Lock error when trying to install a patch in Weblogic 12c

Problem
======

When you use opatch to install a PSU update to Weblogic 12, you might run into the following error:

No read or write permission to ORACLE_HOME/.patch_storage
Central Inventory is locked by another OUI instance
No read permission to Central Inventory
The lock file exists in ORACLE_HOME/.patch_storage
The Oracle Home does not exist in Central Inventory


Solution
=======

There are different solution to this issue depending on the cause. I am going to mention the solution that is related to the permission cause.

If you happen to use Windows machine, try to start the command line where you will run the opatch command as administrator.

Let's take an example installing PSU4 on WLS 12.1.3

Extract the zip file containing patch 20838345 (this the PSY 4 patch for Weblogic 12.1.3)

Start a command prompt as administrator using this path:
Start --> All Programs --> Acessories --> Right click on Command Prompt --> Run as administrator

Set the environment in the Command Prompt session:

C:\windows\system32>set ORACLE_HOME=c:\Programs\WLS1213

C:\windows\system32>set PATH=c:\Programs\WLS1213\OPatch;%PATH%

C:\windows\system32>set JAVA_HOME=c:\Programs\WLS1213\oracle_common\jdk

Navigate to where you extracted the patch:

C:\windows\system32>cd c:\PSU4\20838345

Run the opatch command:

C:\windows\system32>opatch apply -jdk %JAVA_HOME%