Oracle connection error

For my experience, I installed on a 32-bit system and one on a 64-bit system. It's the same install on each except you must use the matching bit version of the Oracle products that matches the PowerBI Desktop bit version.

In my case I installed the following Oracle Client on my respective installs:

32-bit  win32_12201_client.zip

64-bit winx64_12201_client.zip

both can be found at the link below:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/enterprise-edition/downloads/oracle12c-windows-3633015.html

Note: in my case I change the default path of the install to C:\app\Oracle\product\12.2.0\client_1 but it doesn't matter where you put it.

After installing the client I had to install the following: (IT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT THIS!)

32-bit ODAC121021Xcopy_32bit.zip 

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/windows/downloads/utilsoft-087491.html

64-bit ODAC121024_x64.zip 

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/windows/downloads/index-090165.html

To install the above you must open a Administator Command Prompt and change to the path that you extracted the files to. Then run this command:

install all C:\app\Oracle\product\12.2.0\client_1 odac (the path is where you installed the above client to)

you also need to make sure the following is included in the 'path' of the Environment Variables:

C:\app\Oracle\product\12.2.0\client_1;C:\app\Oracle\product\12.2.0\client_1\bin (or wherever your path is loacted)

You need to have a TNS_ADMIN entry in the Environment Variables that points to the directory that the tns_names.ora file lives.

This all worked for me and hope it helps you as well.