Oracle 9I Database, and Mobile Server install history

Question

Dear Oracle technical representative:
This TAR started out as a true request for help in solving installation problems with Oracle 9i Release 2 Enterprise Edition, and Oracle 9i Mobile Server Release 5.0.1, but it has turned into a history of frustration with out of date, laconic, and often incorrect, and misleading documentation. As a software developer, I understand that documentation is always out of date, at least mine is. Nonetheless, I must speak my mind while understanding, and sympathizing with your situation.
I struggled through the documentation, and managed to get everything working. While I was doing that, I wrote down the step by step procedure that I used to get Database, and Mobile Server running. By sharing this rough install history with you, it is my hope that it will help prevent others from experiencing the same difficulties that I have had. It has been my observation that when a user has problems installing a trial software package they give up quickly, and do not purchase a copy. It is thus extremely important that the installation instructions, and quick start guide be accurate, attentive to detail, and well written. The first impression is the one that counts.
The Oracle 9i Lite Installation, and Configuration Guide for Windows NT shipped with Oracle 9i Lite Release 5.0.1 definitely requires, and emergency rewrite. It is terribly out of date, inaccurate, and laconic. My guess is that it is a very sloppy rewrite of poorly written 8i documentation. The Oracle 9i Database Installation Guide for Windows is somewhat better. It however should do a better job informing you that before installing onto a old server the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC), and VC runtime libraries must be up to date. The history describes the trouble with not having the MFC42.dll at version 6. Another corker is that the default port the installer presents is 2030, and not 1521, and that leads to major confusion in the both the Database, and Mobile Server installs.
Thank you for looking at the history. I hope that it will be of use to you when you update your documentation.
Thomas G. Matney
Mississippi State University
[email protected]
[phone]
TAR for Oracle 9i Release 2 Database Enterprise Edition, and Oracle Lite Release 5.0.1 Mobile Server
Installation problems are highlighted in red.
Installation sequence/history:
     1. Installed Windows NT 4.0 Server SP1 on Dell Power Edge 4300 dual x86 server to wipe the slate clean.
     2. Setup TCP/IP, and IPX/SPX networks
          Computer name YGGDRASILL
          Host name = YGGDRASILL
          Domain = CFR.MSSTATE.EDU
          Internet name = YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSATE.EDU = 130.18.130.225
     3. Installed NT SP3, and Internet Explorer 4.01 from the NT 40 Options Pack CD as the gateway to installing MTS 2.0, and IIS 4.0.
     4. Installed MTS 2.0, and IIS 4.0 from NT 4.0 Optins Pack CD.
     5. Applied NT 4.0 SP6.
     6. Installed Internet Explorer 5.5 as a prerequisite to installing MADAC 2.6.          
     7. Installed MDAC 2.6
     8. Installed Paint Shop Pro 7 for capturing error screens.
     9. As previous install errors stated that the ordinal function xxxx could not be found in MFC42.dll, the latest version (6.0.8665.0) of the dll was installed, and registered from MS VC++ SP5. Also I upgraded MSVCIRT.dll, MSVCRT.dll, MSCRT40.dll, and added MSVC60.dll from SP5 to be on the safe side.
According to the installation documents all the prerequisites for installing Oracle 9i Release 2 Database Enterprise Edition are satisfied.
     10. Began install of Oracle Database Enterprise Edition with target parameters:
          Home directory = D:\Oracle\Ora92
          Database directory = D:\Oracle\oradata
          Global database name = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU
          Port = 2030
          SID = FIA
          SYSTEM Password = phwphw
          SYS Password = phwphw
          SCOTT Password = phwphw
          DBSNMP Password = I left this one unassigned or empty.
          tnsnames.ora entry for remote TCP/IP connection
          a. CD 1 of 3 load
               1. Error writting to MFC42u.dll. Action ignore. A check indicated that MFC42u.dll version did not match the updated version of MFC42.dll. Plan is to update after install. Unicode version of MFC is probably not used by the installer.
          b. CD 1 completed with only one problem, and CD 2 load begins.
          c. CD 2 installed without incident., and CD 3 load begins, and completes without farther problems. The only issue to address at this time is to update the MFC42u.dll.
               HTTP Server URLs
                    http://7778
                    https://4443
     12. Evaluation of install success begins.
          a. Oracle HTTP Service will not start. It is of particular interest that on installs that I do not upgrade the MFC42.dll the Oracle HTTP Service will start correctly, but during the install I get the error message Ordinal nnnn not found in MFC42.dll, and the Oracle MTS Recovery Service crashes during the install. I am caught between a rock and hard spot on this one. See the Figure 1. At the end of this document. I do not need the HTTP Server at this time but I will need it later and this issue must be resolved. It appears that it hangs during startup. I am sorry but I lost the ordinal number nnnn.
          When I try to start the HTTP server from the Programs menu. It Hangs, and does not return an error message. See Figure 2, and the included Apache Setup.txt, the install log, and the HTTPd.conf . The conf, and setup files look OK to me. What is the problem?          
          b. All other services start correctly.
          c. Logged into the database as SCOTT on the server with SQL Plus using the connection information:
               FIA.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU =
               (DESCRIPTION =
               (ADDRESS_LIST =
               (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yggdrasill)(PORT = 1521))
               (CONNECT_DATA =
               (SERVER = DEDICATED)
               (SERVICE_NAME = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU)
          I created some tables, inserted data, and queried for the data. Everthing seems to be working correctly.
          d. Logged in remotely from my AOL account on a dial-up line using Oracle 9i Release 2 Personal Edition installed on my ThinkPad. Every thing tested out as above. I used the connection information:
               FIA.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU =
               (DESCRIPTION =
               (ADDRESS_LIST =
               (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yggdrasill.cfr.msstate.edu)(PORT = 1521))
               (CONNECT_DATA =
               (SERVER = DEDICATED)
               (SERVICE_NAME = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU)
     13. I concluded that except for the Oracle HTTP Server Service not starting correctly, and that after updating the MFC42u.dll to VC++ SP5 level the stage is set for installing Oracle 9i Mobile Server Release 5.0.1. I copied the MFC42u.dll to the server and registered it successfully.
     14. As Visual Studio 6.0 Professional updates all of the MFC stuff, I decides to install it at this juncture, and apply SP5.
     15. Installed JDK1.3.1 required for Oracle 9i Mobile Server Release 5.0.1
At this time the prerequisites for installing Oracle 9i Mobile Server Release 5.0.1 are satisfied, and MFC, and rt are at version 6.
It is important to note that after installing MS Visual Studio Professional 6.0 SP5, the HTTP server started working. It is clear that prior to installing Oracle Database it is essential that MFC, and possibly other components are upgraded before starting an installation of Oracle. This probably only applies to old NT servers, but it should be mentioned in the installation instructions.
     16. Attempt to install Oracle Mobile Server Release 5.0.1
          a. File locations Screen
               Name: = OraLite501               
               Path: = D:\OraLite501
          b. Select Mobile Server at Installation Screen
          c. Mobile Server Repository Database Information Screen
               Hostname = YGGDRASILL = hostname from tnsnames.ora
               Port = 2030 = same as Database port
                    It is troublesome that the port in tsnames.ora is 1521, and not 2030 as was specified in the database install. I will try this port on the reinstall. On the retry, it worked. The problem was that I was mislead by the default port of 2030 at the database install. The database was actually installed on port 1521, and I was not given an error message, or warning. As I am a first time installer of Oracle products this threw me for a loop. The default port for the database needs to be 1521, if regardless of what the user specifies for a port you are going to install on port 1521.
               Net Service Name = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU = Global database name as required by installation instructions.
          d. Yes. At Do you want to install the Mobile Server Repository question.
          e. At Oracle Protocol Support, I checked the SPX box.
          f. Summary, and Install screens function to specifications.
          g. Mobile Server Repository Wizard
               Database System password:
                    Password = phwphw
          h. Mobile Server Repository Wizard
               Schema Name: fiafield
               Password : fiafield
          i. Success at last with the install part. The problem was the wrong port number. See my above comments on this problem, and how Oracle could grease the skids for the next first time installer.
     j. I could not find the httpd.conf file in the place the install instructions said it should be for running the Mobile Server in Oracle HTTP Server. Since only one copy of httpd.conf existed, I added the include D:\OraLite501\mobile\server\bin\wtgias.conf to the bottom of the file assuming that it is the correct one. I the re-booted instead of using apache -k restart. The Oracle HTTP Server started, so there is hope. The install instructions state that the httpd.conf file would most likely be in the program files directory, when they are really installed in the Oracle Lite home directory.
     k. According to the documentation the Mobile Server should start when the Oracle HTTP Server starts with the wtgias.conf file added to the httpd.conf file. It does not. If I use Process Explorer, I know that Apache loaded the wtgias.conf, because both Apache.exe processes that are running have the wtgias.dll loaded. The facts are at this stage of the game are
          1. OraMTSRecoveryService is started
          2. OracleOraHome92HTTPService is started
          3. OracleOraHome92Listener is started on port
          4. OracleServiceFIA is started
          5. Apache.exe has the wtgias.dll loaded
          6. The Moble Server is not running and it should be if the documentation is correct.
          7. If I start the Mobile Server either as a service using wtgsvc -i or with the webtogo command from the DOS prompt, the Mobile Server starts, but when I attempt to log in with the URL http://Yggdrasill:7778/webtogo/startup it inform me the Mobile Server is not started and it is. Figure 3 shows the response I receive from the login attempt.
     l. I finally ran the Mobile Server in total debug mode using the command webtogo -d0", and it gave me the subtle hint that the correct URL is
          http://Yggdrasill.cfr.msstate.edu/webtogo/startup.
     When I use the above URL and I can login to the Mobile Server with UN = fiafield, and PW = fiafield. I was confused by the documentation. I was under the assumption that the host address would be either http://Yggdrasill:7778, or http://Yggdrasill:4443. After all when I, installed Oracle Database these URLs were listed. It needs to be made clear in the installation guide for the mobile server that the Mobile Server address is http://Your servers WWW address/webtogo/startup, and the statements about the Mobile Server will start when the Oracle HTTP Server is started needs to be removed since they are incorrect. Also, the documentation should clearly state that the Schema Name, and Password given in the Repository Wizard Screen are synonymous with the username, and password for the Mobile Server login.
     m. After determning the hard way that the Mobile Server does not start when the the Oracle HTTP Server starts, and that the correct URL is http://Internet address/webtogo/startup = http://Yggdrasill.cfr.msstate.edu/webtogo/startup, I decide to start the Mobile Server as a service with the command wtgsvc -i. After I re-booted, to my surprise, I could not login to the Mobile Server. When I checked the system services, the webtogo service was running. So to give the start as a service thing a fair chance I re-booted again, but obtained the same results. I thus concluded that the Mobile Server will not run correctly as a service. As it turns out my conclusion was wrong. After waiting a few minutes, my login try was successful. The documentation should indicate that after booting it may be a minute or two before the Mobile Server service become available.
     n. After some serious problems with the installer, and the documentation everything is working. I have a green light to go on to the next stage, which is program the handheld to take advantage of the Mobile Server. I will be glad to get back to programming, and am so thankful that I am not a network administrator.
     Appendix
HTTPd.Conf (Abstract only), Apache Setup.txt,
tsnames.ora, and listener.ora.
HTTPd.conf (Abstract only)
# Based upon the NCSA server configuration files originally by Rob McCool.
# Include the Oracle configuration file for custom settings
include "D:\oracle\ora92\Apache\Apache\conf\oracle_apache.conf"
include "D:\OraLite501\mobile\server\bin\wtgias.conf "
     tsnames.ora
# TNSNAMES.ORA Network Configuration File: D:\oracle\ora92\network\admin\tnsnames.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
INST1_HTTP.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yggdrasill)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = SHARED)
(SERVICE_NAME = MODOSE)
(PRESENTATION = http://HRService)
FIA.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yggdrasill)(PORT = 1521))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SERVER = DEDICATED)
(SERVICE_NAME = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU)
EXTPROC_CONNECTION_DATA.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC0))
(CONNECT_DATA =
(SID = PLSExtProc)
(PRESENTATION = RO)
          listener.ora
# LISTENER.ORA Network Configuration File: D:\oracle\ora92\network\admin\listener.ora
# Generated by Oracle configuration tools.
LISTENER =
(DESCRIPTION_LIST =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC0))
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = yggdrasill)(PORT = 1521))
SID_LIST_LISTENER =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(SID_NAME = PLSExtProc)
(ORACLE_HOME = D:\oracle\ora92)
(PROGRAM = extproc)
(SID_DESC =
(GLOBAL_DBNAME = FIA.YGGDRASILL.CFR.MSSTATE.EDU)
(ORACLE_HOME = D:\oracle\ora92)
(SID_NAME = FIA)
          Apache SetupInfo.txt
The following information is available in:
D:\oracle\ora92\Apache\Apache\setupinfo.txt
The HTTP Server can be accessed using the following URLs:
http://yggdrasill:7778
https://yggdrasill:4443

Answer 1

You can find information regarding enabling the iSQLPLUS in the following Oracle manual.
http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14357/ch2.htm