Datafile header info needed

Background:

We have 2 databases (7.3.4.5) on aix 4.3.3. When executing the strings command
(strings system.dbf | pg) on a datafile one returns the database and the
oracle_home location. For example:

prdr:/optc/oracle/rdbms/7.3.4

The other database does not display this information. What controls whether or not this is written to the header? This came up as an issue because we currently use Sql BackTrack and during a restore process(logical extraction) it restores needed datafiles and attempts to create a temporary database so that it can extract out data. In the process it fails to create the control files because I believe it is using this information in the datafile to locate the sqadef<sid>.dbf file within the oracle_home/dbs directory to verify whether or not the instance is currently running. One database works because it can not find the sgadef file and it also does not have the oracle_home info in the header. The other database fails with an ora-09782 sfifi: another instance has the same database mounted. (this database has the oracle_home in the header). Anyone run across this issue before? Does this sound correct? And what controls whether or not the info is written to the header? Why do we have mixed results? Why, why, why? Thanks and at least its friday.

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Author: Tracy Rahmlow
  INET: Tracy.Rahmlow_at_aexp.com

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