Have you seen the new Search Helper for problems and documentation relating to the 'adpatch' utility?   Check out the details in Doc ID 1502809.1.

The Search Helper presents you with a wizard-like interface where you select the task you are attempting, the symptoms or errors you are hitting and arrives at a targeted list of solutions based on that information.  This is a simple and quick way of searching for any issues that you are having with adpatch.

How to use this tool:

1. Select the intent or task that is failing.

2. A list of known symptoms (or facts) associated with the task will display under the section "In addition the following occurs".

3. As you select symptoms the solutions section will populate (and change as you select or deselect).