Re: how to change $ORACLE_HOME

I seem to remember having this problem when then value for
$ORACLE_HOME in the oratab file did not go through the
$ORACLE_BASE directory.

I was doing something similar to what you are doing...moving a set of ORACLE executables.

For example, ORACLE_BASE was set to /disk01/oracle. ORACLE_HOME was set to /disk01/oracle/product/root1. I moved the root1 directory to /disk02/oracle/product/root1. I created a symbolic link under ORACLE_BASE

   ln -s /disk02/oracle/product/root1 \

         /disk01/oracle/product/root1

The symbolic link allowed me to still refer to the root as if it were on /disk01, when it was really on /disk02.

I got the same error that you got when I used /disk02 in the oratab entry. I replaced /disk02 with /disk01, and the problem went away.

I hope this helps.

Bob

p.s. I know we all complain about Oracle Technical Support,

      but this was an example where I called them, only had to
      wait a couple of minutes to talk to someone, and she 
      was able to immediately identify my problem. It is nice
      when you occasionally get the support you pay for...