Here is the setup: I run Windows 7, Visual Studio 2008 and need to connect to an Oracle Database. The Oracle software installed is Oracle Database 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.4.0) where I selected 10204_vista_w2k8_x64_production_db.zip. I was ordered to select this driver by a superior (something with backward compatibility). There isn’t a Windows 7 version of this, but it can be installed by avoiding the OS check. I used this guide:
It installed without problems. I guess it’s just not officially supported by Oracle on Windows 7. But I can’t connect to the database through Server Explorer in Visual Studio. It gives this error:
Attempt to load Oracle Client
Libraries threw
BadImageFormatException. This problem
will occur when running in 64 bit mode
with the 32 bit Oracle client
components installed.
I was able to make a connection through C# code though. Any suggestions why Server Explorer can’t connect?
edit:
I can also connect to the database using Oracle’s SQL Plus.
It’s because Visual Studio is a 32 bit process and can’t load 64 bit dll-s