Installing Oracle Client 19c on Oracle Linux 9

2025-06-06 Off By Markus Flechtner

Oracle Linux 9 ws released after Oracle Database 19c had been released, so it is not 100% straightforward if you want to install Oracle Database 19c or the 19c-client on a server runing Oracle Linux 9. Let’s see how to install the Oracle 19c client on OL9:

The base release, Oracle Database 19c – 19.3, does not run on Oracle Linux 9. According to the client installation guide, you need at least release update 19.19, but it’s recommended to run the latest release update – which is currently 19.27.

So we need:

  • The client software
  • The current OPatch (patch 6880880)
  • The database patch RU 19.27 (patch ) 37642901
[oracle@ockham software]$ pwd
/opt/oracle/software
[oracle@ockham software]$ ls -al
total 3265708
drwxr-xr-x. 2 oracle oinstall        130 Jun  6 22:15 .
drwxr-xr-x. 3 oracle oinstall         22 Jun  6 22:15 ..
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 oracle oinstall  987216967 Jun  6 22:14 LINUX.X64_193000_client_home.zip
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 oracle oinstall 2284324377 Jun  6 22:16 p37642901_190000_Linux-x86-64-db.zip
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 oracle oinstall   72539776 Jun  6 22:14 p6880880_190000_Linux-x86-64.zip

Our VM runs on Oracle Linux 9.6:

[oracle@ockham software]$ cat /etc/oracle-release
Oracle Linux Server release 9.6

Let’s start the installation:

Create a directory for the central inventory

[oracle@ockham software]$ mkdir /opt/oracle/oraInventory

(/opt/oracle will be our ORACLE_BASE-directory, so later on the installer will complain that the inventory directory is with the ORACLE_BASE).

Create the Oracle-Home directory for the client software:

[oracle@ockham software]$ mkdir -p /opt/oracle/product/19c-client

Unzip the Oracle Client 19c base release:

[oracle@ockham software]$ unzip -q /opt/oracle/software/LINUX.X64_193000_client_home.zip -d /opt/oracle/product/19c-client

Update the OPatch utility:

[oracle@ockham software]$ mv /opt/oracle/product/19c-client/OPatch /opt/oracle/product/19c-client/OPatch.backup
[oracle@ockham software]$ unzip -q /opt/oracle/software/p6880880_190000_Linux-x86-64.zip -d /opt/oracle/product/19c-client

Unzip the release update 19.27:

[oracle@ockham software]$ unzip -q /opt/oracle/software/p37642901_190000_Linux-x86-64-db.zip -d /opt/oracle/software/

Apply the patch before running the installer:

[oracle@ockham software]$ export ORACLE_BASE=/opt/oracle
[oracle@ockham software]$ $ export ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/19c-client
[oracle@ockham software]$ $ $ORACLE_HOME/runInstaller -applyRU /opt/oracle/software/37642901/
ERROR: Unable to verify the graphical display setup. This application requires X display. Make sure that xdpyinfo exist under PATH variable.
Preparing the home to patch...
Applying the patch /opt/oracle/software/37642901/...
Successfully applied the patch.
The log can be found at: /tmp/InstallActions2025-06-06_10-36-23PM/installerPatchActions_2025-06-06_10-36-23PM.log
Launching Oracle Database Client Setup Wizard...

Now we can install the software:

First attempt:

[WARNING] [INS-08101] Unexpected error while executing the action at state: 'clientSupportedOSCheck'
   CAUSE: No additional information available.
   ACTION: Contact Oracle Support Services or refer to the software manual.
   SUMMARY:
       - java.lang.NullPointerException

OK, the installer checks for OL7 or OL8. The well known workaround is:

export CV_ASSUME_DISTID=OL7

[oracle@ockham software]$ cd $ORACLE_HOME
[oracle@ockham 19c-client]$ ./runInstaller -silent\
      -responseFile `pwd`/install/response/clientsetup.rsp \
     oracle.install.option=INSTALL_DB_SWONLY\
     ORACLE_HOSTNAME=`hostname`  \
     UNIX_GROUP_NAME=oinstall\
     INVENTORY_LOCATION=/opt/oracle/oraInventory \
     SELECTED_LANGUAGES=en\
     ORACLE_HOME=`pwd`\
     ORACLE_BASE=$ORACLE_BASE
Launching Oracle Database Client Setup Wizard...

[WARNING] [INS-32055] The Central Inventory is located in the Oracle base.
   ACTION: Oracle recommends placing this Central Inventory in a location outside the Oracle base directory.
[WARNING] [INS-13014] Target environment does not meet some optional requirements.
   CAUSE: Some of the optional prerequisites are not met. See logs for details. installActions2025-06-06_10-51-07PM.log
   ACTION: Identify the list of failed prerequisite checks from the log: installActions2025-06-06_10-51-07PM.log. Then either from the log file or from installation manual find the appropriate configuration to meet the prerequisites and fix it manually.
The response file for this session can be found at:
 /opt/oracle/product/19c-client/install/response/client_2025-06-06_10-51-07PM.rsp

You can find the log of this install session at:
 /tmp/InstallActions2025-06-06_10-51-07PM/installActions2025-06-06_10-51-07PM.log


As a root user, execute the following script(s):
	1. /opt/oracle/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh

Execute /opt/oracle/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh on the following nodes:
[ockham]


Successfully Setup Software with warning(s).
Moved the install session logs to:
 /opt/oracle/oraInventory/logs/InstallActions2025-06-06_10-51-07PM



[oracle@ockham 19c-client]$ su
Password:
[root@ockham 19c-client]# /opt/oracle/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh
Changing permissions of /opt/oracle/oraInventory.
Adding read,write permissions for group.
Removing read,write,execute permissions for world.

Changing groupname of /opt/oracle/oraInventory to oinstall.
The execution of the script is complete.
[root@ockham 19c-client]# exit
exit

Finally: Check the client version:

[oracle@ockham 19c-client]$ $ORACLE_HOME/bin/sqlplus -version

SQL*Plus: Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production
Version 19.27.0.0.0

Note: if you want to install Oracle Connection Manager in silent mode, you cannot use the default response file, but you have to create a custom one. You can find an example here.

References and more information

CategoryCommon
Tags19c Client Installation