php_oci8_11g.dll is not a valid Win32 application

Question

This topic has been asked several times, but every solution is not working in my machine.

I am trying to connect windows 7 with a 10G oracle dabatase, but the oci extension is not loaded. Here some facts:

C:\php>php -m

PHP Warning: PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\php\ext\php_oci8_11g.dll' - %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

C:\php>php -v

PHP 5.6.19 (cli) (built: Mar  2 2016 20:09:42)
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.6.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies

• 64x architecture
• TS VC11

C:\>tnsping localdb

TNS Ping Utility for 32-bit Windows: Version 10.2.0.1.0 - Production on 02-AUG-2
016 22:37:50

Troubleshooting

• I am using oci8 2.0.11. Dropped them in ext/ folded. The rest of extesions are loaded pretty good.
• PATH variable contains the ORACLE_HOME and php path

• Just looked up for required oracle dll files and they are there:

  C:\>where oci*

  C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\BIN\oci.dll
  C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\BIN\ocijdbc10.dll
  C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2\BIN\ociw32.dll
  

• Oracle Client is not required in my side because the database is installed in the same machine, and it install all the required libraries

What other thing am I missing? Thank you in advance

Answer 1

After months I found the solution. Consider the following infrastructure:

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition x64
• Apache/2.4.18 (Win64) VC11
• PHP 5.6.19 x86 VC11 TS

Take close attention when downloading Oracle Instant Client:

• No matter if your server is x64 or x86 arquitecture, you must download it for 32-bits
• As you note, PHP is compiled in VC11, so you must download OIC with VC11 sources, this can be confirmed unzipping the downloaded file and check if a folder vc11 is there.

Both details are very important. Once I meet both requirements the error has gone I now I am able to connect to Oracle via PHP successfully

Answer 2

Here is a working solution:

1. First, you need to find out if you use PHP x86 or x64. The easyest way is to use the folowing code:

<?php echo PHP_INT_SIZE; ?>

If you get 4, it means you use PHP x86. If you get 8, it means you use PHP x64.

2. Then, you need to download a version of Oracle which matches your PHP architecture: for example, download x86 version of Oracle if you use PHP x86. You can't mix version.

Version 11G:

• Version 11g, Windows x64 : https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/112010-win64soft-094461.html Download Oracle Database 11g Release 2 ***Client*** (11.2.0.1.0) for Microsoft Windows (x64).

• Version 11g, Windows x86 : https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/112010-win32soft-098987.html Download "Oracle Database 11g Release 2 **Client** (11.2.0.1.0) for Microsoft Windows (32-bit)".

Version 12C:

https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/oracle12c-windows-3633015.html Download either Oracle Database 12c Release 2 Client (12.2.0.1.0) for Microsoft Windows (x64) or Oracle Database 12c Release 2 Client (12.2.0.1.0) for Microsoft Windows (32-bit).

3. Install Oracle

4. Find out if you use PHP (TS) Threadsafe version or PHP (NTS) Non-Threadsafe Version. To do so, use the code:

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Screenshot of phpinfo for TS version

Screenshot of phpinfo for NTS version

If in the value of Zend Extension Build, you find TS, you use the Threadsafe (TS) version of PHP.

If in the value of Zend Extension Build, you find NTS, you use the Non-Threadsafe (NTS) version of PHP.

5. Download the latest version of the PHP OCI8 extensions DLL. To do so, go to https://pecl.php.net/package/oci8 and click the DLL link with the Windows icon in the Downloadscolumn corresponding to the version of the DLL you need.

For PHP version 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6, the latest version is 2.0.12.

For PHP 7.0, it's version 2.1.8.

For PHP 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, it's version 2.2.0.

Then, proceed to download the archive corresponding to your PHP version and architecture: if you use PHP 7.2 x86 TS, download the according file: 7.2 Thread Safe (TS) x86

6. Unzip the downloaded file, in the ext folder of your PHP installation. Replace old files with new ones.

7. Enable the PHP OCI8 extension in your php.ini file.

If you installed Oracle 11g, you need to add the folowing line to your php.ini file:

ext=php_oci8_11g.dll

If you installed Oracle 12c, you need to add the folowing line to your php.ini file:

ext=php_oci8_12c.dll

NOTE: Only one of the 3 available PCP OCI8 extensions can be enabled at the same time. If you have multiple lines starting with ext=php_oci8, check that only one is enabled. A disabled line start with a semi-colon. If you find more than one line, delete or comment (add a semi-colon at the begining of the line) the line.