What causes ORA-00257?

Archive log destination disk is full. Archive log backup has not run and logs are accumulating. Incorrect archive destination path configured. Disk quota exceeded on the archive target

How do I fix ORA-00257?

Step 1: Check archive log destination space: `SELECT * FROM v$recovery_file_dest;` or check the OS mount point.. Step 2: Run RMAN to delete old archived logs: `RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-7';`.. Step 3: Move or increase the archive destination storage.. Step 4: Verify the RMAN backup job is running on schedule.. Step 5: Alert on remaining archive log space to prevent recurrence.

Critical severitystorage

Oracle Database Error:
ORA-00257

What does this error mean?

The Oracle archiver process (ARCH) cannot write redo log archives because the archive destination disk is full or unavailable, causing the database to halt all DML.

Common causes

1Archive log destination disk is full
2Archive log backup has not run and logs are accumulating
3Incorrect archive destination path configured
4Disk quota exceeded on the archive target

How to fix it

1Step 1: Check archive log destination space: `SELECT * FROM v$recovery_file_dest;` or check the OS mount point.
2Step 2: Run RMAN to delete old archived logs: `RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-7';`.
3Step 3: Move or increase the archive destination storage.
4Step 4: Verify the RMAN backup job is running on schedule.
5Step 5: Alert on remaining archive log space to prevent recurrence.

Example log output

ORA-00257: archiver error. Connect internal only, until freed.
ORA-16020: less destinations available than specified by LOG_ARCHIVE_MIN_SUCCEED_DEST

Frequently asked questions

Will queries still work when ORA-00257 is active?

SELECT statements continue to work. Only DML (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) and DDL are blocked until archive log space is freed.

Source · docs.oracle.com/error-help/db/ora-00257