cold backups

    While trying to restore cold backups to another machine, I ran into some trouble starting up the database . Oracle could'nt find the pwdorcl.ora file.

    Come to find out, it is a hidden file in the NT environment and was neccessary for instance startup.

    Does anyone know if this component is documented anywhere and what its function is?

    Is this pertinent to NT only or is there a VMS or UNIX equivelent??

                Thanks
                Joe Gulla