Ignored columns using vb6 to extract from excel

I am trying to extract a table of values from an excel (2003) spreadsheet using vb6, the result of which needs to be stored in a (adodb) recordset. The table looks like this:

    Name   Option.1  Option.2  Option.3  Option.4  Option.5  Option.6 
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Name1         2         3         4
    Name2         2         3         4
    Name3         2         3         4
    Name4         2         3         4
    Name5         2         3         4
    Name6         2         3         4
    Name7         2         3         4
    Name8         2         3         4
    Name9         2         3         4         5         6         7

Upon connecting and executing the query "SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]" or even a column-specific, "SELECT [Option#6] FROM [Sheet1$]" (see footnote 1) and looping through the results, I am given Null values for the row Name9, Option.4 --> Option.6 rather than the correct values 5, 6, and 7. It seems the connection to the spreadsheet is using a "best guess" of deciding what the valid table limits are, and only takes a set number of rows into account.

To connect to the spreadsheet, I have tried both connection providers Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0 and MSDASQL and get the same problem.

Here are the connection settings I use:

Set cn = New ADODB.Connection
With cn
    .Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
    .ConnectionString = "Data Source=" & filePath & ";Extended Properties=Excel 8.0;"
    - - - - OR - - - - 
    .Provider = "MSDASQL"
    .ConnectionString = "Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)};" & _
                        "DBQ=" & filePath & ";MaxScanRows=0;"
    .CursorLocation = adUseClient
    .Open
End With  
Set rsSelects = New ADODB.Recordset
Set rsSelects = cn.Execute("SELECT [Option#5] FROM " & "[" & strTbl & "]")

This problem only occurs when there are more than 8 rows (excluding the column names), and I have set MaxScanRow=0 for the MSDASQL connection, but this has produced the same results.

Notable project references I have included are:

MS ActiveX Data Objects 2.8 Library
MS ActiveX Data Objects Recordset 2.8 Library
MS Excel 11.0 Object Library
MS Data Binding Collection VB 6.0 (SP4)

Any help in this matter would be very appreciated!

(1) For some reason, when including a decimal point in the column name, it is interpreted as a #.

Thanks everyone! Halfway through trying to set up a Schema.ini "programmatically" from KB155512 onedaywhen's excellent post pointed me towards the solution:

.Provider = "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0"
.ConnectionString = "Data Source=" & filePath & ";Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;HDR=Yes;IMEX=1"";"

I would encourage anyone with similar problems to read the post and comments, since there are slight variations to a solution from one person to another.

Solution

You are correct: it is guessing the data type based on a number of rows. There are local machine registry keys you may be able to alter to influence the data type chosen. For more details, see this answer.