When you start Oracle Database in upgrade mode, you can only run queries on fixed views. If you attempt to run other views or PL/SQL, then you receive errors.

When the database is started in upgrade mode, only queries on fixed views execute without errors. This restriction applies until you either run the Parallel Upgrade Utility (catctl.pl) directly, or indirectly by using the dbupgrade script). Before running an upgrade script, using PL/SQL on any other view, or running queries on any other view returns an error. If you receive any of the errors described in this section, then issue the SHUTDOWN ABORT command to shut down the database, and then correct the problem.

The following list of errors can occur when you attempt to start the new Oracle Database release. Some of these errors write to the alert log, and not to your session.

• ORA-00401: the value for parameter compatible is not supported by this release

  The COMPATIBLE initialization parameter is set to a value less than 11.2.0.

• ORA-39701: database must be mounted EXCLUSIVE for UPGRADE or DOWNGRADE

  The CLUSTER_DATABASE initialization parameter is set to TRUE instead of FALSE.

• ORA-39700: database must be opened with UPGRADE option

  The STARTUP command was issued without the UPGRADE keyword.

• Ora-00704: bootstrap failure

  The path variable can be pointing to the earlier release Oracle home.

• ORA-00336: log file size xxxx blocks is less than minimum 8192 blocks

  A redo log file size is less than 4 MB.

If errors appear listing desupported initialization parameters, then make a note of the desupported initialization parameters, and continue with the upgrade. Remove the desupported initialization parameters the next time you shut down the database.

Review this section if you encounter ORA-00942, ORA-00904, or ORA-01722 errors.

ORA-00942: table or view does not exist
ORA-00904: "TZ_VERSION": invalid identifier
ORA-01722: invalid number

Review this section if you encounter ORA-01650, ORA-01651, ORA-01652, ORA-01653, ORA-01654, ORA-01655, ORA-0431, ORA-01562, ORA-19815, or other errors that suggest resource limit errors.

If you run out of resources during an upgrade, then increase the resource allocation. After increasing the resource allocation, shut down the instance with SHUTDOWN ABORT, and restart the instance in UPGRADE mode before re-running the catupgrd.sql script. If you run the upgrade using the Parallel Upgrade Utility (catctl.pl), then to automatically resume the upgrade from the point of failure, run the utility with the -R option. After you fix issues, AutoUpgrade automatically resumes upgrades.

The resources that generally require increases for a new Oracle Database release are as follows:

Use this section to understand and resolve SP2–1540: "Oracle Database cannot startup in an Edition session."

If an upgrade script or a command running in SQL*Plus set the EDITION parameter, then Oracle Database cannot start properly afterward. When you attempt to start the database, you receive the following error:

SP2-1540: "Oracle Database cannot startup in an Edition session"

To avoid this problem, after running catugrd.sql or any SQL*Plus session where this parameter is changed, exit the SQL*Plus session and restart the instance in a different session.

On Windows platforms, an error may occur related to ADVM or ACFS drivers if a server restarts during an upgrade.

If a server restarts during the upgrade, then you may see one of the following error messages:

ACFS-9427: Failed to unload ADVM/ACFS drivers. A system reboot is recommended

ACFS-9428 Failed to load ADVM/ACFS drivers. A system reboot is recommended.

• Cause

  The ADVM and ACFS drivers are still in use. You must restart the system to start the new drivers.

• Action

  Complete the steps as described in the following procedures.

For nodes other than the first node (the node on which the upgrade is started):

1. Restart the node where the error occurs.

2. Run the root script on that node again.

For first nodes (the node on which the upgrade is started):

1. Complete the upgrade of all other nodes in the cluster.

2. Restart the first node.

3. Run the root script on the first node again.

4. To complete the upgrade, log in as root, and run the script configToolAllCommands, located in the path Grid_home/cfgtoollogs/configToolAllCommands.

Starting in Oracle Database 18c (18.1), all OPTION OFF components are upgraded to the new release, but these options are disabled for Oracle Database Standard Edition (SE) remain OPTION OFF.

When you upgrade Oracle Database Standard Edition (SE) starter databases, the components that are not included with starter databases are turned on and upgraded. When utlrp.sql is run, options that are not turned on with your server and not included with SE are reset to OPTION OFF in the DBA_REGISTRY view.

You must create a new password file for Oracle ASM after an Oracle Grid Infrastructure upgrade.

Use this procedure to identify DRA_REEVALUATE_OPEN_FAILURES jobs that block upgrades.

During an upgrade, if DBUA fails with the error ORA-27248: sys.dra_reevaluate_open_failures is running, then the job DRA_REEVALUATE_OPEN_FAILURES is running, which causes upgrade failures. Ensure that the job is stopped before continuing the upgrade.

In a job definition, if ALLOW_RUNS_IN_RESTRICTED_MODE is set to TRUE, and the job owner is permitted to log in during restricted mode, then that job is permitted to run when the database is in restricted or upgrade mode. The default setting for this parameter is FALSE.

Use the following query to see the state of any running jobs:

SQL> select OBJECT_NAME, Owner, OBJECT_TYPE from dba_objects whereobject_name like '%DRA_REEVA%';