Re: Sanity Check Please: Removing Datafiles after Dropping Tablespace?

SQL> select file_name from dba_data_files;

                                            FILE_NAME
_____________________________________________________
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/system01.dbf    
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/sysaux01.dbf    
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/undotbs01.dbf   
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/users01.dbf     

Elapsed: 00:00:00.561
SQL> create tablespace chris datafile '/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/chris.dbf' size 100M;

Tablespace CHRIS created.

Elapsed: 00:00:00.484
SQL> drop tablespace chris;

Tablespace CHRIS dropped.

Elapsed: 00:00:00.389
SQL>

Now, let's check which data files are in use:

bash-4.2$ fuser -a *.dbf
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/chris.dbf:
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/sysaux01.dbf:  2302  2310  2340  2575  2742  2765  2767  2988  3044
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/system01.dbf:  2302  2310  2328  2340  2575  2736  2742  2746  2748  2752  2763  2765  2988
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/temp01.dbf:  2302  2763
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/undotbs01.dbf:  2302  2310  2342  2575
/opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/users01.dbf:  2302  2310

As you can see, the file /opt/oracle/oradata/ORCLCDB/ORCLPDB1/chris.dbf doesn't have any processes associated with it. So, let's remove it and restart the instance:

bash-4.2$ rm -i chris.dbf
rm: remove regular file ‘chris.dbf’? y
-bash-4.2$ sqlplus / as sysdba

SQL*Plus: Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production on Tue May 25 11:25:25 2021
Version 19.11.0.0.0

Copyright (c) 1982, 2020, Oracle.  All rights reserved.


Connected to:
Oracle Database 19c Enterprise Edition Release 19.0.0.0.0 - Production
Version 19.11.0.0.0

SQL> startup force
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 4966052456 bytes
Fixed Size            9146984 bytes
Variable Size         2214592512 bytes
Database Buffers     2734686208 bytes
Redo Buffers            7626752 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL> show pdbs

    CON_ID CON_NAME              OPEN MODE  RESTRICTED
---------- ------------------------------ ---------- ----------
     2 PDB$SEED              READ ONLY  NO
     3 ORCLPDB1              READ WRITE NO
SQL>

So, all is well. You can use "fuser -a" and remove the files which do not have any processes associated with them. With ASM you would have to use some additional trickery, but that's another story.

Regards

Env :12.1.0.2 x86-64 Linux NON-RAC,NON-ASM

As haste makes waste (or leaves waste as the case may be), I dropped a tablespace as part of a scheduled maintenance.  However, I neglected the "INCLUDING CONTENTS AND DATAFILES" portion of the drop command.

So now I have a lot of datafiles left on the OS.    

I've confirmed that fuser doesn't show any PIDs touching the datafiles.

I think I can drop the datafiles straight from the OS now on both the primary and standby, but need a sanity check here if anyone knows something different?  I'm being careful here in case I've forgotten something. 

Thanks,
Chris

-- 
Mladen Gogala
Database Consultant
Tel: (347) 321-1217
https://dbwhisperer.wordpress.com