title: Error while connecting to Oracle Server from Instant client through CMD prompt, but SQL Developer connects?
body: <p>I am using Client provided laptop (windows XP professional 2002)  and do not have administrative privileges (hence cannot st any required environment variables as well):</p>
  
  <p>SQL Developer is provided and I am able to access the oracle server xaal5@:1521/ from SQL developer,</p>
  
  <p>I need to use SQL LOADER to perform some heavy loading. I decided to download the instant client to see if I can save some time while my oracle client installation requests takes ages to go through approvals.</p>
  
  <p>I went to the link: <a href="http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/winsoft-085727.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/winsoft-085727.html</a>
  for Windows  and downloaded the following Instant Client Downloads for Microsoft Windows (32-bit)</p>
  
  <p>Version 10.2.0.4  </p>
  
  <p>Instant Client Package - Basic: All files required to run OCI, OCCI, and JDBC-OCI applications
  Download instantclient-basic-win32-10.2.0.4.zip (34,742,358 bytes)</p>
  
  <p>*Instant Client Package - SQL*Plus: Additional libraries and executable for running SQL*Plus with Instant Client
  Download instantclient-sqlplus-win32-10.2.0.4.zip (725,418 bytes)</p>
  
  <p>Extracted these two zip files into C:\instantclient-win32 folder, got the following files (Yes there is no SQL LOADER in it , but i decided to first set the oracle client up and then look for SQL LDR)</p>
  
  <p>sqlplus.exe
  oci.dll
  ocijdbc10.dll
  ociw32.dll
  orannzsbb10.dll
  oraocci10.dll
  oraociei10.dll
  Orasqlplusic10.dll
  classes12.jar
  ojdbc14.jar
  glogin.sql</p>
  
  <p>I Ran the following CMD prompt of windows machine:</p>
  
  <p>sqlplus xaal5@:1521/SID</p>
  
  <p>and got the following error :</p>
  
  <pre><code>ERROR:
  ORA-12514: TNS:listener does not currently know of service requested in connect
  descriptor
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I created a tnsnames.ora file with following entry:</p>
  
  <pre><code>PLMS =  (DESCRIPTION =
  (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = XXXXXX)(PORT = 1521))
   (CONNECT_DATA =
    (SID = sblcusdv)
   ))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and set up a USER VARIABLES to point to the path of tnsnames.ora file (in the Environment variables window) , as i cannot create a system variable.
  $TNS_ADMIN=C:\instantclient-win32</p>
  
  <p>I Ran the following CMD prompt again:</p>
  
  <p>sqlplus xaal5@:1521/SID</p>
  
  <p>and got the following error, again :</p>
  
  <pre><code>ERROR:
  ORA-12514: TNS:listener does not currently know of service requested in connect
  descriptor
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What am i doing wrong !! or is there another way to get SQL loader working on my system considering the constraints (long wait for approvals for oracle client installation).</p>