Microsoft: November updates break ODBC database connections

Microsoft is working to address a new known issue affecting apps using ODBC database connections after installing the November 2022 Patch Tuesday Windows updates.

According to Redmond, affected apps might fail to connect to databases via connections using the Microsoft ODBC SQL Server driver.

"After installing this update, apps that use ODBC connections through Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver (sqlsrv32.dll) to access databases might not connect," Microsoft explains.

"Additionally, you might receive an error in the app, or you might receive an error from the SQL Server."

The list of potential errors users might see on affected systems includes:

• The EMS System encountered a problem. Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver] Protocol error in TDS Stream.

• The EMS System encountered a problem. Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver] Unknown token received from SQL Server.

The known issue impacts both client and server Windows platforms, from Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 up to the latest released Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022.

How to check if your apps are affected

Windows users can use the following steps to check if one of their apps uses ODBC connections to connect to a database and might be affected by this known issue:

1. Open any apps which use a database and then open Command Prompt (select Start, then type command prompt and select it)

2. On the Command Prompt, type the following command:

   tasklist /m sqlsrv32.dll
   

Microsoft added that it's currently working on a resolution, with more details regarding this issue to be released with a future update.  

The company is investigating domain controller freezes and restarts since November 25, also triggered by last month's Patch Tuesday Windows Server updates.

One week earlier, Microsoft addressed domain controller sign-in failures and other authentication problems caused by November Patch Tuesday Windows updates with emergency out-of-band (OOB) updates.