Error "OLE DB or ODBC error: Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040E4E. An unexpected exception occurred."

[nlsoe]

My queries tables are updated, but when I refresh in the Report View, it keep giving me this error message "OLE DB or ODBC error: Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040E4E. An unexpected exception occurred." and my report isn't updated.  In Query Dependencies,  I noticed an orphan "box", how do i remove this?  Could this be the cause of the error message?  Need help with this.  Many thanks!

     

[v-nmadadi-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @nlsoe ,
Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.

One possible cause of the issue could be a hidden query that’s not visible in the standard Power Query interface. open the Advanced Editor for your other queries and carefully review them for any references to queries that no longer exist such as lines like Source = #"SomeMissingQuery". If you find such references, removing or updating them should help resolve the inconsistency.

Another step worth taking is to review the Model View in Power BI. Navigate to the Model View and look for any tables that appear disconnected or don’t display any columns these could be remnants of broken or incomplete queries. If you identify such a table and confirm it’s not in use, simply right-click on it and choose Delete to remove it from your data model. This cleanup can help eliminate potential sources of refresh errors.

If you find this post helpful, please mark it as an "Accept as Solution" and consider giving a KUDOS. Feel free to reach out if you need further assistance.
Thanks and Regards

[nlsoe]

Thanks for all teh help!

[rohit1991]

Hi @nlsoe ,

This kind of OLE DB or ODBC error, especially with the HRESULT code and that “unexpected exception” ,usually means there’s a broken or missing reference somewhere in your Power Query setup. The “orphan” box in your Query Dependencies view is a big clue: it means something is still pointing to a deleted, renamed, or missing query or file.

Here’s what’s worked for me and others:

1. Check all your queries in Advanced Editor: Open each query in Power Query, go to Advanced Editor, and look for any steps that reference something that doesn’t exist (like a file path or a query name that’s not in your list anymore). Remove or fix those references.

2. Show all queries including hidden and disabled: In Power Query, right-click the Queries pane and choose “Show All” to make sure you’re seeing every single query, including any that are disabled or hidden. Delete any that are unused or have broken steps.

3. Clean up in Model View: Switch to Model View and look for any tables that are disconnected or empty. If you see any that aren’t needed, right-click and delete them.

4. Double-check parameters and functions: Sometimes the broken reference is hiding in a parameter or custom function, not just a regular query be sure to check those too.

5. Data source credentials: Go to Data Source Settings and confirm all sources are accessible and credentials are current.

6. If the orphan still won’t go away: Try copying just your working queries into a fresh PBIX file, reconnecting your data sources, and seeing if the issue disappears. Sometimes a brand new file clears up stuck dependencies.

[nlsoe]

Thanks for sharing, Rohit.  This orphaned query is not found in my Power Query tables, thus unable to delete. I have the same thought of this contributing to the refresh failure.  I can't remove this orphan in Query Dependencies view, where can I remove it?  Thank you for your time!