ORA-12154 when installing ODBC for Voyager

Question

Receive the following error when attempting to configure VGER Machine Data Source during ODBC installation when following the Installation and Configuration of ODBC for Voyager instructions:

ODBC - call failed

[Microsoft][ODBC driver for Oracle][Oracle]ORA-12154; TNS: could not resolve the connect identifier specified (#12154) 
[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Drivers's SQLSetConnectAttr failed IM006 0 
[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Driver's SQLSetConnectAtr failed (#0)

Answer

• Make sure your tnsnames.ora file is correctly configured, has no syntax errors, is in the proper directory and is accessible.  Make sure it is named correctly (for example that the filename is tnsnames.ora and not tnsnames.ora.txt).
• Completely uninstall any "bad" or "failed" installation attempts (follow these steps: How to uninstall ODBC Client Completely).
• The installation procedure requires full local administrative rights on the PC.
• Re-install by following the installation and configuration steps as specified (follow these steps: Installation and Configuration of ODBC for Voyager).  Note the system requirements.

Additional Information

ORA-12154 usually indicates that TNS could not resolve the connect identifier specified in the tnsnames.ora file.

It means that the Oracle client can't connect to the Oracle database due to connection identifier problems.

Installation and Configuration of ODBC for Voyager

How to uninstall ODBC Client Completely 

• Article last edited: 27-Sep-2019