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If you Google around there are a few threads that talk about how to install Oracle in windows 7 when it fails the OS check. &nbsp;I'll let you find those. 
 
Toad and sqlplus are like using a different ORACLE_HOME than what Visual Studio is using. &nbsp;If you have more than one Oracle product installed you either need a tnsnames.ora file in each home or you can set a TNS_ADMIN environment variable to point to a common tnsnames.ora file. 
 

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Check your PATH, see which Oracle home / bin comes first. That is the one that VS is using. Then make sure a tnsnames.ora exists in that one, as Steve says. 
 
IF you are running VS 2005, make sure you have a 32-bit Oracle client.
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Interesting. 
 
I found this: 
<a href="http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=1133227" rel="ugc nofollow">http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=1133227</a> 
 
and edited my ORAPARAM file - added the '6.1' entry for my OS. 
 
Reran installer (as Admin) and it launched. 
 
Selected: Oracle DA Components (noting new Oracle Home info) 
 
Unchecked &quot;VS 2003&quot; &nbsp;(VS 2005 was checked) 
 
After install, copied over TNSNAMES.ora and SQLNET.ora files to new &quot;client_2&quot; home. 
 
Added: TNS_ADMIN env var pointed to original (client_1) home. 
 
Restarted Windows 7 
 
Launched VS2005, opened Project, browsed Report. Clicked the Data tab and received: 
 
TITLE: Microsoft Report Designer 
------------------------------ 
 
A connection cannot be made to the database. 
Set and test the connection string. 
 
 
------------------------------ 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 
 
ORA-12154: TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified 
&nbsp;(System.Data.OracleClient) 
 
------------------------------ 
BUTTONS: 
 
OK 
------------------------------ 
 
 
Tried to Test the connection, after supplying the username/pass, clicked Test Connection and received the ORA-12154 TNS:could not resolve... error. 
 
????
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mrjoltcola: 
 
Path now points to second home first - created above: 
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\bin;C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin;... 
 
I copied TNSNAMES from client_1 to client_2 so we should be good there. 
 
As far as the 32-bit version of SQLPLUS, how do I determine this? 
 
(SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.1.0) 
 

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So you are back to my suggestion of checking your PATH and ensuring which Oracle home is first in the path. 
 
Hop out into a DOS command window and use tnsping to test the connection: 
 
Assuming your alias ORA1 
 
tnsping ORA1 
 
It still appears that the first Oracle home in your PATH doesn't have the alias in its tnsnames.ora (under %ORACLE_HOME%\network\admin)
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Oops, we criss-crossed in the ether... 
 
sqlplus banner should say 32 or 64 bit
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even though the install completed successfully - there was this hicup: 
 
&lt;snip&gt; 
Key = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE 
 
SubKey = SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework 
 
Value = sdkInstallRootv2.0 
INFO: Query Returned: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\ 
INFO: Setting variable 's_gacutilPath' to 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\'. Received the value from a code block. 
INFO: Calling Action SpawnActions10.1.0.2.0 &nbsp;Spawn 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;installcommand = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\\devenv.exe /setup 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;deinstallcommand = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\\devenv.exe /setup 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WaitForCompletion = null 
 
INFO: Calling Action SpawnActions10.1.0.2.0 &nbsp;Spawn 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;installcommand = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\\bin\gacutil.exe /I C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\odt\vs2005\Oracle.VsDevTools.dll 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;deinstallcommand = C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\\bin\gacutil.exe /u Oracle.VsDevTools,Version=2.102.2.20 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WaitForCompletion = true 
 
INFO: Exception occured during spawning :CreateProcess: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\\bin\gacutil.exe /I C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\odt\vs2005\Oracle.VsDevTools.dll error=2 
INFO: Exception thrown from action: Spawn 
Exception Name: RuntimeException 
Exception String: An error occurred during runtime. 
Exception Severity: 0 
INFO: Exception handling set to prompt user with options to &nbsp;Retry &nbsp;Ignore 
 
&lt;snip&gt; 
 

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Going to try and copy &quot;gacutil' into that directory - I don't have it...
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So when you create the data source in VS2005, on the Choose Your Data Connection, you choose CHange Data Source and pick Oracle Database... 
 
What then shows in the Data provider list. It should show all registered providers. Which did you choose?
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If I were you, unless you specifically need a certain version of the client, or ODP.NET, I would deinstall all but one. 
 
I personally do have 2 on my machine, one 32-bit and one 64-bit, but that is because I run 64-bit server, but develop with 32-bit tools, so I maintain my PATH accordingly, depending on what I am doing. 
 
It helps to simplify, if possible.
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I reran the Oracle Installer, it stopped on the gacutil pert. I asked a co-worker for theirs and dropped in that BIN directory and clicked RETRY and the installer completed with no errors. 
 
Rebooting now...
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mrjoltcola: 
 
Under Data Provider, '.NET Framework Data Provider for Oracle' is selected. 
 
Still get the error.
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Sorry, missed this: 
 
C:\Users\anthony.ballo&gt;tnsping &lt;my tnsnames alias&gt; 
 
TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on 17-MAY-2 
011 14:38:54 
 
Copyright (c) 1997, 2005, Oracle. &nbsp;All rights reserved. 
 
Used parameter files: 
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\network\admin\sqlnet.ora 
 
 
Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias 
Attempting to contact &lt;snip&gt; 
 
OK (0 msec)
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The SQLPLUS banner when running: C:\SQLPLUS /nolog does not display 32 or 64... 
 
Checked lib directory under $ORACLE_HOME. 
For 32-bit should be $ORACLE_HOME/lib 
for 64-bit should be $ORACLE_HOME/lib64 
 
I have a LIB - not a LIB64 
 
So 32bit SQLPLUS ?
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From VS2005, when I clicked &quot;Connect to a Oracle DB&quot; - I would get this error: 
 
 
 
The fix was: 
 
 
I was able to get my version working. I'm not sure if this is the complete solution, but after this step VS started working with the Oracle Developer Tools. 
 
You should have Oracle.DataAccess, Oracle.VsDevTools, and Oracle.Management.Omo in the Windows/Assembly folder. You can have different versions of this depending on if you had the beta or 9i installed; make sure you have version 2.102.2.20 of Oracle.DataAccess and Oracle.VsDevTools in the list. 
 
If not then browse to: 
C:\WINDOWS\Assembly 
 
In a different window browse to: 
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\odp.net\bin\2.x\Oracle.DataAccess.dll 
 
Click and drag the .dll to the Assembly folder. 
 
Good Luck! 
 
Message was edited by: 
TorgerJW 
 
 
 
Now the Add Connection brings up a window where I can browse all my TNSNAMES aliases. 
 
 
 
 
Testing the connection still gives me an ORA-12154 error - but I'm getting closer. 
 

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<div>
Sorry, the error above was something like: 
 
package 'oracle developer tools for visual studio .net' has failed to load... &nbsp;do you want to disable the addin?'
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So now I have Oracle Developer Tools for Visual Studio .NET &nbsp; 10.2.0.2.20 installed: 
 
1. TNSNames file works and appears in drop-down menu in &quot;Connect to an Oracle Database' 
 
2. Assembly files (3) all have the correct version (2.102.2.20) 
 
When I run #1 above and supply the logon credentials, I still get the error: &nbsp;ORA-12154: TNS:could not resolve the connect identifier specified 
 
???
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<div>
Just to check: &nbsp;You have a valid tnsnames.ora file in C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\network\admin 
 
for grins create a system environment variable &nbsp;TNS_ADMIN and set it to: &nbsp;C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_2\network\admin 
 
then retry.
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Yes slightwv - I have a valid tnsnames file in my client_2 directory and have a TNS_ADMIN env var set up to point to it. A tnsping confirned that it is pointed to the client_2 dir and was able to resolve the alias. 
 
Could it be a problem that my VS2005 is installed in a Program Files (x86) directory? Everything else seems to work.
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From Oracle's FAQ: 
 
Additionally: 64-bit Windows users who after doing the above steps still get ORA-12154 should either: 1) Upgrade to the latest version of their Oracle client that contains the fix for bug 3807408, or 2) rename subdirectories in their application that contain parenthesis to remove those parenthesis, in particular: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server and C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8 
 
1) - I'm installed in C:\Oracle\ directory already if that helps. 
 
2) - Reinstall VS2005 or is there another way? 

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I don't think you need to reinstall VS. &nbsp;Maybe tweak for the referenced bug if necessary. &nbsp;It sounds like there is a version of Oracle where the bug is fixed.
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<div>
Even though my Oracle client works fine in each home (client_1 and client_2) and can connect using a tnsnames.ora file in each NETWORK\ADMIN directory? 
 
Would you recommend: 
 
Installing the new(er) Oracle Client into a 3rd home 
Modify PATH 
Copy tnsnames.ora into this 3rd home 
Modify TNS_ADMIN to point to new 3rd home's tnsnames.ora 
 
?? 
 
I'm running SQLPlus &amp;&nbsp;TOAD also and they still seem to be working fine.
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- i can't be sure if this will work for you as i only done such a setup. thought of sharing what we've done. it might not be the correct way but it works. 
- we've this one 32 bit propritery app that we need to install on our windows2008 64bit server. it's install on Program Files (x86). 
- since also have other application that is 64bit, we have to install both 32 and 64bit instant client. 64bit instantclient is installed to oracleclient folder, oracle home is sets to that and tnsnames is also copy over to that folder under network/admin. 
- after numerous attempt to make the 32bit instant client to work, we finally extract it into the 32bit app folder itself which is Program Files (x86)\app\. and it fly.
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&gt;&gt;Would you recommend: 
 
I'm not a huge fan of the TNS_ADMIN variable. &nbsp;I always create a tnsnames.ora file in each HOME I have. &nbsp;It's just a personal perference. &nbsp;If I need some 'new' client to connect to some new database, I don't have to touch a shared configuration file and possibly break other running apps if I mess it up. 
 
I've not had to mix 63bit and 32bit clients so am not the right person to comment. &nbsp;Hopefully the post by OP_Zaharin will help since they seems to have lived through this. 
 
So you or your company have an Oracle Support contract? &nbsp;You might open an SR with them to see if you are hitting the bug and what the 'official' solution is.
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<div>
I recommend only running 2 clients (a 32-bit and 64-bit). 
 
If you want more help, please post your environment variables here (the output of the &quot;set&quot; command in dos). 
 

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<div>
Ok, I posted a SR with Oracle Support. We'll see what they come up with.
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<div>
From Oracle Support: 
 
Windows 7 does not support 10.2.0.2.x software. You must move to 10.2.0.5 or later. In your case this means applying the 10.2.0.5 patch to your 10.2.0.2.20 Oracle Client Software home. 
 
If you review the ODAC installation instructions here... 
 
<a href="http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/windows/install10202-083849.html" rel="ugc">http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/windows/install10202-083849.html</a> 
 
you will see that Windows 7 is not mentioned as being supported. Also, there is additional information here... 
 
Statement of Direction: Oracle Database 10g Release 2 Client (10.2.0.5) with Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (Doc ID 1061272.1) 
 
 
=== ODM Action Plan === 
 
Apply the 10.2.0.5 patch to your 10.2.0.2.20 Oracle home and retest: 
 
Patchset 8202632 - 10.2.0.5.0 PATCH SET FOR ORACLE DATABASE SERVER 
 
NOTE: This is a database patch that is ALSO used to patch Oracle Client Software. 
 
Retest and report the results. If the problem still occurs once you are on supported software, we can do an Oracle Web Conference and I will take a closer look.
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<div>
Solved via SR with Oracle Support.
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<div>
<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
I'm running Win7x64 with Oracle client. I can connect to the particular instance using TNSNAMES.ora fine from: Sqlplus and Toad. When I try to create a new DataSource in VS2005, I get the ORA-12154. 
 
I tried the following: 
 
1. Added WRITE security on ORACLE_HOME folder. 
2. Added NAMES.DEFAULT_DOMAIN to SQLNET.ora 
3. Created another TNSNAMES entry with FQDN as #2 above. 
 
I also downloaded: ODTwithODAC1020221.exe but when I installed, I received the following: 
 
Starting Oracle Universal Installer... 
 
Checking installer requirements... 
 
Checking operating system version: must be &nbsp;4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 or 6.0 . &nbsp; &nbsp;Actua 
l 6.1 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Failed &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt; 
 
Exiting Oracle Universal Installer, log for this session can be found at C:\Prog 
ram Files (x86)\Oracle\Inventory\logs\installActions2011-05-17_12-00-48PM.log 
 
Please press Enter to exit... 
 

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</div>

I'm running Win7x64 with Oracle client. I can connect to the particular instance using TNSNAMES.ora fine from: Sqlplus and Toad. When I try to create a new DataSource in VS2005, I get the ORA-12154.

I tried the following:

1. Added WRITE security on ORACLE_HOME folder.
2. Added NAMES.DEFAULT_DOMAIN to SQLNET.ora
3. Created another TNSNAMES entry with FQDN as #2 above.

I also downloaded: ODTwithODAC1020221.exe but when I installed, I received the following:

Starting Oracle Universal Installer...

Checking installer requirements...

Checking operating system version: must be 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 or 6.0 . Actua
l 6.1
 Failed <<<<

Exiting Oracle Universal Installer, log for this session can be found at C:\Prog
ram Files (x86)\Oracle\Inventory\logs\installActions2011-05-17_12-00-48PM.log

Please press Enter to exit...

Creating a new Oracle Shared Datasource from Visual Studio 2005 client

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