Oracle Client Installer Fails on Windows 7 64 bit

You'll love this one! :)

Problem:
Trying to install the Oracle Client on your Windows 7 PC, it checks the Prerequisites and then vanishes.
Many web pages suggest that the installer will log it's progress to C:\Program Files\Oracle\... - this is not the case. It actually logs to %USERDIR%\AppData\Local\Temp\OraInstall..TIMESTAMP..

But in this case, the logs do not show anything is wrong!

Instead you have to look in %USERDIR%\AppData\Local\Temp\ for files with a name like hs_err_pidNNNN.log (NNNN is a number) - these are Java HotSpot exception dump files.

In this file I found errors showing an error in SHLWAPI.dll, which gave a stack trace ending in:

Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j  sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.getLinkLocation(JJZ)J+0
j  sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.getLinkLocation(Z)Lsun/awt/shell/ShellFolder;+20
j  sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.isDirectory()Z+69
j  sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.isDirectory()Z+79

This gives us a clue: the error is something to do with a link. Could that be a folder shortcut? A bit of Googling yielded that this was, in fact, the case.

So here's the solution:

Delete any folder shortcuts from your Windows Desktop. Re-run the installer.

Fixed.

I am really not a fan of Oracle OR Java. This type of thing reflects my general experience with Oracle and Sun technology.

Enough said...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the awesome tip!

This type of random (and seemingly unrelated issue) is the main reason that I consider most Oracle products to be inferior. Why should shortcuts to folders on my desktop have anything to do with installing the Oracle client? This is madness!!!

Unknown said...

Definitely agree - I don't like to be negative, so I just try and avoid all Oracle products at all costs! :) Even use mariadb instead of mysql these days

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just hit this issue, removing my shortcuts seems to have fixed it (thankfully I run a fairly minimalist desktop).

Really glad I stumbled across your blog, cheers!

Unknown said...

Yep this is still a bug in the latest installer. My colleague at work hit this very issue last week! Oracle!!!!

Tags

windows (10) microsoft (9) .net (6) google chrome (5) windows 7 (5) asp.net (4) google (4) google browser (4) development (3) javascript (3) mssql (3) rss (3) sql server (3) wordpress (3) automation (2) blogging (2) css (2) database (2) firefox (2) get all wordpress images (2) gmail (2) google docs (2) intel (2) internet explorer (2) linux (2) linux commands (2) microsoft word (2) mysql (2) netsh (2) network issue (2) proxy (2) seo tips (2) shell (2) sun (2) tfs (2) videos (2) wget (2) windows networking (2) windows vista (2) winhttp (2) .net 3.5 (1) .net 4.5 (1) .net async ctp3 (1) .net framework 4.0 (1) 404 (1) JungleDisk (1) access (1) active directory (1) addons (1) adobe acrobat (1) adobe dlm (1) adobe reader (1) adp (1) adsense (1) adtoll (1) adwords (1) amazon (1) antivirus (1) asp.net 4.0 (1) authentication (1) back links (1) backlinks (1) bacula (1) bash (1) batch files (1) blogger (1) box (1) browser exploits (1) category rss (1) cell phone (1) cell phone comparison (1) charting (1) cheap cell phones (1) cheap laptop upgrades (1) checkout (1) chrome (1) chrome.manifest (1) cloud (1) cloud hosting (1) cloud vps (1) code (1) color chart (1) colour chart (1) conditional formatting (1) config (1) configuration (1) context menu (1) copy (1) corrupt (1) credentials (1) cross-reference (1) database scripts (1) dba scripts (1) debian (1) decrypt (1) delete file windows vista (1) delete files (1) dell (1) dell laptop (1) dell studio (1) dell studio 1537 (1) dhcp (1) directory size (1) div (1) dns (1) document properties (1) dotnet (1) download (1) dreamhost (1) dreamhost coupon (1) dreamhost promo (1) dreamhost promo code (1) drive letter (1) drivers (1) duplicate content (1) editpad pro (1) encrypt (1) encryption (1) error (1) error code (1) excel (1) exception (1) external hard drive (1) facebook (1) faviconize (1) feeds (1) firefox 3 rc1 (1) firefox 3.1 (1) firefox addons (1) firefox tabs (1) firewall (1) firewall script (1) fix (1) fix .net framework (1) foreign keys (1) gmail 2.0 (1) gmail error (1) google chrome 2.0 (1) google chrome dev (1) google chrome exploit (1) google reader (1) google reader tags (1) gtdinbox (1) hard drive (1) hex color (1) hex colour (1) htaccess (1) html (1) html 5 (1) iis6 (1) installation (1) ipod touch (1) ipod touch 2g (1) ipod touch freeze (1) ipod touch magnet case (1) ipod touch magnet case problem (1) ipod touch problem (1) iterator pattern (1) itunes (1) java (1) joomla (1) jquery (1) laptop (1) laptop upgrade (1) laptops (1) latex (1) leeching (1) like button (1) link checker (1) linkbacks (1) linq (1) linqdatasource (1) lost password (1) making money online (1) map drive (1) mega cheap phones (1) microsoft excel (1) microsoft signature (1) microsoft store (1) microsoft web deploy (1) microsoft windows (1) microsoft word 2007 (1) minimize firefox tabs (1) mozy (1) ms word (1) msdeploy (1) msdtc (1) nant (1) netstumbler (1) network path not found (1) network path was not found (1) network problem (1) networking (1) new movies (1) nintendo (1) nirsoft (1) nocheckbrowser (1) number (1) odf (1) odt (1) online backups (1) open source browser (1) openoffice (1) oracle (1) oracle client (1) photoshop (1) phpmyadmin (1) podcast (1) powershell (1) pr checker (1) productivity (1) proxy server (1) proxycfg (1) putty (1) recover (1) registry (1) reinstall windows 7 (1) remote desktop (1) remove (1) repair (1) reset joomla admin password (1) rewrite (1) rsa (1) sandy bridge laptop (1) seagate momentus xt (1) seo tools (1) sequence (1) server monitoring (1) sftp (1) social networks (1) softlayer (1) soulseek (1) spreadsheet (1) spreadsheet formula (1) sql (1) sql scripts (1) sql server management studio (1) sqlclient (1) ssh (1) ssis (1) ssl (1) ssms (1) subst (1) tabmixplus (1) telstra (1) text editor (1) trust (1) unlock cell phone (1) unlock mobile phone (1) upgrade laptop hard drive (1) user management (1) vb.net (1) video download (1) virtual server (1) visual studio (1) vodafone (1) vodafone australia (1) vps (1) vps.net (1) wd external drive (1) web deploy (1) web dev (1) web development (1) web hosting (1) web security (1) webdev (1) webmail (1) webmaster tips (1) western digital (1) wifi networks (1) wii (1) win7 (1) windows 7 backup (1) windows 7 gadgets (1) windows 8 (1) windows 8 antivirus (1) windows error (1) windows live (1) windows live essentials (1) windows live toolbar (1) windows tips (1) windows web development (1) windows xp (1) winxp (1) wireless networks (1) word tips (1) wordpress 2.7 (1) wordpress plugin (1) wp super cache (1) yield (1) youtube download (1) youtube playlist download (1)