Connection issue with 11.6 (64 bit version under Win 7)

I’m getting an ‘cannot find OCI.DLL’ error whenever i try to connect to a database under a newly installed version 11.6. I do not get the error under 11.5, which thankfully the installer ignored. Oddly enough, I can hit the test button when looking at all of the databases I have defined, and that works just fine. But no joy on connecting to any database with ver 11.6.

I also ran a search of my drive, and there is oci.dll, right in one of the path directories.

Anyone have any ideas on what is going so wrong with 11.6?

You had a 32-bit version, and now have a 64-bit version. You now need the 64-bit oracle client to work with the 64-bit app.

Bryan

I wish it was that simple. But unless the Oracle site is mis-labeling things, I’ve never had a 32-bit client from them. Also, both of the Toad versions were labeled as 64-bit versions as well. But at this point, anything is possible.

I had the EXACT same issue. Here’s how I solved it. Download the 64-bit Oracle 11g client. Unzip it to this directory C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Quest Sharedand call the directory whatever you want (something to indicate it’s a 64-bit client).

When unzipping the file downloaded from Oracle, Windows 7 created this directory name “instantclient_11_2”

In this same directory that is “shared”, there I also have the 32-bit client. The 32-bit version for when I use Toad 11.5 (32-bit) and it’s directory is called “instantclient-basic-nt-11.2.0.3.0”

After you’ve done the install of the 64-bit (mind you there is NOT Install program .exe file) client, then go to your “System Properties” of your computer via the Control Panel->System. Go to the “Advanced” tab, bottom button “Environment Variables”. Then edit the “PATH” variable, and ADD the path for the 64-bit client “C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Quest Shared\whatever_directory_name”

Also put this same directory path, into the “TNSNAMES” variable.
That should do it.

Also I want to add that after talking to Quest, I downloaded a different zip file. That one just had the files, but not automated setup.exe. So I got the one called win64_11gR2_client.zip

This is the zip file you unzip and extract, then run the Setup.exe file. This should work for everything.