ORA-29855 Error When Running updatedb or configdb

Resolving The Problem

You may receive the following error when running updatedb.bat or configdb.bat on a database that was imported from and export of a different Oracle database and/or schema.

java.sql.SQLException: ORA-29855: error occurred in the execution of ODCIINDEXCREATE routine
ORA-20000: Oracle Text error:
DRG-10700: preference does not exist: global_lexer
ORA-06512: at "CTXSYS.DRUE", line 160
ORA-06512: at "CTXSYS.TEXTINDEXMETHODS", line 364.

You could be getting this error because a schema export will not export the Oracle Text preferences and sub-lexer definitions or the database does not have Oracle Text indexing enabled.

1. Restore the database back to the before the start up updatedb
2. Follow the steps in the following Technote
ORA-29855 Error When Running updatedb
3. If updatedb or configdb failed with the same or similar error continue with the following
4. Repeat steps 1 and 2 then,
5. Connect to the database instance specifying AS SYSDBA
6. Create the MDSYS user with a command in the following format:
SQL> CREATE USER MDSYS IDENTIFIED BY <password>;
7. Grant the required privileges to the MDSYS user by running the following procedure:
SQL> @ORACLE_HOME/md/admin/mdprivs.sql
8. Connect as MDSYS
9. Install Spatial by running the following procedure:
SQL> @ORACLE_HOME/md/admin/catmd.sql
10. After you install Spatial, it is strongly recommended that you lock the MDSYS user. The MDSYS user is created with administrator privileges; therefore, it is important to protect this account from unauthorized use. To lock the MDSYS user, connect as SYS and enter the following command:
SQL> ALTER USER MDSYS ACCOUNT LOCK;
11. Rebuild the triggers by running the following:
@/<oracle_home>/rdbms/admin/utlprp.sql 0

Run updatedb or configdb again