NOTE: unable to execute orapwd… ret:255 sig:0 err: ASMCMD-9454 Creating orapw file Inside ASM

This week, creating a new database, I faced an issue, already got for me sometimes ago, but I didn’t remember how I fixed that.

So I decide to document because, usually, when we have to duplicate or restore a database, tables and schemas as well, is an urgent task for our customers.

I faced that message in two different situations:

Before Oracle Database 12c, Oracle used to not validate how many characters or the existences of numeric and alphanumeric characters on your password in an implicit way. If you would like that, you would have to create a function and set that on a user profile.
After 12c this changed and for any reason, you still want to use an “easy” password you will need to set a parameter –format 12 to create the password file on command.
If even you are using –format parameter and still facing the issue, another reason possible, you already didn’t add the database on grid infrastructure configuration.

Lets exemplify that on few code lines below:

ASMCMD> pwcreate --dbuniquename ORCL +DGDATA/ORCL/orapworcl --format 12
Enter password: ********
NOTE: unable to execute orapwd... ret:255 sig:0 err:
ASMCMD-9454
ASMCMD> exit
[oracle@orasrv /]$ srvctl add database -d orcl -o /u01/app/oracle/product/19
[oracle@orasrv /]$ srvctl add instance -d orcl -i orcl01 -n orasrv
[oracle@orasrv /]$ asmcmd
ASMCMD> pwcreate --dbuniquename ORCL +DGDATA/ORCL/orapworcl --format 12
Enter password: ********
ASMCMD> cd +DGDATA/ORCL/
ASMCMD> ls
PASSWORD/
orapworcl
ASMCMD> exit