I have been scouring the net for help, I realise this is a low level question for this forum and apologise.

I have downloaded the 10g instant client and odbc driver so that I can create an ODBC connection for a third party app to connect to an OracleXE database. I believe this is what I need to install.

I have unzipped the ODBC driver and instant client to the same directory (C:\Oracle). I have amended the PATH statement and run the install ODBC exe from the unzipped DIR.

When I try to create an ODBC connection I get the message "The Oracle client and network components were not found. The components are supplied by Oracle Corporation and are part of the Oracle version 7.3 or greater client software installation. You will be unable to use this driver until these components have been installed"

Can someone point out the obvious error I must have made or point me in the direction of any further config changes I need to make? Information appears to be sketchy or else I am going blind in my old age and I cant find it...

I regret I have almost zero Oracle knowledge and just need to set up an ODBC connection for a third party app for test purposes.

Thanks in advance for any assistance