RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?

Thanks, Tony.

If that were the case, the second test (scope=spfile) should not have failed.

Oracle Support left a v-mail to me stating that they are considering this a bug. And wanted to talk to me about more testing. I will get with them later today (or tomorrow).

Regards.

• Kirti

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Aponte, Tony [SMTP:AponteT_at_hsn.net]
> Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 9:37 AM
> To: ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com
> Cc: kirti.deshpande_at_gtedc.gte.com
> Subject: RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?
>
> On my version of UNIX (Solaris) moving/removing a file that is in use only
> affects the directory entry and not the actual payload on disk. I suspect
> that the spfile was held open by your sqlplus program and it executed the
> I/O operation using the open file descriptor. I've participated in
> similar (and unplanned) tests with ufs-based file systems where all of the
> underlying files where rm-ed and the database continued to run. It
> crashed when it tried to switch into the next and non-existent redo log
> files. A post-mortem on the incident taught us that removing an open file
> only removed the entry from UNIX's directory file but the cleanup was
> postponed until the OS closed the last open handle for that i-node.
>
> HTH
> Tony Aponte
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Deshpande, Kirti [ <mailto:kirti.deshpande_at_verizon.com>]
> Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2002 6:58 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Subject: RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?
>
>
> All Right, Larry. Since we have the test servers and databases; and my
> Company still pays for 'doing Oracle' the 'scary' way, here is another
> 'scary thing' I did with SPFILE :)
> (9iR1 on HP)
>
> SQL> conn / as sysdba
> Connected to an idle instance.
> SQL> startup <---- using spfile
>
> ORACLE instance started.
> Total System Global Area 72273416 bytes
> Fixed Size 437768 bytes
> Variable Size 37748736 bytes
> Database Buffers 33554432 bytes
> Redo Buffers 532480 bytes
> Database mounted.
> Database opened.
> SQL> show parameter db_cache_size
> NAME TYPE VALUE
> ------------------------------------ -----------
> ------------------------------
> db_cache_size big integer 33554432
>
> SQL> !mv spfileKED9.ora spfileKED9.ora.bak <-- hide the spfile
>
> SQL> !ls -l *.ora
> -rw-r--r-- 1 oracle dba 12920 May 10 2001 initdw.ora
>
> SQL> alter system set db_cache_size=10M scope=both; <-- try to set a new
>
> value
>
> System altered. <--- No problem?
>
> SQL> show parameter db_cache_size
>
> NAME TYPE VALUE
> ------------------------------------ -----------
> ------------------------------
> db_cache_size big integer 12582912
>
> --> New value in effect.
>
> SQL> !ls -l *.ora
> -rw-r--r-- 1 oracle dba 12920 May 10 2001 initdw.ora
>
> --> Still no SFILE....
> --> Now, why would not Oracle tell us that there was no spfile to process
> SCOPE=BOTH ?
>
> SQL> c/both/spfile
> 1* alter system set db_cache_size=10M scope=spfile
> SQL> /
> alter system set db_cache_size=10M scope=spfile
> *
> ERROR at line 1:
> ORA-27037: unable to obtain file status
> HP-UX Error: 2: No such file or directory
> Additional information: 3
>
> -->This is what should have happened with SCOPE=BOTH as well, or at least
> a
> warning that SCOPE=BOTH was processed as SCOPE=MEMORY since there was no
> SPFILE available. I would not have objected if Oracle re-recreated SPFILE
> in
> the default location and told me so!
>
> If anyone has seen any mention of this particular behaviour of SCOPE=BOTH,
> I
> would like to know the source of that information. I have searched
> Metalink,
> Google but have not come across any. I have created an iTar with OWS.
> Thanks.
>
> As I said before, SPFILE has some things that need to be made fool proof.
>
> This time I did not drink prior to doing this 'scary' stuff !! ;-)
>
> Regards,
>
> - Kirti
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Larry Elkins [SMTP:elkinsl_at_flash.net]
> > Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 9:03 PM
> > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> > Subject: RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?
> >
> > Man, it scares the heck out of me too that Jared and Kirti are actually
> > "doing Oracle" -- I can't believe companies actually pay them ;-)
> >
> > And you two guys, and I'm talking to you Kirti and Jared, probably dig
> in
> > and do things you shouldn't on test boxes just to see how things work
> and
> > to
> > learn. FWIW, I've heard rumors about other people doing similar things.
> > You've probably even intentionally crashed a DB or pulled the plug just
> to
> > see if you could recover. Shame on you two. You should both be banished
> > from
> > the list for doing such unconventional things ;-)
> >
> > And neither of you will ever be allowed close to a DB I deal with --
> I'll
> > call ltiu from now on ;-)
> >
> > Larry
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: root_at_fatcity.com [ <mailto:root_at_fatcity.com>]On Behalf Of
> > > Jared.Still_at_radisys.com
> > > Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 8:08 PM
> > > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> > > Subject: RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?
> > >
> > >
> > > Some of us have been around the block a few times. :)
> > >
> > > Editing binary files is no big deal.
> > >
> > > You neophytes are all the same.
> > >
> > > Jared
> > >
> > > ltiu <ltiu_at_alumni.sfu.ca>
> > > Sent by: root_at_fatcity.com
> > > 07/12/2002 04:28 PM
> > > Please respond to ORACLE-L
> > >
> > >
> > > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> > > <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>
> > > cc:
> > > Subject: RE: Where is Oracle 9.2 init.ora?
> > >
> > >
> > > You DBA's must be drunk.
> > >
> > > Spfiles are in binary format and if you open it in a text editor, all
> > you
> > > see
> > > are weird characters.
> > >
> > > Man. You guys are actually doing Oracle? Scares me.
> > >
> > > ltiu
> >
> --
> Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: <http://www.orafaq.com>
> --
> Author: Deshpande, Kirti
> INET: kirti.deshpande_at_verizon.com
>
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-- 
Author: Deshpande, Kirti
  INET: kirti.deshpande_at_verizon.com

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