Re: ORADIM, SYS as SYSDBA and the password file

(top posting just in case you didn't read the first attempts and are interested, otherwise ignore the previous stuff)

OK. Round 2. I tried some advice from metalink to change the sys as sysdba password (different from the previous oradim stuff I found earlier)

<from metalink article>
- Shut down the database,
- Rename the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapw$ORACLE_SID file,

• Issue a new ORAPWD command with a new password <end metalink instructions>

I tried the above with apparently no effect (I could still log in with sys as sysdba using the default password of "oracle")

So, I shutdown the database, deleted the password files and rebooted. I looked in my oradim.log file and the errors saying it couldn't find the password files I deleted were there. Good news, I think. So, I create new password files (same names and dir as before) with orapwd and reboot the machine again with oracle starting automatically (9iEE on Win2k Pro). Boots fine, no errors, database mounted and opened. I can still log in with sys as sysdba / oracle.

Just out of curiousity...I try this from sqlplus:

SQL>disconnect
SQL>connect sys as sysdba
SQL>password: fdashdsgkhaghadkj
SQL>connected.
SQL>show user
SQL>USER is "SYS"
SQL>SELECT * FROM tab;
SQL>Starts listing all the tables owned by sys.
SQL>SELECT * from ACCESS$
SQL>executes statement fine.

OK. Now would someone please answer just one question about this:

1. Why can you apparently use anything (incorrect passwords) for the password of SYS as SYSDBA (such as ashdkjhdakjhak or dashgdsafdast6ra) and be logged in as SYS and be able to select from SYS's tables?

I know I'm new to Oracle and you guys (and gals) might think I need to RTFM, but this particular problem is a bit rediculous and I am trying to RTFMs. The SYS as SYSDBA password should be somehting that should be readily updatable. I've read several books about Oracle 8i and 9i and not a single one even mentioned that SYS's password and SYS as SYSDBA are two different things entirely and you have to change SYS as SYSDBA's password via the password file. I didn't run into the topic until I started studying for the OCP Fundamentals I exam. I'm not sure why I got no responses from the first post, but if it's a RTFM thing, just say so and I'll try round three before asking for advice again, but at least let me know if I'm giving up to easily. Thanks to everyone (anyone) who can point me in the right direction...

Paul Murphy

"Paul Murphy" <pmurphy_at_scsinet.com> wrote in message news:IN1w9.44264$c51.13158129_at_twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> (Running 9i EE Rel 2 on Win2KPro)
>
> I've been trying to change the password for sys when logging in as sysdba
on
> my practice database at home. I tried the obvious:
>
> ALTER USER SYS IDENTIFIED BY myNewPassword;
>
> Now, that new password works when logging in with sys as sysdba in
addition
> to the default password of "oracle".
>
> Then I did a bit of research and figured out that the old internal
password
> (now the 'as sysdba' password is stored in the password file which you can
> reset with ORADIM).
>
> So, I try using ORADIM, like this:
>
> C:\>oradim -EDIT -SID mySID -INTPWD myNewPass -STARTMODE auto -pfile
> c:\oracle\ora92\database\spfileSID.ora
>
> And I'd get this error in my ORADIM.log:
>
> Wed Oct 30 22:16:30 2002
> ORA-01078: failure in processing system parameters
>
> So, I do some more research and it says if you're using an SPFILE, create
a
> generic init(sid).ora file with a single line pointing to your SPFILE,
like
> so:
>
> SPFILE = c:\oracle\ora92\database\spfileSID.ora
>
> I reran my previous oradim statement and now I no longer get that
ORA-01078
> error, but I can still log in as both
>
> SYS as SYSDBA with the new password
> SYS as SYSDBA with "oracle" as the password
>
> So, If you're running 9i using an SPFILE, how do you really change the SYS
> as SYSDBA password and why can you log in as SYS as SYSDBA with 2
different
> passwords? Thanks in advance for the advice and I hope the answers benefit
> other readers, too.
>
> -Paul Murphy
>
>
Received on Sat Nov 02 2002 - 23:09:21 CST