SQL Server Error 7303

Error number

7303

Severity

16 (user-correctable error)

State

1

Product

Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine

Versions

All supported SQL Server versions (2016 to 2025), Azure SQL Managed Instance (supported providers only)

Category

Linked Servers

Last reviewed

23 October 2026

What it means

Error 7303 means SQL Server loaded the OLE DB provider for a linked server but the provider could not open its data source, such as a file, ODBC DSN or remote server, so the query never started.

Initialising the data source is the provider's "connect" step: open the Access or Excel file, find the ODBC DSN, or log in to the remote server. Error 7303 says that step failed, and it carries no reason of its own. The reason is in the provider's returned message line printed next to it (in our sqlcmd tests, straight after the 7303), and sometimes in a 7399 printed just before. Read that line first.

Everything happens on the database server, as the SQL Server service account (or as the mapped remote login), not on your workstation. A file path, DSN or network share that works on your PC can be missing or unreadable for the service. The provider must also be installed on the server in the right bitness (64-bit for a 64-bit instance).

Common causes

• The file in the linked server data source (Access database, Excel workbook, text folder) does not exist on the server, is on a mapped drive the service cannot see, or the service account cannot read it.
• The file is not the type the provider string says (for example Excel 12.0 pointing at a .csv or a corrupt workbook), or it is open exclusively by another program.
• An ODBC DSN named in the linked server is missing on the server, or was created as a 32-bit or user DSN that a 64-bit service cannot see.
• The login mapping gives the SQL Server provider no usable credentials (for example a mapping with no remote user), which shows up as 7399 Authentication failed plus 7303.
• The provider itself is missing, the wrong bitness or not allowed to load in process; that usually shows as a different error (7302 or 7403), so check the exact number.

Diagnose it

Read-only These queries only read metadata and dynamic management views. They do not change data, permissions or configuration, so they are safe to run first.

SELECT name, product, provider, data_source, location, provider_string, catalog, modify_date
FROM sys.servers
WHERE is_linked = 1;

SELECT s.name AS linked_server, p.name AS local_login, l.uses_self_credential, l.remote_name
FROM sys.linked_logins AS l
JOIN sys.servers AS s ON s.server_id = l.server_id
LEFT JOIN sys.server_principals AS p ON p.principal_id = l.local_principal_id
WHERE s.is_linked = 1;

SELECT servicename, service_account
FROM sys.dm_server_services
WHERE servicename LIKE N'SQL Server (%';

EXEC master.dbo.sp_testlinkedserver N'ORDERS_ACCESS';

How to fix it

Each fix is labelled with what it changes. Try read-only checks and the least invasive fix first, and test changes outside production.

EXEC master.dbo.sp_addlinkedsrvlogin
     @rmtsrvname = N'SALESSRV01', @useself = N'False',
     @locallogin = N'CONTOSO\ReportUser',
     @rmtuser = N'report_reader', @rmtpassword = N'<strong password>';

Examples

A linked server to an Access file that is not there

Reproduced on SQL Server 2025 (17.0.1145.4) with a temporary linked server (Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0 provider), dropped afterwards; the linked server name and path are changed here. The provider message after the 7303 gives the reason.

-- Linked server ORDERS_ACCESS: provider Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0,
-- data source D:\Data\Orders.accdb (the file does not exist on the server)
SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY(ORDERS_ACCESS, 'SELECT 1');

Msg 7303, Level 16, State 1, Line 3
Cannot initialize the data source object of OLE DB provider "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0" for linked server "ORDERS_ACCESS".
OLE DB provider "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.16.0" for linked server "ORDERS_ACCESS" returned message "'D:\Data\Orders.accdb' is not a valid path. Make sure that the path name is spelled correctly and that you are connected to the server on which the file resides.".

An ODBC linked server whose DSN does not exist

Reproduced on SQL Server 2025 (17.0.1145.4) with a temporary MSDASQL linked server, dropped afterwards; names changed.

-- Linked server ERP_ODBC: provider MSDASQL, data source ERP_DSN (no such DSN on the server)
SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY(ERP_ODBC, 'SELECT 1 AS x');

Msg 7303, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
Cannot initialize the data source object of OLE DB provider "MSDASQL" for linked server "ERP_ODBC".
OLE DB provider "MSDASQL" for linked server "ERP_ODBC" returned message "[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified".

How to prevent it

Keep files that linked servers read in a fixed folder on the server or on a UNC share, with access granted to the service account, and document each linked server (provider, data source, login mapping) in the server build scripts. Run sp_testlinkedserver after every server move, driver upgrade or service account change.

For regular file loads, consider importing with SSIS, BULK INSERT or a client tool instead of a file based linked server: they are easier to secure and to troubleshoot.

Common questions

Learn more on CodeWithSQL

• SQL Server security: logins, users and permissions
• Import a CSV file with SSMS

Official documentation

• Linked servers (Database Engine)
• sp_addlinkedserver (Transact-SQL)
• sp_addlinkedsrvlogin (Transact-SQL)
• sp_testlinkedserver (Transact-SQL)

Last technically reviewed 23 October 2026; examples and diagnostics run on SQL Server 2025 (17.0.1145.4). Message text checked against the engine's sys.messages catalogue.