Oracle® Database

1.1 Oracle Messaging Gateway Support

Oracle Messaging Gateway is supported on Windows Server 2003 x64, starting with patch set 11.1.0.7.

3.1 Pro*C/C++ Requirement

Pro*C/C++ is also supported with the Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2002 7.0 and Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2003 7.1 compilers.

3.2 Accessibility Software Recommendations for Windows 32-Bit

Our goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible to the disabled community. Oracle Database 11g release 1 (11.1) supports accessibility features. To make best use of these accessibility features, Oracle recommends the following software configuration:

• Windows XP or Windows Vista

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or later

• Firefox 2.0

• JAWS 8.0.2173

• JDK 1.5 and later

• Java Access Bridge 2.0.1

Additional accessibility information for Oracle products can be found at

http://www.oracle.com/accessibility

For the latest configuration information and for information about addressing accessibility and assistive technology issues, see the Oracle Accessibility FAQ at

http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/faq.html

3.3 Physical Memory Requirements on Windows Server 2008

The following table provides the minimum physical memory requirements on Windows 32-bit and Windows x64:

3.4 Minimum Processor Speed for Windows Server 2008

The following table provides the minimum processor speed:

3.5 Swap Space Guidance

Contact your operating system vendor for swap space allocation guidance for your server. The vendor guidelines supersede the swap space requirements listed in Oracle Database Installation Guide and Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide.

4.1 Latest Upgrade Information

For late-breaking updates and best practices about preupgrade, post-upgrade, compatibility, and interoperability discussions, refer to Note 601807.1 on My Oracle Support (formerly OracleMetaLink)(https://support.oracle.com/) that links to "Oracle 11g Upgrade Companion" page.

4.2 New Installation Media to Install Oracle HTTP Server

Use the Oracle Fusion Middleware Web Tier Utilities 11g (11.1.1.2.0) media to install Oracle HTTP Server.

4.3 Installation Media for Windows Server 2008

Oracle Database 11.1.0.7 is supported only on Windows Server 2008. Use the Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1.0.7.0) for Microsoft Windows Windows Server 2008 media. Windows Vista users must use the 11.1.0.6 media.

4.4 Adding or Deleting an Instance Using Oracle Enterprise Manager Displays an Error

An error message is displayed if you add or delete an instance in the following scenarios:

• You add or delete an instance using Oracle Enterprise Manager from a new cluster on which you have never installed Oracle

• You start the process of adding or deleting an instance from a node other than the one where you initially started the process

The error message displayed is similar to the following error message:

Error -Error getting a return value: The inventory pointer location
/var/opt/oracle/oraInst.loc is either not readable or does not exist
Operation Failed. Refer logs at ...

Workaround: Complete one of the following procedures to address this issue:

• On each node of the cluster, run commands similar to the following:

  SYSTEM_DRIVE:> cd CRS_home\oui\bin
  SYSTEM_DRIVE:> attachhome -silent -local "CLUSTER_NODES={comma_separated_node_list_of_this_cluster}
  

• On each node of the cluster:

  1. Run a command similar to the following command:

     SYSTEM_DRIVE:> cd CRS_home\oui\bin
     

  2. Start Oracle Universal Installer by running the setup.exe command.

  3. On the Welcome page, click Next.

  4. Exit from Oracle Universal Installer.

  Note:

  This issue is not observed if you already have an Oracle installation, such as Oracle Database, Oracle Management Agent, and so on, on the node.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6603930.

4.5 Error When Removing Oracle Configuration Manager

When you run the deployPackages -d ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\ccr\inventory\core.jar command to remove Oracle Configuration Manager, the following message is displayed:

The batch file cannot be found.

This message indicates that the Oracle Configuration Manager service has been removed. To complete the removal of Oracle Configuration Manager, run the following command

SYSTEM_DRIVE:> rmdir /s/q ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\ccr

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 5982610.

4.6 Multiple Oracle Home Support

Oracle Database supports multiple Oracle homes. This means that you can install this release or previous releases of the software more than once on the same system, in different Oracle home directories. This enables flexibility in deployment and maintenance of the database software. For example, it enables you to run different versions of the database simultaneously on the same system, or it enables you to upgrade specific database or Automatic Storage Management instances on a system without affecting other running databases.

You must install Oracle Database 11g into a new Oracle home directory. You cannot install products from one release of Oracle Database into an Oracle home directory of a different release. For example, you cannot install Oracle Database 11g release 1 (11.1) software into an existing Oracle9i Oracle home directory. If you attempt to install this release into an Oracle home directory that contains software from an earlier Oracle release, the installation fails.

You can install this release more than once on the same system as long as each installation is installed in a separate Oracle home directory.

4.7 Oracle Text User_Filter Executable Directory Change

In Oracle Database 11g, the executables for USER_FILTER should exist in the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\ctx\bin directory. Therefore, after upgrading an earlier version of Oracle Database to Oracle Database 11g, you need to run the following SQL commands as the SYS, SYSTEM, or CTXSYS user to display the list of USER_FILTER executables:

SQL> select ixv_value
SQL> from ctxsys.ctx_index_values
SQL> where ixv_class = 'FILTER'
SQL> and ixv_object = 'USER_FILTER'
SQL> and ixv_attribute = 'COMMAND';

Copy the displayed executables from the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\bin directory to the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\ctx\bin directory.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6269811.

4.8 Registry and Service for Oracle Database Enterprise Manager Database Control is not Created on Remote Node

When running Database Upgrade Assistant, registry and service for Oracle Database Enterprise Manager Database Control is not created on the remote node.

Workaround: You must close Service Control Manager window when installing Oracle Clusterware, Oracle Database, and running Database Upgrade Assistant.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6499676.

4.9 Rolling Upgrade Displays an Error Message

When doing a rolling upgrade of Oracle Clusterware from earlier version to Oracle Database 11g, the Oracle Universal Installer prerequisite checks displays an error message when checking the status of Oracle Synchronization Service. This is an expected error message.

The message indicates that you must shutdown services on all the nodes. However, you only need to shutdown the services on the node(s) on which you are performing upgrade.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6152450.

4.10 The Prerequisite Checker Deployment Procedure Reports Incorrect Results

When you run the Prerequisite Checker Deployment procedure from Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Console, the procedure displays that the Check Active Files and Executables check has failed. However, on Windows Vista, the procedure reports that the check has passed.

Workaround: Ignore the result of this check and consider it as failed.

This issues is tracked with Oracle bug 6215909.

4.11 Upgrading Oracle Clusterware from Oracle Database 10g (10.x)

When you upgrade Oracle Clusterware from an Oracle Database 10g release (10.x), the OPMD service is not created.

Workaround: After completing the upgrade process, run the following command from the CRS_home\bin directory on each node:

opmd -install

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6416092.

4.12 Warning Message is Displayed When ORACLE_HOME Refers to a Non-Existent Directory

When the ORACLE_HOME environment variable refers to a directory that does not exist, Oracle Universal Installer displays a warning message about a non-empty home directory when you click Next on the Install Location screen.

This is a benign message that you can ignore and continue with the install. This message is displayed when you have Oracle Database 11g Clusterware installed on the computer.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6160525.

4.13 Uppercase or Mixed Case Instance Name Issues in Oracle RAC

Database Configuration Assistant fails to add a new instance when a database is created with uppercase or mixed case SID Prefix in an Oracle RAC environment.

Workaround:

Follow these steps to resolve this issue:

• Get the existing instance names of the database using srvctl config database -d db_unique_name.

• Repeat the following steps for each instance. If there are any services configured, they need to be reconfigured.

  1. srvctl stop instance -d db_unique_name -i upper/mixed case instance name

  2. srvctl remove instance -d db_unique_name -i upper/mixed case instance name

  3. srvctl add instance -d db_unique_name -i lower case instance name -n node_name

  4. If there are any services configured to use this instance, reconfigure them using srvctl.

     See Also:

     "Administering Services with SRVCTL" in Oracle Database Oracle Real Application Clusters Administration and Deployment Guide

  5. srvctl start instance -d db_unique_name -i lower case instance name

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 7113363.

4.14 Automatic Storage Management Disk Group Mounting Issue on Windows Server 2008

When disks that are used by Automatic Storage Management fail or are disabled, they are no longer readable or writable. When you re-enable the disks, the disks are readable and writable again, but the disk groups fail to mount giving the following error:

ORA-15032: not all alterations performed
ORA-15063: ASM discovered an insufficient number of disks for disk group "DG"

Workaround:

Run the following command before mounting the disk group:

amdu -fullscan

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 7608437.

4.15 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrade Issues on Windows 32-Bit

The following are the Windows 32-bit specific issues that affect Oracle Database installation, configuration, and upgrade:

• Install Error: The Application Fails to Install Because the MSVCRTD.dll File is Missing

• The runcluvfy.bat File Fails to Run From the Root of the DVD Media

• The srvctl Utility and Oracle Database Upgrade Assistant Fail to Start or Stop Oracle9i RAC Databases

• Error When Oracle Net Listener Service Logon and Oracle Database Service Logon Accounts Do Not Match

Install Error: The application fails to install because the MSVCRTD.dll file is missing.
Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

The network path was not found.
The system cannot find the path specified.
The system cannot find the path specified.
The system cannot find the path specified.

PRKP-1006 : Failed to shut down cluster database database_name
     ORA-01031: insufficient privileges
     ORA-01005: null password given; logon denied
     ORA-01031: insufficient privileges
     ORA-01005: null password given; logon denied

CRS_home\bin\olsnodes

4.16 Installation, Configuration, and Upgrade Issues on Windows x64

The following are the Windows x64 specific issues that affect Oracle Database installation, configuration, and upgrade:

• Error When Adding Node to Oracle RAC

• ODBC Driver Setup Dialog Box Does not Work as Desired

• Oracle Configuration Manager May Fail

Error while copying directory C:\app\oracle\product\11.1.0\db_1 with exclude file 
list'C:\DOCUME~1\oracle\LOCALS~1\Temp\1\OraInstall2007-04-01_08-00-09PM\installExcludeFile.lst'
to nodes 'nodes_being_added'.
[PRKC-1073 : Failed to transfer directory "C:\app\oracle\product\11.1.0\db_1"
to any of the given nodes "nodes_being_added". 
Error on node nodes_being_added:Access denied]
Refer to 'C:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory\logs\addNodeActions2007-04-01_08-00-09PM.log'
for details. You may fix the errors on the required remote nodes. 
Refer to the install guide for error recovery. Click 'Yes' if you want 
to proceed. Click 'No' to exit the install. Do you want to continue?

5.1 Stamping Issue on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

The stamped disks are not displayed in Oracle Database Configuration Assistant on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

Workaround:

Complete the following steps to resolve this issue:

1. Click Stamp Disk.

2. Delete the labels.

3. Click Stamp Disk.

4. Stamp the disks again.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 5944993.

5.2 Oracle Universal Installer Issue on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

If the Oracle Universal Installer is run from the Start menu to remove Oracle Database, then the database is not completely removed as the Start menu shows Oracle home. The top level directory is shown but no contents exist.

Workaround:

Remove the Oracle home entry from the Start menu manually or run the Oracle Universal Installer from the command prompt to ensure a clean removal of Oracle Database software.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6983386.

5.3 Shared Oracle Home Shortcuts Do Not Work on Windows Server 2008

Starting Oracle tools such as Net Configuration Assistant, Database Configuration Assistant, Database Upgrade Assistant, Net Manager, Oracle Universal Installer, and so on, from shared Oracle home shortcut gives the following error:

Missing shortcut: windows is searching launch.exe

The shortcuts exit following the error.

Workaround:

Start the tools with Administrator privileges.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 7525053.

5.4 Cluvfy Fails System Architecture Check on Windows Server 2008 x64

The Cluster Verification Utility reports system architecture as unknown and expected architecture as 32-bit on Windows Server 2008 x64.

Workaround:

Ignore the error.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 8300426.

5.5 Configuration Assistants Intermittently Hang in Oracle RAC Environment on Windows Server 2008

Network Configuration Assistant and Database Configuration Assistant intermittently hang on Windows Server 2008 if Oracle RAC cluster nodes have Symantec Antivirus software enabled.

Workaround:

Upgrade the Symantec Antivirus software to version 10.2.2 otherwise uncheck the Enable Scanning option in the Symantec Antivirus software. Follow the instructions on the Symantec Web site:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH101730&locale=en_US

The Symantec case number is 311-992285. This issue is also tracked with Oracle bug 7332683.

6.1 Database Resident Connection Pooling

When using Database Resident Connection Pooling on Windows, disable Windows native authentication for the clients that connect to pooled servers. Ensure that sqlnet.authentication_services parameter does not have NTS set for these clients. Pooled servers do not support NTS authentication, so there is no loss in functionality for these clients.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6183123.

6.2 Exporting an Encrypted Table Fails

If you export an encrypted table, an error message is displayed.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6324760.

6.3 Importing an Encrypted Table Fails

If you import an encrypted table, an error message is displayed.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6326362.

6.4 Oracle Database Gateway for Websphere MQ

The deployment script file pgmobj.sql located in the Gateway_Home\admin\deploy directory contains incorrect database link and library names. These incorrect names result in the malfunctioning of the gateway. You can detect this issue if the ORA-28509 error message is displayed and no gateway trace files are generated.

Workaround: To resolve this issue, make the following changes to the pgmobj.sql script:

1. Replace all the database link names pg4mqdepdblink with dg4mqdepdblink.

2. Replace all the library names libpg4mq with libdg4mq.

Save the pgmobj.sql script and follow the instruction available in the gateway manual to run the script. To run the script, use SYS user as SYSDBA in SQL*Plus on the Oracle database that needs access to the gateway.

This issues is tracked with Oracle bug 6448585.

6.5 Oracle VSS Writer Service is not Available After Upgrade

When you upgrade Oracle9i or Oracle Database 10g to Oracle Database 11g on Windows Server 2003, Oracle VSS Writer Service is not available in the upgraded database. If you want to make a backup of an Oracle database using Windows VSS infrastructure, then you must start Oracle VSS Writer Service.

Workaround: Use the following command to create Oracle VSS Writer Service:

SYSTEM_DRIVE:> oravssw ORACLE_SID /i

When you run this command, Oracle VSS Writer Service is created under Local System account. Using the Services icon in the Control panel, you must change the service to be run as a user account that has SYSDBA privilege using operating system authentication. This means that the user should be a member of ORA_DBA group.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6496376.

6.6 Permission Denied When Oracle Database Configuration Assistant is Run on Non-Shared Oracle Home

If you run Oracle Database Configuration Assistant to install Automatic Storage Management with shared Oracle base and non-shared Oracle home, an error message stating permission denied is displayed.

Workaround: This is a benign message. Click OK to continue and complete the installation process. The Automatic Storage Management is created successfully.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6327383.

6.7 Reactivate the OC4JADMIN User for Oracle Ultra Search

The OC4JADMIN user is deactivated during the Oracle Database 11g installation process. After the installation is complete, you must modify the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\oc4j\j2ee\OC4J_SEARCH\config\system-jazn-data.xml file. Replace the following content of the file:

<user deactivated="true">
<name>oc4jadmin</name>
<display-name>OC4J Administrator</display-name>
<description>OC4J Administrator</description>

with:

<user>
<name>oc4jadmin</name>
<display-name>OC4J Administrator</display-name>
<description>OC4J Administrator</description>

Use the following commands to restart the Oracle Ultra Search middle tier in the Oracle Database:

System_Drive:>ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\bin\searchctl stop
System_Drive:>ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\bin\searchctl start

6.8 Other Known Issues on Windows 32-Bit

The following is the Windows 32-bit specific known issue related to Oracle Database 11g and associated products:

• Compilation Error in Five XDKCPP Demonstration Files

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

6.9 Other Known Issues on Windows x64

The following are the Windows x64 specific known issue related to Oracle Database 11g and associated products:

• Limitations with ODP.NET

• Support Only for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

• The sqldveloper.exe Application is not Supported

7.1 The ocopy.exe Utility is not Installed in CRS_Home

In Oracle Clusterware Installation Guide for Microsoft Windows, you are instructed to make a backup of the contents of the voting disk by using the ocopy.exe utility after the Oracle Clusterware installation is complete. However, the ocopy.exe utility is not installed in the CRS_home. You should either use the ocopy.exe utility available in the database Oracle home, or use another utility to make the backup.

This issue is tracked with Oracle bug 6336685.

7.2 Oracle Ultra Search Postinstallation Changes to orion-application.xml File

In chapter 4, "Installing Oracle Ultra Search", section "Postinstallation Tasks" in the Oracle Ultra Search Administrator's Guide, replace step 3, "Start the Oracle Ultra Search Middle Tier" with the following:

3. Modify the orion-application.xml File

Add the following library paths to the orion-application.xml file located in ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\oc4j\j2ee\OC4J_SEARCH\application-deployments\ultrasearch_query\orion-application.xml:

<library path="../../../../../ultrasearch/lib/searchlet.jar"/> 
<library path="../../../../ultrasearch/lib/searchlet.jar"/> 

7.3 Windows Vista Content Applicable to Windows Server 2008

The following sections for Windows Vista also apply to Windows Server 2008:

• Managing User Accounts with User Account Control on Windows Vista

• Windows Telnet Services Support

• Windows Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Support

• Installing a Loopback Adapter on Windows Vista

• Installation Consideration on Windows Vista

7.4 Disk Striping and Symbolic Links Support

The section, "ORADATA Directory" in appendix B of Oracle Database Installation Guide for Microsoft Windows has the following note:

This directory structure allows for disk striping only on UNIX platforms.

The correct statement is:

This directory structure allows for disk striping on UNIX and Windows platforms.

Another section, "Support for Symbolic Links on Windows" in this appendix documents that Windows currently does not support symbolic links, so data files will not show up under a single directory as with UNIX.

The correct information is:

On Windows, volume mount points can be used to mount files on different hard drives to a single directory. You may have oradata directories on multiple drives, with data files in each one, on Windows version which does not support volume mount points.

7.5 Incorrect Default Value for OSAUTH_PREFIX_DOMAIN

Chapter 15, "Configuration Parameters and the Registry" of Oracle Database Platform Guide for Microsoft Windows incorrectly states the default value for OSAUTH_PREFIX_DOMAIN as false. The correct default value for OSAUTH_PREFIX_DOMAIN parameter is true.

7.6 OSAUTH_ENFORCE_STRICT Not Supported

Chapter 15, "Configuration Parameters and the Registry" of Oracle Database Platform Guide for Microsoft Windows incorrectly documents OSAUTH_ENFORCE_STRICT registry parameter. This parameter was only supported on all pre-Windows 2000 database releases. Starting with Oracle Database 10g Release 2, the registry parameter OSAUTH_ENFORCE_STRICT is not supported.