About OPatch

OPatch is a java based utility that allow to the DBA to fix or apply interim patches to an Oracle
Database. OPatch requires Java(JVM) on the current system.
Difference between adpatch & Opatch?
adpatch is utility to apply oracle apps Patches.
opatch is utility to apply database interim patches.
Difference between interim patches and patchset?
Interim patch apply for any existing bugs in software/database by using opatch utility. Opatch
update files in ORACLE_HOME and patchset apple to upgrade existing oracle release patchset
by using Oracle Universal Installer. Patchset upgrade database objects. Example: Upgrade
database to new version or patchset (10.2.0.3 to 10.2.0.4)
How to check the Opatch version?
Step 1: Set ORACLE_HOME
Step 2: go to /OPatch directory
Step 3: execute:
$ ./opatch version
How to Apply OPatch?
$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch apply
Location of Opatch Log files?
$ORACLE_HOME/cfgtoollogs/opatch
Can we apply OPatch, if Oracle Inventory has been missed?
No.
How to Apply OPatch if Oracle Inventory has been missed?
Need to re-generate Oracle Inventory.
Why Database Inventory is required at the time of applying OPatch?
Oracle Inventory is the place where all the information about Oracle Home is stored. OPatch
require reading this information to apply patches.
Location of Inventory file?
The location of inventory is defined in oraInst.loc file. The path for this file is provided while
installing Oracle Home.
If we dont supply any path, the file will be present at central location oraInst.loc in /etc (on
Linux) or /var/opt/oracle (solaris)
$ cat oraInst.loc
Can we change local inventory location at the time of Installation?

We can create local inventory at any location while installing Oracle Home. We need to use
-invPtrLoc variable along with runInstaller command and give the location of oraInst.loc.
Otherwise the default path assumed for oraInst.loc is /etc/oraInst.loc.
./runInstaller -invPtrLoc /slot/ems2029/appmgr/apps/tech_st/10.1.2/oraInst.loc
Difference between local and global inventory?
Global inventory is where your all oracle home on that server is registered. These products can
be various oracle components like database, oracle application server, collaboration suite, soa
suite, forms & reports or discoverer server
Inventory inside each Oracle Home is called as local Inventory or oracle_home Inventory. This
Inventory holds information to that oracle_home only.
How do I find list of oracle product on machine?
check for file inventory.xml under ContentsXML in oraInventory (Please note if you have
multiple global Inventory on machine check all oraInventory directories)
How to re-create Global Inventory if corrupted?
We can recreate global Inventory on machine using Universal Installer and attach already
Installed oracle home by option -attachHome
$./runInstaller -silent -attachHome -invPtrLoc $location_to_oraInst.loc
ORACLE_HOME="Oracle_Home_Location"
ORACLE_HOME_NAME="Oracle_Home_Name"
CLUSTER_NODES="{}"
How to Rolling back a patch?
Suppose, if you have applied wrong patch or patch did not fix the issue, we can rollback the
patch.
Example:
$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch rollback id
How to Applying bundle patches?
Bundle patches having many patches. Bundle patches containing many other patches to Oracle
Home. We can apply bundle patches to Oracle Home using a single command.
Example: (if you want to apply all patches)
$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch until NApply -phBaseDir /export/home/oracle/ -invPtrLoc
/export/home/oracle/oraInst.loc
NApply -> Will apply all patches to RDBMS home.
Example: (if you want to apply specify patches)

$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch until NApply /export/home/oracle/ -id 1,2,3 skip_subset

skip_duplicate
This will apply patches 1, 2, and 3 which are under < the patch_location> directory. OPatch will
skip duplicate patches and subset patches (patches under that are subsets of patches installed in
the ORACLE_HOME)
How to know which version is the correct version of Opatch for your RDBMS home?
Read Metalink Note: 357221.1
How to Create Oracle Home Inventory in 10g
cd $ORACLE_HOME/oui/bin
./runInstaller -attachHome ORACLE_HOME=/export/home/oracle/oracle/db_1/10.2.0
ORACLE_HOME_NAME=Oracle10g_home1
Posted in Labels: OPatch | 1 comments Links to this post
ERROR: OPatch failed because of Inventory problem
Posted On Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at at 4:01 PM by Anup Kumar Srivastav
Opatch Error:
ERROR: OPatch failed because of Inventory problem
Action Plan:
1. Verify ora inventory_loc within oraInst.loc
2. Take a backup of your inventory location.
3. Make sure you are on OUI 2.2 or later.
If your iAS ORACLE_HOME is missing from the inventory.xml file:
4. Sync your apps environment file.
5. Change to $IAS_ORACLE_HOME/appsoui/setup and execute perl OUIsetup.pl
If your RDBMS ORACLE_HOME is missing from the inventory.xml file:
4. Sync your database environment file.
5. Change to $ORACLE_HOME/appsoui/setup and execute perl OUIsetup.pl
Example. Excuting on the database tier:
$cd $ORACLE_HOME/appsoui/setup
$perl OUIsetup.pl
OPatch lsinventory should now work fine.