Bundle Patch or PSU on Windows

Well, honestly, have forgotten working on Windows platform administering Oracle databases. Recently, installed Oracle Database 12c on Windows and wanted to apply the latest PSU. Could not find the PSU, but found the BP (Bundled Patch) – hoped it the same and included more than a PSU!

Had some challenges installing… did not remember to run the command window “Run as Administrator”. So, it is a must if the current user is not the Oracle software owner.

Short Note on how to apply a BP:

Download and copy the latest OPatch  (same as on Linux/Unix).

Apply patch is little different from Linux. Set these variables, and then run “opatch apply”.

set ORACLE_HOME=C:\app\oracledb\product\12.1.0\dbhome_1

set PATH=%ORACLE_HOME%\OPatch;%PATH%

set PATH=%ORACLE_HOME%\perl\bin;%PATH%

cd C:\Downloads\p21126814_121020_MSWIN-x86-64\21126814

opatch apply

Verified “opatch lsinventory” and the patch did show as 12.1.0.2.7! Wait, the latest July 2015 PSU is 12.1.0.2.4…??!!

Metalink Note”Oracle Database, CRS, ASM, Networking and EM Agent Patches for Microsoft Platforms (Doc ID 161549.1)” provided clarity to this.

A paragraph out of this note: The bundle patches also include the fixes for the SPU/CPU (Critical Patch Update), DST (Daylight Saving Time), PSU (Patch Set Update) and Recommended Patch Bundles. Although DST may require additional patches which are referenced in the Bug Fix List notes below. The Windows bundled patches go through full regression testing because they include a large number of dependent fixes, SPU/CPU, DST and PSU. Oracle recommends all customers apply the latest bundle as soon as it is convenient irrespective of encountering a specific problem resolved by the bundle.

All good. But I downloaded the BP released in July, looks like the BP release does not necessarily match quarterly PSU release. Found out that the latest BP is 12.1.0.2.8 – released on Aug 28 2015. Metalink Patch note: Patch 21454170: WINDOWS DB BUNDLE PATCH 12.1.0.2.8

All part of learning!