Unable to Create System DSN

Environment:
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Operating System

Problem:
(ODBC Data Source Administrator)
Opening Administrative Tools -> Data Sources (ODBC) -> Click "System DSN" tab.

Error:
ODBC System DSN Warning You are logged on with non-Administrative privileges.
System DSNs could not be created or modified.

Failed Troubleshooting so far:
Enabled local Administrator account logged in under this account.
Navigated to C:\Windows\System32\ right clicked odbcad32.exe Run as Administrator

Notes: I am an Administrator on this machine.
The 32-bit version runs fine if I open C:\Windows\SysWoW64\odbcad32.exe
However, I need the data source to be 64-bit.
I am not experiencing this problem on any of my other 64-bit machines.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Solution 1:

In my case HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI was missing, which is where 64-bit odbcad32.exe loads list of DSNs from.

So I just created ODBC.INI and ODBC.INI\ODBC Data Sources under HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC and that annoying dialog box went away.

Solution 2:

I'd take a look at the permission on HKLM\Software\ODBC and the subkeys. Do you see any non-stock ACLs there? Stock ACLs will contain inherited ACEs only (with no non-inherited ACEs). It sounds like the registry permissions have been played-with.

Edit:

I'm interested in having you look at the registry permissions. Highlight the HKLM\Software\ODBC key in Registry Editor and choose Edit / Permissions from the menu. In the Advanced dialog you should see the individual access control entries (ACEs) that make up the access control list (ACL). In a default Windows 7 install there will be 4 items listed (Users, Administrators, SYSTEM, and CREATOR OWNER) and they will all have MACHINE\SOFTWARE in their Inherited From column.