Oracle archive log directory fills up.

ORA-00257: archiver error. Connect internal only, until freed.
There are a number of reason you might fill up your archive log directory. If this happens your database will hang until space is freed up. You quickly log into the server and delete a number of archive logs and wa-la, problem resolved. Ah ah... not so fast. If you use RMAN to backup your database you will receive errors when your backup runs because the catalog will be out of sync with your current archive logs on disk.

These are the steps I take:

1. Delete the archive logs from one or more directories.
2. Run the crosscheck RMAN command.
3. Backup your database.
   

This the RMAN command to run after manually deleting your archive logs.

RMAN>
RMAN> rman target / catalog rman/rman@rman
RMAN>change archivelog all crosscheck;
.
.
.
Crosschecked 598 objects
RMAN>exit

Run hot backup immediately after this.