and then did solution 4.

Launch Issues in AutoCAD Electrical 2022 and later | AutoCAD Electrical | Autodesk Knowledge Network

[dougmcalexander]

I've never had this issue until I installed release 2023.  I have been using Office 365 64-bit for four years, on the same PC.  The error message popped up for the first time when I first started AutoCAD Electrical 2023.  

I downloaded the updated 64-bit engine from Microsoft, uninstalled the old, installed the new one, and all is well.  

Note that MS Access works without this engine installed.  It has its own engine.  This is a runtime engine for third party software.

[JeffatPrimex]

Any Fix for this promblem yet? It's really anoying!

I can fix it for one day then the next it's back!

Is this an office Issue with MS acces or is this a windows update issue?

Need Real FIX!

ASAP!

[jallenDBQ7U]

I am not sure what initiated it, but it was probably an Office Update.  Since it is subscription software they may do updates when we start the software. 

You should be able to fix it with the MS Access Engine update.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=54920

[JeffatPrimex]

Yes the fix works but only for a DAY!

[jallenDBQ7U]

What is your version for ACADE and Office?  We had multiple individuals with the problem, but I think the download corrected it for us.   We varied on ACADE versions, but everyone here uses MS 365 office.

[JeffatPrimex]

Office 365 subscription, AutoCAD 2022 and 2023 either one affects both.

[jallenDBQ7U · Accepted solution]

I wonder if having two versions could impact it?  Do you actively use both?  I had both 2022 and 2021 installed on mine and had other different issues.  MY main problem was that ACADE 2022 kept trying to store and use 2021 libraries, etc.  I uninstalled both and installed only 2022.  I won't go to 2023 until they release at least one or two updates.

EDIT*  I think the main reason it kept using the wrong libraries was due to other individuals using 2021 on their computers and working on the same project.

[thomas.strick]

My Problem initially arose when i installed Navisworks Freedom (autodesk), which broke autocadE 2021.  I then took this as a sign to upgrade to 2023, where the problem comes and goes

[jallenDBQ7U]

Is it possible to go to an earlier version after installing 2023?  The problem only occurred before I did the MSAccess update on 2022.

[JeffatPrimex]

My system is 9 years old good time for fresh start lol. I'll try disableing the office updates in the task scheudler and see if all works tomorrow. I have custom applications and one uses Excel com interop asseblies and when I do a repair on the database to fix the AutoCAD Electrical error my custom apps break. I then have to do a complete uninstall and reinstall of office to get everything to work because just a repair on office brings the AutoCAD Electrical error back!

[dougmcalexander]

Since I teach AutoCAD Electrical and provide technical support, I have multiple versions installed.  I currently have releases 2018 through 2023 installed.  All are functional.  

The first time I ever saw the error message was after I installed and started release 2023 for its first run.  I have used Office 365 for several years without any issues related to AutoCAD Electrical.  The Access Engine is a runtime application for third-party software, such as AutoCAD Electrical.  If you go to Windows Control Panel and remove the Access Database engine (see attached screenshot), Office 365 Access will continue to function.  

All I did was uninstall the Access 2016 Database engine and install the new version I downloaded.  All versions of AutoCAD Electrical are working as expected now, as is Office 365.

[jallenDBQ7U]

I think some of the problems I had with multiple versions is possibly more of a feature than a bug (the lines are blurred lol).   It was also completed unrelated to this MSAccess error.  We have numerous engineers and there is no version control.  If someone created a new project with Version 2021 and I open it with Version 2022 it would place by default all new symbols I created (while in this project) in the libraries for my Version 2021 instead of 2022 libraries.  Something similar could occur if someone merged individual drawings saved into one version into a project designed with the other version.   I could change to the 2022 library folder if I caught it.  But the long path in the user directories made it not obvious. 

Once I uninstalled both versions and reinstalled 2022 it only chose the one available library for data regardless of what version other engineers use.  I did this solution at the same time as I solved the MS Access issue with new database engine.  I haven't had the database issue since then.

[dougmcalexander]

I go through this every year.  My old projects will still point to the library path of the previous version of AutoCAD Electrical.  I have my WD.ENV (Wiring Diagram Environment) file setup so I can use the Default option in Project Properties to reassign the library paths instantly, when necessary.  I activate an older project, go to Project Properties, and select the Schematic library category.  I then click Default.  I do the same for the Panel category.  That's it.  For those who have their libraries stored on a network drive, your old projects will continue to use the network libraries, if they were previously set to do so.

I use the Migration Utility each year, so my new WD.ENV file updates to match the customizations I had made to the previous version of the file.  The %SL_DIR% path for the library defaults will become the new path.  In this case, my old projects are automatically looking at the 2023 library path (see attached screenshot).

[alds02]

Do you move your own custom symbols inside one of those folders after you install the new version?