title: OPENDATASOURCE instead of Linked Server
body: <p>I have a situation where a linked server to an access DB is crashing my SQL server.  </p>
  
  <p>Crashed here means adding the linked server causes all other linked servers using that provider to stop working. Any queries to those linked servers hang and don't complete. This situation persists until the server is restarted.</p>
  
  <p>However, when I use <code>OPENDATASOURCE</code> to connect to the same data source I don't have this problem.  </p>
  
  <p>Why would one work and the other crash?  </p>
  
  <p>The provider I'm using is Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0. I have Dynamic parameter and Allow inprocess enabled.  Example query below</p>
  
  <pre><code>select 
  *
  from OPENDATASOURCE('Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0', 
      'Data Source=\\networkPath\Reporting.accdb')...MyAccessTable
  </code></pre>