How to fix the Oracle error ORA-01221: data file string is not the same file to a background process?

In this post, you’ll learn more about the Oracle ErrorORA-01221: data file string is not the same file to a background process with the details on why you receive this error and the possible solution to fix it.

Oracle Error Description

ORA-01221: data file string is not the same file to a background process

Reason for the Error ORA-01221: data file string is not the same file to a background process

When the database writer opens the data file, it is accessing a different physical file than the foreground doing the recovery. The timestamp set in the file header by the foreground was not found by the background. It may be that the background process could not read the file at all.

How to fix the Error ORA-01221: data file string is not the same file to a background process ?

You can fix this error in Oracle by following the below steps

Look in the DBWR trace file for the error it recieved when attempting to read the file header. Reconfigure the operating system as needed to have the file name successfully access the same file when opened by a background process.