How to install 64-bit Microsoft Database Drivers alongside 32-bit Microsoft Office

By James Philip 

Problem:

When installing the 64-bit Access Database Engine on your machine that is running 32-bit Microsoft Office (2007, 2010, or 2013) and you get an error message:

"You cannot install the 64-bit version of Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 because you currently have 32-bit products installed..." 

Causes:

Microsoft does not support the side-by-side installation of 32- and 64-bit Microsoft Office or their dependent components. 

Solution:

Workaround to install the 64-bit Access Database Engine 2010 on a computer with 32-bit Microsoft Office 2007, 2010, or 2013:

Before you begin, open the Registry Editor (type "regedit" in the Windows search box under the Start menu and select regedit.exe) and check the following registry key for the value "mso.dll" is NOT present in: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common\FilesPaths" 

(for MS Database engine 2010)

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\FilesPaths" (for MS Database engine 2016)

This registry key value would be present if Microsoft Office 64-bit was installed on the computer, in which case you should be able to install the 64-bit Access Database Engine without using this workaround. 

Workaround:

1. Open the Command Prompt by typing "cmd" in the Windows search box under the Start menu and selecting cmd.exe
    
2. Type the file path and file name of the 64-bit Access Database Engine 2010 install file, followed by a space and "/quiet" (this runs the installation without showing any error messages). 
   
   For example:

3. Open the Registry Editor by typing "regedit" in the Windows search box under the Start menu and selecting regedit.exe
    
4. Delete or rename the "mso.dll" registry value in the following registry keys: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Common\FilesPaths" 
   "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\FilesPaths" 

NOTES:

• If you do not delete the "mso.dll" registry value, you will get a "Reconfiguring" message every time you open up an Office application.
• This workaround may be temporary since Microsoft pushes updates for Office and its components via Windows Updates. Given that 64bit Autodesk software is not compatible with Office 32bit components, a permanent solution would be to install Autodesk 64bit software alongside Office 64bit.