Install Oracle 10g R2 Client and ODP.Net 10.2 on Windows 7 64bit

11g is the only official ODP.Net on Windows 7 64bit. But we’ll still need 10g R2 client before 11g’s infamous bug is fixed.

64bit Client

Download Oracle Database 10g Client Release 2 (10.2.0.4) (10204_vista_w2k8_x64_production_client.zip) from http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/10204-winx64-vista-win2k8-082253.html

Update (10/21/2012): What a pity that Oracle actually pulled off the page and download. If you a lucky, you can find a copy here: http://www.4shared.com/zip/naYhO1uh/10204_vista_w2k8_x64_productio.html

unzip and open Command Prompt and change directory to the unzipped location. run:

setup.exe –ignoreSysPrereqs

Note: If you still got OS version error when starting the setup. Edit install\oraparam.ini file to add 6.1 to the end of certified windows version list, and save. Then just run setup.exe without parameter.

[Certified Versions]

#You can customise error message shown for failure, provide value for CERTIFIED_VERSION_FAILURE_MESSAGE

Windows=4.0,5.0,5.1,5.2,6.0,6.1

Select “Runtime” for installation type

Change the installation location to where you wish and continue with default options to finish installation.
This comes with Oracle.DataAccess 2.102.4.0 for x64 platform. If you want existing assemblies that depends on older version of Oracle.DataAccess to use the this version, you need to add below assembly redirect to machine.config file under C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v2.0.50727\CONFIG for .Net 2.x-3.x and C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Config for .Net 4.x

   <runtime>

      <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">

       <dependentAssembly>

         <assemblyIdentity name="Oracle.DataAccess" publicKeyToken="89b483f429c47342" culture="neutral" />

         <bindingRedirect oldVersion="9.0.0.0-10.65535.65535.65535" newVersion="2.102.4.0"/>

       </dependentAssembly>

      </assemblyBinding>

   </runtime>

32bit Client

If you want to run 32-bit .Net application that uses ODP.Net, you’ll have to install 32bit client as well. One of such application is Visual Studio’s build in development web server – Cassini.
Note: there are workarounds running development web server in 64-bit.

Install 32 bit Oracle 10g R2 client and ODP.Net 10.2

Following the instructions here.

Fix the PATH

After both x64 and x86 version of clients are installed, Oracle sets both versions of bin folder to PATH. This could be an issue for either 64bit or 32bit application depends on the order of clients installed. To fix this problem, follow the instructions here: http://realfiction.net/go/153. That page was for 11g but the concept applies to 10g installation as well.