ISSUE
Purpose
This KB is for Oracle running on Windows. Restoring the Oracle Database requires the underlying filesystem to have the same structure as when the database was initially backed up.
Description
Restoring Oracle Database requires the underlying filesystem to have the same structure as when the database was initially backed up. If the database has been dropped prior to restore there is a possibility that the flash recovery area for the database has been removed.
Cause
If the flash recovery area has been removed then RMAN will fail to restore the databases control file. This will yield the following message:
RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS =============== RMAN-00571: =========================================================== RMAN-03002: failure of restore command at 10/16/2013 10:03:59 ORA-19504: failed to create file C:\APP\ADMINISTRATOR1\FLASH_RECOVERY_AREA\STRESS3\CONTROL02.CTL ORA-27040: file create error, unable to create file OSD-04002: unable to open file O/S-Error: (OS 3) The system cannot find the path specified. ORA-19600: input file is control file (C:\APP\ADMINISTRATOR1\ORADATA\STRESS3\CONTROL01.CTL) ORA-19601: output file is control file (C:\APP\ADMINISTRATOR1\FLASH_RECOVERY_AREA\STRESS3\CONTROL02.CTL)
Resolution
In order successfully restore the database you must re-create the missing parent directory for the flash recovery area. This must be done while logged in as the user who initially deployed the database. Once this is done you may re-run the restore operation. The required directory is listed as part of the ORA-19504 error message. In the above report the missing path is:
C:\APP\ADMINISTRATOR1\FLASH_RECOVERY_AREA\STRESS3.