Topic
This article explains how to reinstall the Microsoft Access Database Engine when it has been removed, often due to a Group Policy causing Botflows to fail with PDF merging errors or “OleDbConnection is Null or Closed” or “Object reference error”” messages.
For all versions of Nintex RPA LE, when the RPA Bot .EXE installer (not the MSI) is used, it automatically installs the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2016 Redistributable (x86). On 64-bit machines or systems with Office 365, the installation runs with the /Quiet parameter to ensure compatibility.
If the Access Database Engine is missing or the wrong version is installed, the bot may fail with errors such as those shown below:
These errors typically occur when:
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The machine does not have Microsoft Access Database Engine installed.
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The wrong version (wrong bitness) of the Database Engine is installed.
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There are multiple instances of the database engine installed.
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The 64-bit version is installed.
Instructions
To resolve this, you have to install the 32-bit MS Access DB engine. When downloading from the Microsoft website (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=54920), the site may auto-detect your machine as 64-bit and prevent downloading the required 32-bit version:
The easiest and most reliable fix is to re-run the RPA LE Bot installer, which automatically installs the correct 32-bit Access Database Engine.
If you prefer to install it manually, follow these steps:
Manual Installation Steps
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Download AccessDatabaseEngine.exe (32-bit).
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Create the folder:
C:\Installs\ (if it does not already exist). -
Copy AccessDatabaseEngine.exe into this folder.
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Open Command Prompt as administrator.
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Run the command: C:\Installs\AccessDatabaseEngine.exe /QUIET
If you save the installer in a different directory, replace the path accordingly. Ensure the /QUIET switch is included. Please do not run the command from the System32 directory ( refer to the screenshot below):
After installation, run the Botflow again to confirm the issue is resolved :
Additional Information
If you have any issues, please reach out to Support@nintex.com and let us know what steps you performed and what error message you are receiving.