TOAD for Oracle and Windows 7: Can't initialize OCI. Error -1

Question

I have a problem with TOAD for Oracle 9.1 running on Windows 7 32-bit, described as follows:

I have Oracle OraClient10g 10.0.2 installed on my PC, and I need to use Toad 9.1. When I try to log into a server, I specify the database via TNS, I type the user name and password, but I get a message with the following error:

Can't initialize OCI. Error -1

Googling around I got several options which include: check that the ORACLE_HOME environment variable is set right, run TOAD as administrator, check that the user name and password are correct, install Oracle and TOAD for 32-bit system... I have checked all those options but I am still getting the error.

There is, however, a detail I should mention: In my start menu, there are two Oracle Homes (Home1 and Home2). Home 2 points to an empty folder because I reinstalled Oracle during my attempts to solve the problem, and the short cut is still in my start menu. I don't think this is important, though, because ORACLE_HOME is pointing to the right home.

I really need help with this. I need to solve this error and log in using TOAD.

Sheik

Exactly what version of the Oracle client do you have installed? 10.0.2 isn't a valid version number-- I'm guessing that you mean 10.2.0.x. Assuming that is correct, what is the x in 10.2.0.x? I believe you would need at least the 10.2.0.5 client in order to be supported on Windows 7. Is there a reason that you need to have an older client installed? Could you use and 11.2 client instead? Does SQL*Plus work? – Insignia

Sorry! you're right, the version is 10.2.0, but it's only those 3 numbers, no fourth number present. I'm using this version because it's the standard here where I'm developing. SQL*Plus does not work, it says the following errors: "Error 6 Initializing SQL Plus", "Message File sp1 <lang>.msb not found", "SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software directory" – Sheik

There should be at least 4 sets of numbers in the version number (i.e. 10.2.0.4 or 10.2.0.5.0). If you start the Oracle Universal Installer, and go to the Installed Products option, you should get the full version number. My first guess based on the error is that you probably are installing an older version of the 10.2 client that isn't compatible with Windows 7. Is there a reason that you need to have an older client installed? Could you use and 11.2 client instead? – Insignia

Via the Oracle Universal Installer I got the version: 10.2.0.1.0. Sadly, I can't use the 11.2 version. – Sheik

Can you get the 10.2.0.5 patchset? You'll need Metalink access to download it. – Insignia

There is a colleague of mine that could install Oracle 10.2.0.1.0 and Toad 9.1 on his Windows 7 with no problem at all, but has no idea how to solve this error... – Sheik

Hey, the problem got solved: I modified the environment variables, including those in the Windows registry, and Toad showed the Oracle home in red in the the TNS menu. I Put the environment variables to the way they where and Toad could connect... It's strange but it works now. Thank you very much for your time and effort, Justin!! See you around StackOverflow! – Sheik

I'm not a fan of running unsupported configurations-- there is a decent chance that something down the line isn't going to work quite right even if you get things to the point that you can make a connection successfully. If that's the solution you want, though, please add it as an answer to your own question and accept that answer. – Insignia

Answer 1

The problem got solved: I modified the environment variables, including those in the Windows registry, and Toad showed the Oracle home in red in the the TNS menu. I Put the environment variables to the way they where and Toad could connect... It's strange but it works now.

Sheik

What environment variables did you have to set? What key(s) did you change in the Windows registry? – Katykatya

Answer 2

For me, This problem was caused by me setting ORACLE_HOME windows environment variable (permanently). I set this whilst trying to get "emctl" to work.

Once removed, TOAD worked fine.

Elusive

This worked for me as well. I had set it to use OPatch for BI Publisher and once removed, TOAD worked as normal. Thanks. – Bath

This worked for me. My environment : TOAD 13.0, oracle 12.2 client basic packaged, windows 7, all of software is 32 bit. – Scrod

Answer 3

I opened toad with administrator privilege (Right click -> Run as Administrator). The problem solved.

Thanks a lot!

Haletky

Answer 4

Removing the ORACLE_HOME from the environment variables (system) worked for me.
TOAD is now working fine.

Fortepiano

removing ORACLE_HOME and Add my User Like administrator was useful, Thanks-. – Unprejudiced

Answer 5

In my case, I was getting same error with Oracle 10g client, Toad 10 Commercial installed in my Windows 7 PC. I was trying to access Oracle 10g server from my PC. I was getting that error while trying to access from Toad.

Finally, the solution I found was : I opened toad with administrator privilege (Right click -> Run as Administrator). The problem solved.

Saddle

Answer 6

Not sure what other stuff is installed on your laptop / desktop. But I had Toad 11.6 and then I installed other oracle realted product that created another homes. Below suggestions did NOT work for me :

• Regedit -> Softerware -> Wow6432Node -> Oracle -> KEY_ORA_WF_NK has correct ORACLE_HOME
• Environment variable ORACLE_HOME on local system also has the same.

Instead, I tried below and that worked for me and here's just another suggestion :

• When you open Toad, you are normally prompted which DB to connect and there is an option to select ("...") next to list of homes installed, once you click there, it will specify error (upon clicking button), so I tried that and something it complained about the PATH being not set, once I fixed the PATH and it worked. After this Toad opens normally (i.e. one does not have to use Run As Admin option).

BTW: Before trying above fix , I tried to Run as Admin and it worked.

Hope this helps, if not please excuse me.

Hemostat

Answer 7

Check your ORACLE HOME Environment Variable is pointing to the correct version.

When starting TOAD v8 it worked when our Oracle HOME was pointing at the c:\Apps\Oracle\9.2.

When I changed the ORACLE HOME Environment Variable to c:\Apps\Oracle\12.2\client_1 using TOAD to connect to a database it failed with the error:

Can't initialize OCI. Error -1

Candlenut

Answer 8

Great!!

It works after these two things are in sync:

1. Regedit -> Softerware -> Wow6432Node -> Oracle -> KEY_ORA_WF_NK has correct ORACLE_HOME
2. Environment variable ORACLE_HOME on local system also has the same.

Fuqua

Answer 9

I got this error "OCI_INVALID_HANDLE" at the time of connecting to the remote database after I removed one of my redundant installations of Oracle 12c DB Client. My machine's OS is Windows 10 Enterprise. The problem is fixed by adding ORACLE_HOME key in the system environment path.

Since I don't have any ORACLE_HOME key in my system environment path, I create this one by following the steps:

1. Right click on "This PC"
2. Click "Properties" -> "Advanced system settings"
3. Click "Environment variables..." in "Advanced" tab
4. Click "New..." in "System variables" section
5. Put "ORACLE_HOME" in "Variable name" field and put your installation path of oracle db client (ex: C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1) in "Variable value" field
6. Click "Ok".

Lycanthropy

Answer 10

Windows 7 locks down C drive this is why running as Admin works.

Mikvah

Answer 11

Possibly you will have installed Oracle and Oracle Express, so any configuration environment variables could be modified, if this is the case, login DIRECT and not TNSNAME and settings would localhost 1521 option serviceName: xe, leaving Connecting Using always the customer oracle eg Instant Client - 11.2

Poser