Re: Upgrade to Oracle8

If you haven't added new data to the database, just restore the backup you made prior to the upgrade.

If you have added new data, you're only choice is to use export/import. The only way this will work is by using the v7 export utility against the v8-format database. You can not have used any new v8 features (e.g. object tables, partitioning) since the v7 exp utility will not understand this data.

You must run catexp7.sql before using v7 export against a v8 database.

There is a subtle point about this - where do you run the v7 exp executable from (i.e. what is the env variable ORACLE_HOME set to)? There are two choices:

1. From the v7 ORACLE_HOME. You'll need to connect through the listener or use a BEQ connect descriptor in the tnsnames.ora file for this (i.e. set TWO_TASK to something that will get you to the database).
2. From the v8 ORACLE_HOME by copying the executable to the v8 OH/bin. This will work, but there are a few things that need to be taken care of first since you are running a v7 client program (exp) in a v8 OH.

First, since exp is a v7 program, it will expect v7 NLS files (which are loaded at runtime). It will pick up v8 instead. You can set ORA_NLS32 (for 7.3) to point to the v7 NLS files to get around this. ORA_NLS32={v7OH}/ocommon/nls/admin/data

Second, the exp message files in OH/rdbms/mesg are not exactly the same. Most messages will work fine - v7 exp can use the v8 exp*.msb file, except for at least one message that contains a different number of arguments. This will cause the export to fail. I don't remember the condition in which you'll hit this one and there is no guarantee you will.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Doug Utzig.

Chuck Hamilton wrote:

> We are considering an upgrade from Oracle7 to Oracle8. If once we are
> running on 8 we find performance problems or some other reason to go
> back to 7, how difficult is it and what needs to be done.
> --
> Chuck Hamilton
> chuckh_at_safeaccess.net
>
> Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself!
Received on Wed Jan 13 1999 - 22:05:22 CST