TNS-12500

[Thargy]

I am attempting to mount a database using sql plus, but whenever I do, the above error appears.

Research has revealed that this is a not uncommon OS error. Having rebooted the server etc. the problem persists.

An inspection of listener.log reveals the following:-

TNS-12500: TNS:listener failed to start a dedicated server process
 TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error
  TNS-00530: Protocol adapter error
   32-bit Windows Error: 2: No such file or directory

The windows help, in its usual inimitable style gives verbose information about error 2 as, "The file or directory does not exist".

I have googled, and had a squint on metalink, but to no avail. Does anyone know which particular file or folder it is, that the listener can't find? Anyone got any better ideas out there?

Regards

Tharg

Grinding away at things Oracular

 

[dbtoo2001]

http://download-west.oracle.com/docs/cd/B10501_01/network.920/a96580/troubles.htm#435169

 

[SantaMufasa]

John,

DBToo's link is an excellent troubleshooting guide for Oracle network-connectivity issues. Personally, virtually each time that I have encountered a "TNS-12500: TNSrotocol adapter error", it is because my ORACLE_HOME variable is either missing or invalid.

What operating system is this occurring on, John?

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.

 

[Thargy]

dbtoo, Santa,

thanks for the pointer to ask tom etc. I do normally RTFM, but in this case, I couldn't find much M to FR.

Santa, this is occurring on Windows server 2003.

I sideswiped the problem by using OEM to mount the database, instead of SQL Plus 'startup mount'. OEM must access databases differently from SQL plus, because there was no TNS error. Once I had the database mounted, the RMAN restore (which was what I originally wanted to do) only took 10 minutes.

Tom summarises these errors by saying that it's indicative of the OS running out of resources somewhere. My only moan was that I wanted to figure out which resource it was that was hitting the end stops.

I really hate it when I can only work around problems, and not provide an analytic solution. If any of you have further info, I'd be glad to receive it.

T

Grinding away at things Oracular

 

[Thargy]

Santa,

can you post a url where I can swot up on ORACLE_HOME variables. I've had another TNS error, so I've got to sort this out.

T

Grinding away at things Oracular

 

[SantaMufasa]

To come up with a URL, I would just have to Google "Setting ORACLE_HOME variables", but short of that, here is what I typically do:

A) On Windows, I ensure that the Oracle installer sets the variable that I want in the Registry. Here are the (registry) places that I ensure contain the proper value for ORACLE_HOME:

1) Regedit -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> ORACLE -> ALL_HOMES -> ID0 -> ORACLE_HOME -> (your Oracle Home).

2) Regedit -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> ORACLE -> HOME0 -> ORACLE_HOME -> (your Oracle Home).

B) Another place to confirm/set the value of ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID (on Windows) is amongst your System Environment Variables (on XP, for example):

Start -> <rt-click>MyComputer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Environment Variables -> (System Variables)New -> (Variable Name) -> (Variable Value) -> [OK] -> [OK]

C) And, if you are a belt-and-braces man, for a specific Window/session...after doing the above, you can, in either a .bat file or at a Windows command prompt, you can issue the following commands:

set ORACLE_HOME=d:\Oracle\<directory>
set ORACLE_SID=<SID value>

Let us know if residual ORACLE_HOME questions exist.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[

http://www.dasages.com:

Providing low-cost remote Database Admin services]
Click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips if you use Oracle in Utah USA.