Firebird x Windows 7 x gds32.dll error

Question

I have a fdb file (firebird) from a new client (he doesn't know the version). I have tried to use some GUI to access the database, but with no luck. All of them tell that its missing gds32.dll, but I have this one.

I have copied this dll to the GUI folder, I have copied the dll to system32 folder and I have copied to syswow64. I am running Windows 7 64 bits and the firebird database is 32 bits. I have tried to install the dll but I can't register it.

I have installed WinXP in a virtual machine to see if it runs, but nothing. The regsvr32 tells me that it is not an executable file... in Win 7 that this dll could be not compatible with windows version.

I have tried IbExpert Personal, Ibmanager and Flamerobin and they shows me the same error, that the dll was not found or not installed.

How to open this firebird db?

Sjoberg

Is the application 32 bit or 64 bit, how did you obtain that gds32.dll, is it 32 bit or 64 bit, did you install the other required files for the Firebird client (as installed by the Firebird installer when you do a client installation)? – Dwt

Do you by any chance use the gds32.dll of a recent version of Interbase? The APIs of Firebird and Interbase have diverged since Interbase 6. – Dwt

Had the same issue and found out another version of gds32.dll that works. I'm not sure if i can share but i'll give it a try: dropbox.com/s/nj2xa3pvipwu44m/gds32.7z?dl=0 Good luck. – Calorie

I have a fdb file (firebird) from a new client (he doesn't know the version). - just for the record, some tools to tell FDB versions are outlined in #54279521 – Hitlerism

Answer 1

You need a running Firebird server in order to access your database. If you just want to access the data, then the easiest way would be:

1. Grab free FDBConvert utility and upgrade database to the Firebird 2.5 format
2. Install Firebird 2.5 server. Get setup from here. Use Win32 version if your GUI tool is 32 bit application. During installation check "Generate client library as GDS32DLL for legacy app support?".
3. Make sure that Firebird service is running and try to connect to the database.

If the database will be accessed by an old application later on, then you have to:

1. Determine Firebird version needed. Use gstat -h dbname.fdb command. Check ODS version value. In the table here you will find a correspondence between ODS number and Firebird version. gstat utility is a part of server installation.
2. Download and install appropriate version of Firebird server from here.

Extravagance

This worked VERY well and of all of the drivers and solutions that I tried was the only one to load the database successfully. A note for users who are getting "database unavailable" after trying the above steps, make sure that you've started the guardian service (fbguard.exe -a) in the background and pre-pended the string "localhost:" in front of the file name for the gdb file. – Pursuer

Answer 2

To fix Flamerobin - missing gds32.dll or fbclient.dll problem:

1. Check which version of Firebird are you running - 32bit or 64 bit?
2. Install 32-bit Flamerobin for 32-bit Firebird or 64-bit Flamerobin for 64-bit Firebird.

Installing the correct version resolved my problem.

Cheers!

Hubie

Answer 3

The firebird server was installed, but I dont know why something was wrong. So, I uninstalled all the firebird packages and installed again. I think I have installed on the wrong order, cause I have installed the ODBC (Firebird_ODBC_2.0.1.152_Win32) before the firebird.

Now everything is ok.

Sjoberg

Answer 4

I had exactly the same problem on Windows 7 64bits. Solution is:

1. Copy fbclient.dll & GDS32.DLL to system32 and SySWOW64 folders.
2. regsvr32 fbclient & regsvr32 GDS32.DLL on both folders. Even when getting error messages, I ignored them.
3. Go to Program Files (x86)\FlameRobin and right click flamerobin.exe and choose to execute with compatibility Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Also, check execute as an administrator.

That's it!

Midshipman

Answer 5

Reinstall the firebird, and check that you want to install dll trought the installation.

Cu