C Troubleshooting the Oracle Database Client Installation

Verifying Requirements

Before you try any of the troubleshooting steps in this appendix, do the following:

• Check that the system meets the requirements and that you have completed all of the preinstallation tasks specified in Chapter 2, "Oracle Database Client Preinstallation Requirements".

• Read the release notes for the product on your platform before installing it. The release notes are available on the Oracle Database installation media. You can find the latest version of the release notes on the Oracle Technology Network Web site:

  http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/
  

What to Do if an Installation Error Occurs

If you encounter an error during installation:

• Do not exit Oracle Universal Installer.

• If you clicked Next after you entered incorrect information about one of the installation windows, click Back to return to the window and correct the information.

• If you encounter an error while Oracle Universal Installer is copying or linking files, then see "Reviewing the Log of an Installation Session" for interactive installations or "Silent or Noninteractive Installation Response File Error Handling" for silent or noninteractive installations.

• If you encounter an error while a configuration assistant is running, then see "Troubleshooting Configuration Assistants".

• If you cannot resolve the problem, then remove the failed installation by following the steps listed in "Cleaning Up After a Failed Installation".

Reviewing the Log of an Installation Session

When you run Oracle Universal Installer on a computer with no Oracle software installed, it creates a directory called:

DRIVE_LETTER:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory\logs

During this first installation and all subsequent installations, Oracle Universal Installer records all of the actions that it performs in a log file in this directory. If you encounter problems during the installation, review the log file for information about possible causes of the problem.

Log filenames for interactive installations take the form:

installActionsdate_time.log

For example, if an interactive installation occurred at 9:00:56 A.M. on February 14, 2005, the log file would be named:

installActions2005-02-14_09-00-56-am.log

Silent or Noninteractive Installation Response File Error Handling

To determine whether a silent or nonintereactive installation succeeds or fails, check the silentInstallActionsdate_time.log file, located in the DRIVE_LETTER:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory\logs directory.

A silent installation fails if:

• You do not specify a response file.

• You specify an incorrect or incomplete response file.

  For example, a common problem is that while all the database-specific data is filled out correctly, the staging area location may be incorrect. If this is the case, check the FROM_LOCATION variable and make sure that it points to the products.xml file in the installation media. In the installation media, this products.xml is in client\stage.

• Oracle Universal Installer encounters an error, such as insufficient disk space.

Oracle Universal Installer or a configuration assistant validates the response file at runtime. If the validation fails, the installation or configuration process ends. Oracle Universal Installer treats values for parameters that are of the wrong context, format, or type as if no value was specified in the file.

Troubleshooting Configuration Assistants

To troubleshoot an installation error that occurs when a configuration assistant is running:

• Review the installation log files listed in "Reviewing the Log of an Installation Session".

• Review the specific configuration assistant log file located in the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\cfgtoollogs directory. Try to fix the issue that caused the error.

• If you see the Fatal Error. Reinstall message, look for the cause of the problem by reviewing the log files. Refer to "Fatal Errors" for further instructions.

Cleaning Up After a Failed Installation

If an installation fails, you must remove files that Oracle Universal Installer created during the attempted installation and remove the Oracle home directory. Follow the instructions in Chapter 5, "Removing Oracle Database Client Software" to run Oracle Universal Installer to deinstall Oracle Database Client, manually remove the Oracle directory, and remove Oracle from the Registry Editor keys. Afterwards, reinstall the software.