Hi I have set up a User and System DSN in Control Panel for our SQL Server and tested the connection and it works fine, but When I try and create a link in DE8 I get the above error everytime, I have tried the Link Name the same as my DB and the server set as my SQL Server but I dont get an option for SQL Server in the Engine type only ODBC?  Can someone help!

Hi, Firstly. Which version of SQL server are you using. We have tested 2000 / 2005 /2008 /2012 versions of sql server... the only difference is the client that is used by the odbc

The client setups are normally via an alias that becomes the server name and that is where the sql client is used

The client setup's can either be tcp/ip or named pipes, but that protocol must be turned on at the server end and the client end and the sql server needs to be stopped and restarted after they have been enabled

Hi - I am using SQL 2008 R2, in control panel, system and security, administrative tools, data sources I have setup System DSN called T21Live (Sql Server) and tested the link which connects to the database correctly, I have then tested the link again in Excel and I can gain access to all the tables and extract data no problem.  It's probably something silly I am missing.  My Link Name is T21Live, engine type: Other Engines via ODBC - I only  have 2 options here ODBC and OLE, Server Name: T21Server02 and DB Name is Qualtex.??

Hi I have now sorted this problem out.