'Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0' provider is not registered on the local machine' without need to install Access Engine

Question

I've written an app which uses OLE DB, and I've encountered the error from the title. I've installed the Access Database Engine as suggested in this question and all had become work well. However, I want to distribute the app among some users to their locale machines and I have been reported such a error from the testers which do not have this util installed.

Is there any way to embed the Access Database Engine into my binary as dll or, maybe, into installer? I do not want to say "to use my app, install that util please"

Answer 1

if your end-user computer does not have MS office or MS Access installed, you won't be able to use the ACE.OLEDB driver UNLESS you install the basic access runtime/databse engine. However, if your end-users have 64bit windows and 32bit office, you will get the same error. To over come this issue you need to change your app target platform to x86.

if you are using visual studio, on additional way would be to add "AccessDatabaseEngine.exe" as one of your prerequisite which will be then installed along with your software.

more about custom bootstrapper: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165429.aspx