The error occurs when the CPU process tries and fails to back up files from a previous patch. This could be due to inadequate file system permissions to the %ORACLE_HOME%\.patch_storage folder, or to the presence of another previously existing backup for the same patch.
To resolve this error, check the following:
- Confirm the user running the opatch utility has rights to create folders within the backup destination (%ORACLE_HOME%\.patch_storage).
- Check the system path variable; make sure it includes a valid path to the Oracle binaries, and there are no invalid or extraneous characters within the path that could create invalid entries.
- Review the logs from the patch application (located in %ORACLE_HOME%\cfgtoollogs\opatch) and see which patch is being backed up at the time of the error. Then check the backup destination to see if another backup for the same patch exists - if its name is not unique (patch ID + date stamp), rename the folder if necessary, and attempt the CPU again.