Unknown system variable 'character_set_results'

[Alyson Stibbard]

I am an Access and (relatively new) MSSQL user who is confronting MySQL for the first time. I am trying to link a table from a MySQL 4.0.24 database (on Linux) into a MSSQL 2005 database (on Windows Server 2003).

On the Linux server I have created a wildcard MySQL user who can connect from any host. On the Windows server, I have downloaded the MySQL ODBC 5.1 Driver and set up a Machine DSN to see if I can establish a connection. When I Test this DSN, MySQL seems happy enough with my login details but returns the message:

Connection Failed: [HY00][MySQL][ODBC 5.1 Driver]Unkown system variable 'character_set_results'

What do I have to do to MySQL to make it love me? If you have time to respond, please feel to treat me like I know almost nothing because, frankly, I know almost nothing.