Error when querying linked server from 64-bit SQL2005/SQL2008 to 32-bit SQL 2000

When you got following message when accessing 32-Bit sql2000 linked server

The stored procedure required to complete this operation could not be found on the server. Please contact your system administrator.
Msg 7311, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
Cannot obtain the schema rowset "DBSCHEMA_TABLES_INFO" for OLE DB provider "SQLNCLI" for linked server "". The provider supports the interface, but returns a failure code when it is used.

Try the method as mentioned in here:

1. Make sure the sql server is upgraded to sp3/sp4

2. Launch the following command from DOS:
osql -E -S \ -i \instcat.sql

Where location is the instance installation path
(Default:C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Install)

...It will takes one or few minutes for the sql to finish...

3. When the command is finished, you can run the linked server query again without restarting the servers.

Excel 2010 Object Model Changes

Seems the VBA changes on Excel 2010 has been fixed.
A official comparsion to 2007/2003 could be found here


Luckly, there are no critical changes like FileFind in 2007.
Most of them are related to conditional formatings.

Excel:1-minute Tricks Series Vol.1:Format Painter Special feature

Without re-do formatting or re-entry data every time,
"Format Painter" providing a convenient ways on copying formats from one position to others.

Just like copy and paste, select the cells to copy first.
And then, click on the format painter


Notice that the cursor will become brush style


Select the target location/range, done!


I think many of you already know the above...
So what about the "special feature"?

You can also paste the format to multiple locations but without copying multiple times.

Double click the format painter when copy.
Even something has been pasted, the button will not be restored.

To stop the format painter, press "Esc" on keyboard.

This feature also applied to Excel 97 and later on version.

That's all of the first trick!