PL/SQL Developer Initialization error

Question

I want use PL/SQL Developer

first my oracle directory

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\BIN

I use windows10 and environment variable setting

ORACLE_HOME C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1

Path C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\BIN but execute Initialization error.

Initialization error
Could not load "C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll"

OracleHomeKey: SOFTWARE\ORACLE\KEY_OraClient10g_home1
OracleHomeDir: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1
Found: oci.dll
Using: C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll
LoadLibrary(C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\client_1\bin\oci.dll) return 0

Answer 1

1. download oracle instant client (64 bits for latest version of PL/SQL; 32 bits for old version)
2. extract to a folder. for example: c:\oracle\instantclient
3. open PL/SQL developer--> Configure--> Preferences --> Oracle Connection
4. under OCI library, keyin OCI.DLL file path in the text box: c:\oracle\instantclient\oci.dll
5. click OK and restart PL/SQL

Answer 2

I was getting below error while connecting to database from PL/SQL developer (in windows10 64 bit).

Initialization error Could not initialize "C:\app<username>\product\12.2.0\dbhome_1\bin\oci.dll"

Make sure you have the 32 bits Oracle Client installed.

OracleHomeKey: 
OracleHomeDir: C:\app\<username>\product\12.2.0\dbhome_1
Found: oci.dll
Using: C:\app\<username>\product\12.2.0\dbhome_1\bin\oci.dll
LoadLibrary(C:\app\<username>\product\12.2.0\dbhome_1\bin\oci.dll) 
return 0

To resolve this issue, refer to the below documentation provided by Oracle to install the Oracle Instant Client. If your windows is 64 bit, then download the 32 bit Oracle Instant Client from below link -

Oracle guide

Link to download the Oracle Instant Client - (Download the BASIC and SDK and SQL*Plus Package)

Take all the above three packages in one directory and extract the same and add the path of extracted directory in system environment variable PATH and OCI_LIB32.

If OCI_LIB32 is not present then create the same.

Try to connect to database from PLSQL developer, if you getting error as 'ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress' then go through the below link

Good Luck :)

Answer 3

I meet the same error on my new windows 10 computer. At last i found that i missed the Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Redistributable. After i install it, the error gone.