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myodbc8s.dll was not found. Windows may also report that the module could not be found, the setup routines could not be loaded, or the file is not designed to run on Windows.
myodbc8s.dll is a genuine MySQL Connector/ODBC setup library. It helps Windows configure MySQL ODBC data sources; it is not a Windows system file and is not the actual ANSI or Unicode database driver. The safest repair is to restore the matching Visual C++ runtime, then repair or reinstall MySQL Connector/ODBC.
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Which fix applies to you
Use this order:
- The error appears while installing or repairing Connector/ODBC: install the correct Visual C++ Redistributable, restart Windows, and rerun the MySQL installer.
- The error appears when opening ODBC Data Sources: check whether you opened the 32-bit or 64-bit ODBC Administrator, then repair Connector/ODBC.
- The file exists but Windows says “module not found”: a dependency, commonly a Visual C++ runtime, may be missing.
- The MySQL driver disappeared from the ODBC list: repair or reinstall Connector/ODBC and use the correct ODBC Administrator.
- Antivirus recently quarantined the file: restore it only after confirming it is inside a legitimate MySQL Connector/ODBC folder, then repair the installation.
- The problem began after a Windows or software change: use System Restore only after the normal runtime and Connector/ODBC repairs fail.
Do not download a loose copy of myodbc8s.dll. Random DLL sites can provide malware, the wrong architecture, an incompatible release, or a file with missing dependencies.
What myodbc8s.dll does
MySQL Connector/ODBC installs several related Windows files:
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myodbc8a.dllis the MySQL ODBC 8.0 ANSI driver.myodbc8w.dllis the MySQL ODBC 8.0 Unicode driver.myodbc8s.dllis the shared setup and configuration library.
The file normally remains with the MySQL Connector/ODBC installation, often under a path similar to:
C:Program FilesMySQLConnector ODBC 8.0
The exact folder can differ by architecture and installation method. A recorded Connector/ODBC 8.0.19 64-bit copy is approximately 7.33 MB, but file size varies between releases.
Connector/ODBC is separate from Windows. It is supplied by the MySQL Connector/ODBC package, not by Windows 10 or Windows 11.
Fix 1: Install the matching Visual C++ runtime
This is the most important fix for 8.0.19-era setup-loading failures. MySQL documented cases where the setup module failed because the required Visual C++ runtime was missing.
The required runtime depends on the Connector/ODBC release:
| Connector/ODBC release | Required Visual C++ runtime |
|---|---|
| 8.0.11 through 8.0.13 | Visual C++ 2015 Runtime |
| 8.0.14 through 8.0.39 | Visual C++ 2015 or 2017 Runtime |
| 8.0.40 and later | Visual C++ Runtime 2022 version 14.40 or later |
Use Microsoft’s latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads. Do not choose the package by Windows bitness alone. Match it to the MySQL Connector/ODBC architecture and the application that uses the driver.
Install the runtime
- Open the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable page.
- Download the x64 package for a 64-bit Connector/ODBC installation.
- Download the x86 package for a 32-bit Connector/ODBC installation.
- On 64-bit Windows, install both when you use both 32-bit and 64-bit applications.
- Run the downloaded installer.
- Accept the license terms.
- Select Install. If it is already installed, select Repair when offered.
- Restart Windows.
After restarting, run the MySQL Connector/ODBC installer again or open ODBC Data Sources. If the driver now loads, the missing runtime was the cause.
If the installer still fails, continue with the Connector/ODBC repair below. If the message says error 126 or “The specified module could not be found,” remember that Windows may be reporting a missing dependency rather than a missing myodbc8s.dll.
Fix 2: Repair or reinstall MySQL Connector/ODBC
A damaged or incomplete installation can leave the setup library, driver files, or registration information out of sync.
Repair an MSI installation
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps.
- Search for MySQL Connector/ODBC.
- Select the three-dot menu beside the matching entry.
- Choose Modify, Repair, or Change, depending on what Windows displays.
- Complete the repair wizard.
- Restart Windows.
- Open the correct ODBC Administrator and test the driver.
If no repair option is available:
- Record your DSN names, server names, database names, and authentication details.
- Uninstall the affected MySQL Connector/ODBC entry from Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Restart Windows.
- Download the required Connector/ODBC release from the official MySQL download page.
- Choose the MSI that matches the application architecture.
- Install it with administrator permission.
- Restart Windows and recreate or test the DSN.
Do not copy myodbc8s.dll from a ZIP archive into an MSI installation. The files, dependencies, and registration process must belong to the same Connector/ODBC package.
Repair a ZIP installation
A ZIP installation is not the same as an MSI installation. Extract the complete package to its intended folder, then run the Install.bat file supplied by MySQL with administrator permission.
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Do not manually invent registry entries. Do not run regsvr32 myodbc8s.dll as a repair step. regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that expose registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer; it is not a general-purpose ODBC registration command.
ZIP installations also require closer attention to their supporting dependencies. If the package does not include a required OpenSSL component, the driver may still fail even though myodbc8s.dll is visible in the folder. Reinstalling the complete official ZIP package is safer than replacing individual files.
Fix 3: Match the ODBC Administrator to the application
A 32-bit application cannot use only a 64-bit ODBC driver. A 64-bit application cannot use only a 32-bit driver. On 64-bit Windows, Microsoft provides separate ODBC administration tools.
Use these paths:
%SystemRoot%System32odbcad32.exe
This is normally the 64-bit ODBC Administrator.
%SystemRoot%SysWOW64odbcad32.exe
This is the 32-bit ODBC Administrator.
The folder names are confusing, but the paths above are the ones used by Windows.
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- Press Windows key + R.
- Paste the appropriate path.
- Press Enter.
- Select the Drivers tab.
- Look for the MySQL ODBC 8.0 ANSI or Unicode driver.
- Open the User DSN or System DSN tab.
- Select the relevant DSN and choose Configure or Test, if available.
If the driver appears in one administrator but not the other, the installation may be correct for only one architecture. Install the matching x86 or x64 Connector/ODBC package and matching Visual C++ runtime.
A 32-bit office application, older accounting program, or legacy integration commonly needs the x86 driver even when Windows itself is 64-bit.
Fix 4: Reinstall or update the driver package
myodbc8s.dll belongs to a database connectivity driver package, not to a graphics, audio, printer, or chipset driver. Device Manager generally will not repair this file. The correct update path is the official MySQL Connector/ODBC MSI or ZIP package.
Before changing versions, check whether the application requires the older 8.0 branch. Do not replace an existing deployment with an unrelated major release without confirming compatibility.
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If you maintain several office machines, use the same Connector/ODBC architecture and release family across them, document the installed Visual C++ runtime, and test both the application and its DSN after deployment.
When a machine has several stale drivers and you are manually hunting through vendor pages and version numbers, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for outdated drivers and show what needs attention; the free scan identifies issues, while driver installation is handled by the full version. It is not a substitute for reinstalling MySQL Connector/ODBC when that package is damaged.
Fix 5: Check antivirus quarantine
Security software may remove or quarantine a legitimate connector file. Treat this as an investigation path, not as the established cause.
- Open Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Protection history.
- Look for an event involving
myodbc8s.dll. - Check the detected file path.
- Restore the file only if it was located inside the legitimate MySQL Connector/ODBC installation and you trust that installation source.
- Repair or reinstall Connector/ODBC afterward.
- Add an exception only according to your organization’s security policy and after confirming the file’s origin.
If the file was found in a temporary folder, a download directory, or an unknown application folder, do not restore it. Remove the untrusted copy and reinstall the official package.
Fix 6: Repair Windows components
This is less likely because myodbc8s.dll is a third-party MySQL file. Use Windows component repair when the Visual C++ installer, Windows Installer, or other system components are also failing.
- Open Start.
- Type
Command Prompt. - Right-click Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to finish.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Retry the Visual C++ installation and MySQL Connector/ODBC repair.
Microsoft recommends running DISM before SFC. If either command reports that it could not complete, note the exact message and resolve that Windows issue before repeatedly reinstalling the connector.
If manually repeating DISM and SFC leaves you unsure what changed, Outbyte PC Repair can scan for system issues and identify repair targets; the free scan reports findings, while repair is performed by the full version. It is optional, and it does not replace the definitive MySQL Connector/ODBC reinstall when the connector itself is missing or damaged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix 7: Use System Restore only for a known recent change
System Restore is appropriate when the error began immediately after a known driver, runtime, security, or application change and the normal repairs did not help.
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- Enter:
rstrui.exe
- Press Enter.
- Select Choose a different restore point if available.
- Pick a restore point created before the failure began.
- Select Next, review the affected programs, and choose Finish.
- Restart Windows and test the ODBC connection.
System Restore is not the primary solution for a missing third-party connector file. If the restore does not help, install the correct Visual C++ runtime and repair Connector/ODBC rather than copying files into Windows folders.
How to confirm the repair worked
The repair is complete when all of these are true:
- The correct ODBC Administrator opens without a setup-library error.
- The Drivers tab shows the expected MySQL ODBC 8.0 ANSI or Unicode driver.
- The DSN appears under the correct User DSN or System DSN tab.
- Selecting Configure no longer produces error 126 or a module-load message.
- The application using the DSN can connect to MySQL.
- The application’s architecture matches the installed driver.
If the file exists but loading still fails, inspect the calling application’s architecture, Event Viewer under Windows Logs > Application, and the connector installation folder. A dependency can be missing even when the named DLL is present.
FAQ
Is myodbc8s.dll a Windows file?
No. It is installed by MySQL Connector/ODBC and does not ship with Windows.
Is it the MySQL database driver?
Not by itself. It is the shared setup and configuration library. The related ANSI and Unicode driver files are myodbc8a.dll and myodbc8w.dll.
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No. Keep it with the MySQL Connector/ODBC installation. Copying it to a Windows system folder can create architecture and version conflicts.
Should I run regsvr32 myodbc8s.dll?
Normally no. Use the MySQL MSI repair process or the supplied ZIP installation script instead.
Why does Windows say “module not found” when the file is present?
A dependency of myodbc8s.dll may be missing. The Visual C++ runtime is the first dependency to repair, followed by the complete Connector/ODBC installation.
What if the error appears during MSI installation?
Install or repair the Visual C++ runtime that matches the Connector/ODBC release and architecture, restart Windows, and rerun the MSI as an administrator.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhat if it appears only when opening ODBC Data Sources?
Open the ODBC Administrator that matches the application: System32 for 64-bit or SysWOW64 for 32-bit on 64-bit Windows. Then repair or reinstall the matching Connector/ODBC package.
Can I download the DLL from a DLL website?
No. Use the official MySQL Connector/ODBC package and Microsoft’s official Visual C++ Redistributable package. A loose DLL may be malicious, incompatible, or unable to load its own dependencies.
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