Instance , what instance.

Here's an amusing little test you might like to try. I came across is whilst trying to solve a problem with a client whose database was getting corrupted when their machine was brought down before Oracle had shut down.

Version: 8.1.7.0
Platform hp-ux 11.00

Action:

    Session 1 - direct load into partition 1 of partitioned IOT     Session 2 - direct load into partition 1 of partitioned IOT     Session 3 connect to database

From operating system:

    kill -9 pmon, dbwr, ckpt, smon etc, in order of PID.

Sessions 1 and 2 hang.
Session 3 is still connected to the database, and can run queries that access the database files - e.g.

  1* select phyrds from v$filestat where file# = 1 16:43:17 SQL> /     PHYRDS

      3409

Elapsed: 00:00:05.14
16:43:23 SQL> select count(*) from sys.source$;

  COUNT(*)

   1452506

Elapsed: 00:00:04.08
16:43:37 SQL> select phyrds from v$filestat where file# = 1 ;

    PHYRDS

      4310

--
Jonathan Lewis

Seminars on getting the best out of Oracle
Last few places available for Sept 10th/11th
See http://www.jlcomp.demon.co.uk/seminar.html