linked server direct query problem

Can anyone tell me what's wrong when I was successful to use:
select * from openquery(linkedservername,'select * from
catalogname.dbo.tablename')
However, when I used direct query:
select * from linkedservername.catalogname.dbo.tablename
and it failed with this error:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++
OLE DB provider 'SQLOLEDB' reported an error. The provider did not give any
information about the error.
OLE DB error trace [OLE/DB Provider 'SQLOLEDB' IUnknown::QueryInterface
returned 0x80004005: The provider did not give any information about the
error.].
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++
both dbes are SQL 2000 servers. Linked server was configured to use SQLOLEDB
as the provider...Try deleting the datasource information and just leaving the provider
string.
"bNguyen" <bNguyen@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:44825EF1-0AD5-407C-8E61-AA9234DE2BFA@.microsoft.com...
> Can anyone tell me what's wrong when I was successful to use:
> select * from openquery(linkedservername,'select * from
> catalogname.dbo.tablename')
> However, when I used direct query:
> select * from linkedservername.catalogname.dbo.tablename
> and it failed with this error:
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++
> OLE DB provider 'SQLOLEDB' reported an error. The provider did not give
any
> information about the error.
> OLE DB error trace [OLE/DB Provider 'SQLOLEDB' IUnknown::QueryInterfac
e
> returned 0x80004005: The provider did not give any information about the
> error.].
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++
> both dbes are SQL 2000 servers. Linked server was configured to use
SQLOLEDB
> as the provider...|||I am not sure I understood what you meant by deleting data source. When I
used direct query, I believe we must use four-part name in the statement to
reference linked server right? Please elaborate if you can... thanks
"Derrick Leggett" wrote:

> Try deleting the datasource information and just leaving the provider
> string.
>
> "bNguyen" <bNguyen@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:44825EF1-0AD5-407C-8E61-AA9234DE2BFA@.microsoft.com...
> any
> SQLOLEDB
>
>