# Initialization of the Data Source Failed Excel 2010



## kitjosh1050 (Apr 17, 2015)

Hello All,

I've been running into this annoying glitch where I get a "Initialization of the data source failed". I've searched google for solutions and the one recommendation: re-install, I tried with no success. The second solution, make sure you're using the same version of PP as the one which created the file, is not relevant because I know they are the same version.

All I have to do is click OK twice to resolve, which is not a huge issue, but I want a solution if our end-users run into it. This doesn't happen in every Workbook and I don't know what is special about this one. Any help would be appreciated.

My stats: Windows 7 64-bit, Excel 2010 32-bit (why am I using Excel 32-bit? ask our IT department...), PowerPivot v2. 

The full message is: "Initialization of the data source failed. Check the database server or contact your database administrator. Make sure the external database is available, and then try the operation again. If you see this message again, create a new data source to connect to the database."


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## luirib (Apr 17, 2015)

kitjosh1050 said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I've been running into this annoying glitch where I get a "Initialization of the data source failed". I've searched google for solutions and the one recommendation: re-install, I tried with no success. The second solution, make sure you're using the same version of PP as the one which created the file, is not relevant because I know they are the same version.
> 
> ...



I think you get this error when you have a table in Excel that is not feeding the model. For example, if you drill thru a powerpivot and save the resulting table, you will be getting this error the next time you open. Check to see if you have such table and let us know. This has been my experience and would like to get it confirmed.


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## kitjosh1050 (Apr 18, 2015)

This was exactly the case for me. I saved the file with a drill-through table open. When I deleted it, saved and re-opened the issue was gone.


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