How to Resolve ORA-01153 an incompatible media recovery is active. | ORA-01153 “an incompatible media recovery is active” is an error message that occurs when attempting to perform certain operations on an Oracle database while a media recovery process is running in an incompatible mode. This error typically happens when you try to open the database while media recovery is ongoing in a different mode, which can lead to data inconsistency.
ORA-01153 is an error code in Oracle Database that occurs when there is an attempt to perform media recovery (e.g., restoring data files from backups) while the database is not in the appropriate state. Specifically, the error “an incompatible media recovery is active” indicates that another media recovery session is already in progress, and the current recovery attempt cannot proceed until the existing one completes or is canceled. Here’s how to resolve ORA-01153:
How to Resolve ORA-01153.
Here are the steps to resolve the ORA-01153 error:
Identify the Cause:
Determine why media recovery is running in an incompatible mode. This usually happens when you perform a media recovery using a different version of the database software or using a backup that is not compatible with the current database version.
Before attempting any action, verify whether there is indeed another media recovery session running. You can check the database alert log or query the V$SESSION view to identify any active media recovery sessions.
For example, you can use the following SQL query to find active media recovery sessions:
SELECT SID, SERIAL#, USERNAME, STATUS, BLOCKING_SESSION_STATUS FROM V$SESSION WHERE BLOCKING_SESSION_STATUS = 'ACTIVE';Stop Media Recovery:
Before attempting any resolution, you need to stop the media recovery process. Connect to SQL*Plus as a user with SYSDBA privileges and issue the following command:
SQL> RECOVER MANAGED STANDBY DATABASE CANCEL;
Check Database Version Compatibility:
Verify that the database version used for the media recovery is compatible with the current database version. If you are using a physical standby database for media recovery, ensure that both the primary and standby databases are running the same Oracle version and patch level.
Ensure Consistent Backup:
If the media recovery was initiated from a backup, make sure that the backup is consistent and taken from the same database version as the current database.
Check Backup and Recovery Options:
Review the backup and recovery options you used during the media recovery process. Ensure that any specific options or parameters used during recovery are compatible with the current database configuration.
Complete or Restart Media Recovery:
Depending on the circumstances, you may need to either complete or restart the media recovery process. If you are using a physical standby database, consider performing a switchover or failover to convert the physical standby database into a primary database.
Open the Database:
After ensuring that media recovery is no longer active in an incompatible mode, you can attempt to open the database. Connect to SQL*Plus as a user with SYSDBA privileges and issue the following command:
SQL> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
Verify Database Status:
Check the database status and verify that it opens without any errors. You can use the following query to check the database status:
SQL> SELECT open_mode FROM v$database;
If the ORA-01153 error persists after following these steps, it’s essential to investigate further and potentially seek assistance from Oracle Support or experienced database administrators to resolve the issue. Always take backups before making any significant changes to the database to avoid data loss.