ORA-00257: Archiver Error

Applies to:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Oracle Server - Standard Edition - Version: 10.1.0.2
Information in this document applies to any platform.

Symptoms:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Connections to the database receive ORA-00257: archiver is stuck error.

Cause:
_________________________________________________________________________________
The max limit for flash recovery area(db_recovery_file_dest_size) is reached.

Solution:
_________________________________________________________________________________
1. Check whether the database is in archive log mode and automatic archiving is enabled.

SQL> archive log list;

2. If archive destination is defined by USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST, find the archive destination by :

SQL> show parameter db_recovery_file_dest;

Check what is the value set for db_recovery_file_dest_size

3. Find the space used in flash recovery area by :

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$RECOVERY_FILE_DEST;

4. If SPACE_USED is equal to SPACE_LIMIT, move the archive logs to a different destination.

5. Archive all the log files

SQL> alter system archive log all;
6. If ORA-16020: less destinations available than specified by LOG_ARCHIVE_MIN_SUCCEED_DEST

is received for step 5, then for each destination give the correct archivelog path and issue:

SQL>alter system set LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_.. = 'location=/archivelogpath reopen';

NOTE: 
=====
If you have configured Flash Recovery Area (default in 10gR2)--meaning that you have set the two initialization parameters:
-- DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE
-- DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
you cannot use the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST and LOG_ARCHIVE_DUPLEX_DEST parameters any more. You must always use the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n parameters in case you have configured flash recovery area. LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10 is implicitly set to USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST if you create a recovery area and do not set any other local archiving destinations.
If you try to use LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST with a Flash Recovery Area configured, you will receive errors like:
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-02097: parameter cannot be modified because specified value is invalid
ORA-16018: cannot use LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST with LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n or
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST

7. Just switch the logs to verify:

SQL> alter system switch logfile;

NOTE:
====

If you want to increase the flash recovery area:

STEPS:
=====

1. Note down the path of flash recovery area.

SQL> show parameter db_recovery_file_dest;

2. Disable the Flash Recovery Area

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST='' SCOPE=BOTH SID='*';

3. Increase the Flash Recovery Area

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE = 10g SCOPE=BOTH SID='*';

4. Enable the Flash Recovery Area

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST = '/dir1' SCOPE=BOTH SID='*';

If the flash recovery area location is an Automatic Storage Management disk group named disk1, for example, then you can do the following:

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST = '+disk1' SCOPE=BOTH SID='*';


References:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Oracle [ID 278308.1]