Question

The Problem

If I have Visual Studio 2010, Service Pack 1 installed, and I go to Data, Add New Data Source and click Database, it brings up the standard Choose Your Data Connection wizard page.

On that page, if I have an existing connection configured, I can then select it, and add that data source to my project, no problems, no issues.

On the other hand, if I click New Connection… it just bombs out, wizard closes, as if I had done nothing. Now keep in mind, Visual Studio doesn’t close, and there are no exceptions, errors, or warnings, the dialog window just disappears.

Unsuccessful Attempts to Resolve Issue

I’ve checked the simple things, using a debugger, and a valid machine config file, not sure what else I might be missing.

1. Using a Debugger

   I tried starting a 2nd copy of Visual Studio as I did this, and
   attaching a debugger to the process, with all exceptions checked in
   my debug menu, and still nothing.

2. Validating machine.config file is valid

   I backed up my machine.config file, and used another person’s working machine’s machine.config file, and I’m still having issues.

   I have since reverted back to my own machine.config file.

   I suspect the machine.config might be the issue, but I thought
   taking a working one should work, unless I’m missing one of the
   registered providers? I don’t know enough about how this wizard
   works behind the scenes though, or what sections/lines of the
   machine.config file exactly drive the wizard.

3. Uninstalling all third-party database providers

   I have recently tried uninstalling Oracle, SQLite, beta versions of SQL Server Compact Edition, and MySQL providers in hopes that one of them set a registry entry or configuration entry that was negatively impacting my ability to create new connections and the error still occurs.

4. Reinstalling Visual Studio

   I reinstalled Visual Studio, complete uninstall, and reinstall, no extensions, or nothing, and the issue exists, definitely convinced its a configuration error at this point, I could use the expert opinion of someone who knows more about the configuration behind the scenes for this dialog though.

Any help in resolving the issue would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I have the same issue. Delete all records in event viewwr and works.

Start -> run

Type “eventvwr”

Select application

Select “Action” > “Clear All Events” from menu

Save or not as you wish the events backup. Do the same with “System”