Basic operation
su - oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba
show parameter background
show parameter user_dump_dest
background_dump_dest: path_to_trace_file
deadlook error code is: ORA-00060
Refer to dead lock article
http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/asktom/f?p=100:11:0::::P11_QUESTION_ID:1528515465282
one example of dead lock
I'm going to hypothesize that there is a unique index on some (at least one) of the columns being updated. The locks are NOT on a row -- they are due to unique conflicts. Here is exactly how to simulate this: --------------------- test.sql ------------------------- drop table t; create table t ( x int primary key ); insert into t values ( 1 ); insert into t values ( 2 ); insert into t values ( 3 ); insert into t values ( 4 ); commit; update t set x = 5 where x = 1; REM in another session, run test2.sql pause update t set x = 6 where x = 2; --------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- test2.sql --------------------------- variable x1 number variable x2 number exec :x1 := 6; :x2 := 3; update t set x = :x1 where x = :x2; exec :x1 := 5; :x2 := 4; update t set x = :x1 where x = :x2; --------------------------------------------------------- Here, session 1 will get the row updated from 1 to 5 -- 5 will be "locked" in the index. Session 2 will then update 3 to 6 (no conflict, but 6 is "locked" in the index) Session 2 will then update 4 to 5 -- this'll be a conflict, unique key violation POSSIBLE at this point. Session 2 will block here. Next, session 1 tries to update 2 to 6 -- that'll be another conflict with session 2, unique key violation POSSIBLE at this point. Session 1 will block and then one of the sessions will get the dead lock. That is when this trace file will be produced: *** SESSION ID:(8.3883) 2002-08-07 11:09:23.816 DEADLOCK DETECTED Current SQL statement for this session: update t set x = :x1 where x = :x2 The following deadlock is not an ORACLE error. It is a deadlock due to user error in the design of an application or from issuing incorrect ad-hoc SQL. The following information may aid in determining the deadlock: Deadlock graph: ---------Blocker(s)-------- ---------Waiter(s)--------- Resource Name process session holds waits process session holds waits TX-0003003d-000011e2 14 8 X 8 7 S TX-00020054-0000109e 8 7 X 14 8 S session 8: DID 0001-000E-00000002 session 7: DID 0001-0008-00000002 session 7: DID 0001-0008-00000002 session 8: DID 0001-000E-00000002 Rows waited on: Session 7: no row Session 8: no row =================================================== So, basically, you have two sessions doing this update (or a similar update) and they are bumping into each other with a unique index. Look for whats unique in this table. It isn't a row lock issue -- rather, an index key collision that is happening. Further down in the trace file, you should be seeing something like: ... Cursor frame allocation dump: frm: -------- Comment -------- Size Seg Off bind 0: dty=2 mxl=22(22) mal=00 scl=00 pre=00 oacflg=03 oacfl2=0 size=48 offset=0 bfp=01a70280 bln=22 avl=02 flg=05 value=5 <<<<<=== the bind variable values bind 1: dty=2 mxl=22(22) mal=00 scl=00 pre=00 oacflg=03 oacfl2=0 size=0 offset=24 <<<<<=== the bind variable values bfp=01a70298 bln=22 avl=02 flg=01 value=4 End of cursor dump ***************** dump of cursor xsc=1a7681c ********************** ........ And that should help you ID where the problem is (you'll see the BR_NO and be able to identify the ROWS being modified)