Search works differently and "wrong" in Solaris environment

Question

I have my test and development databases in Windows and Solaris environements with exactly same database version and configurations.
I have created an intermedia index on following table as follows:
SQL>desc cc_job_offer_search_text
Name Null? Type
JOB_OFFER_ID NOT NULL NUMBER(38)
JOB_OFFER_SEARCH_TEXT NOT NULL LONG
TEXT_TYPE VARCHAR2(6)
Version for the database running in Solaris:
SQL> select * from v$version;
BANNER
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
PL/SQL Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
CORE 8.1.7.0.0 Production
TNS for Solaris: Version 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 3.4.1.0.0 - Production
Version for the database running in Windows:
SQL> select * from v$version;
BANNER
Oracle8i Enterprise Edition Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
PL/SQL Release 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
CORE 8.1.7.0.0 Production
TNS for 32-bit Windows: Version 8.1.7.0.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 3.4.1.0.0 - Production
Index Creation scripts:
exec ctx_ddl.drop_preference('cica_lexer');
begin
ctx_ddl.create_preference('cica_lexer','BASIC_LEXER');
ctx_ddl.set_attribute('cica_lexer','printjoins','$_#@*&^%/\()');
ctx_ddl.set_attribute('cica_lexer', 'skipjoins', '-');
end;
create index JOB_OFFER_SEARCH_TEXT_IDX on
cc_JOB_OFFER_SEARCH_TEXT(JOB_OFFER_SEARCH_TEXT)
indextype is ctxsys.context
PARAMETERS('FILTER CTXSYS.INSO_FILTER format column text_type lexer cica_lexer' );
After index has been created, my search works fine in Windows environment, however it behaves irratically in Solaris environment (where data has been exported from the database on Windows environment, and I have checked that the data is identical).
Database Running in Windows:
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text;
COUNT(*)
1200
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'Permanent')>0;
COUNT(*)
1094
Database Running in Solaris:
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text;
COUNT(*)
1200
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'Permanent')>0;
COUNT(*)
1200
====> In fact it returned all records, which is not correct!
However, there are certain queries which are working fine in both environments.
Database Running in Windows:
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'Contractual')>0;
COUNT(*)
52
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'{Greater than $150,000}')>0;
COUNT(*)
20
Database Running in Solaris:
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'Contractual')>0;
COUNT(*)
52
SQL> select count(*) from cc_job_offer_search_text
2 where contains(job_offer_search_text,'{Greater than $150,000}')>0;
COUNT(*)
20
Any idea why it is behaving "irratically" in the database running in the Solaris environment, when I select certain search criteria wheras it works absolutely fine at times?

Answer 1

If you really need to run 8.1.7, you need to upgrade to the latest patchset. I seem to recall a problem like this which was fixed in something like 8.1.7.4. Better still, go to 10g.