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Fix Oracle Tnsping 3511 without Windows Registry

Applies to:
- MS Windows 7 Enterprise


What?
So I can ping the server the Oracle 11g database sits on. I've installed the Oracle 11g client tools and can connect using sqlplus. But if I tnsping any oracle database, I get something along the lines of:
copyraw
Message 3511 not found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage
3512 not found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage 3513 n
ot found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage 3509 not foun
d; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNS
  1.  Message 3511 not found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage 
  2.  3512 not found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage 3513 n 
  3.  ot found; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNSMessage 3509 not foun 
  4.  d; No message file for product=NETWORK, facility=TNS 

Why?
We NEED several instances of Oracle installed as we have different products/services and these run off various instances of Oracle 9i, 10g, and 11g. This article was written for those that need to support these kind of systems and not as an invite for suggestions on how my business should be run.


How?
So there are a variety of solutions that will fix this. However we have certain restrictions in my work environment thanks partly to group policies:
My Fix
  1. Right-click on "My Computer" > select "Properties"
  2. Click on "Advanced System Settings"
  3. Click on "Environment Variables"
  4. Under "System Variables" modify the variable "ORACLE_HOME" (without the quotes). Or create NEW if it doesn't exist.
  5. Give it the value C:\ORACLE\product\11.2.0\client_1
  6. OK all dialogs to close and save.

Additional
The affecting TNSNAMES.ORA file for the above setup is located in "C:\app\<myusername>\product\11.2.0\client_1\Network\Admin". I also checked that the data therein matched the TNSNAMES.ORA file located in "C:\ORACLE\product\11.2.0\client_1\network\admin".


Furthermore
I've been asked why aren't all our Oracle databases the same version? It's due to the fact that these aren't our databases, we simply help support them. You say less than ideal, I say realistic. Quit complaining about processes and management and instead prove your worth. I'm good at what I do because I make do with what I have available and I've yet to fail in coming up with a fix/workaround. "It's a poor workman who blames his tools".

Category: Oracle PL/SQL :: Article: 490