How do I run a VBScript in 32-bit mode on a 64-bit machine?

Question

I have a text file that ends with .vbs that I have written the following in:

Set Conn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
Conn.Provider = "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0"
Conn.Properties("Data Source") = "C:\dummy.accdb"
Conn.Properties("Jet OLEDB:Database Password") = "pass"
Conn.Open
Conn.Close
Set Conn = Nothing

• When I execute this on a Windows 32-bit machine it runs and ends without any notion (expected).
• When I execute this on a Windows 64-bit machine it gets the error

  Provider cannot be found. It may not be properly installed.

But it is installed. I think the root of the problem is that the provider is a 32-bit provider, as far as I know it doesn't exist as 64-bit.

If I run the VBScript through IIS on my 64-bit machine (as a ASP file) I can select that it should run in 32-bit mode. It can then find the provider.

How can I make it find the provider on Windows 64-bit? Can I tell CScript (which executes the .vbs text file) to run in 32-bit mode somehow?

Answer 1

follow http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896456

To start a 32-bit command prompt, follow these steps:

* Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\SysWoW64\cmd.exe, and then click OK.

Then type

cscript vbscriptfile.vbs

Answer 2

WScript.exe exists in two versions, one in C:\Windows\System32\ and the other in C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ directories. They run respectively in 64 bits and 32 bits (against immediate logic but true).

You may add the following code at the beginning of your script so that it automatically starts again in 32 bits if it detects that it's called in 64 bits.

Note that it transmits the arguments if it calls itself to switch to 64 bits.

' C:\Windows\System32\WScript.exe = WScript.exe
Dim ScriptHost : ScriptHost = Mid(WScript.FullName, InStrRev(WScript.FullName, "\") + 1, Len(WScript.FullName))

Dim oWs : Set oWs = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim oProcEnv : Set oProcEnv = oWs.Environment("Process")

' Am I running 64-bit version of WScript.exe/Cscript.exe? So, call script again in x86 script host and then exit.
If InStr(LCase(WScript.FullName), LCase(oProcEnv("windir") & "\System32\")) And oProcEnv("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE") = "AMD64" Then
    ' rebuild arguments
    If Not WScript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
        Dim sArg, Arg
        sArg = ""
        For Each Arg In Wscript.Arguments
              sArg = sArg & " " & """" & Arg & """"
        Next
    End If

    Dim sCmd : sCmd = """" &  oProcEnv("windir") & "\SysWOW64\" & ScriptHost & """" & " """ & WScript.ScriptFullName & """" & sArg
    'WScript.Echo "Call " & sCmd
    oWs.Run sCmd
    WScript.Quit
End If

Answer 3

If you have control over running the cscript executable then run the X:\windows\syswow64\cscript.exe version which is the 32bit implementation.