Cannot Create Linked Server

I am trying to create a linked server in Management Studio Exoress. In the Objext Explorer, I open Server Objexts and the right-click on Linked Servers and select New Linked Server. I then get an error that says "Cannot show the requested dialog. Additional information: Cannot find table 0. (System Data). The full text of the error is as follows:

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Cannot show requested dialog.

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Cannot find table 0. (System.Data)

Program Location:

at System.Data.DataTableCollection.get_Item(Int32 index)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LinkedServerPropertiesGeneral.PopulateProvidersCombo()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LinkedServerPropertiesGeneral.Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.IPanelForm.OnInitialization()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.SetView(Int32 index, TreeNode node)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.SelectCurrentNode()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.InitializeUI(ViewSwitcherTreeView treeView, ISqlControlCollection viewsHolder, Panel rightPane)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm.InitializeForm(XmlDocument doc, IServiceProvider provider, ISqlControlCollection control)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm..ctor(XmlDocument doc, IServiceProvider provider)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.VSIntegration.ObjectExplorer.ToolsMenuItem.OnCreateAndShowForm(IServiceProvider sp, XmlDocument doc)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.RunningFormsTable.RunningFormsTableImpl.ThreadStarter.StartThread()

I am running XP SP2 and SSE SP2. One other item is that the providers folder is empty. I checked another box and there are several providers listed in that installation. It looks like when the SSE is installed, the providers are not being created. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling and am having the same problem. Is this a installation bug or is there a conflict with another program? I also re-downloaded the installation files in case there was a problem with that, but it didn't solve the issue either.

Thanks for any help,

Paul Nelson

I have got the same problem, and I noticed that there is nothing in "Providers" folder under "Linked Servers". Looking at another machine where "Linked Servers" is working properly, the "Providers" folder contains many items.