Re: Broken database?

Syltrem's answer is very likely it, though I'd like to know where the other controlfiles went. And, it can't hurt to try!

But look at the various dot.ora files. What is your SID for this instance? If Oracle is not otherwise instructed in svrmgrl startup bla blah pfile=somethingelse.ora

it will seek and use the init{SID}.ora file, correct or not. One might want to list all this stuff by last date changed and look at the most recently changed .ora file, and attempt starting the database with pfile=thatnewfile, and see if Dracula rises from the grave.

Leaving multiple, undocumented initXXXX.ora files lying around I find to be a cruel and hideous practice; I either create a subdirectory called init_hist and shove them all down there or get rid of them; more likely I save them, well for a year or so maybe.

without further instruction Oracle will seek only one init file and right or wrong, that is what it will use. the pfile= argument allows you to specify a different init file. FOR THAT STARTUP only.

best bet, sort that directory by last modified and use the initWHATEVER.ora file that is most recent in timestamp with the .dbf files and startup using that.

You could just be fine and the controlfiles are located elsewhere, as they usually are. Normally there are three of them created just by default, and you can use a find command in UNIX to locate them.

Um, what you did as last mentioned isn't a good thing. CREATE CONTROLFILE is a serious business and one should not experiment overly.

In fact, open the most recent initxxxx.ora file in vi and it will tell you where the control files are. Then you can go and see if they are where that init file thinks they are.

If you have any sort of Oracle Support agreement, if these simple suggestions do not help you, do not proceed further, and call Oracle.

There is nothing worse than an "almost saved" database.

RSH.
"Graeme Barnett" <gbarnett_at_csl.co.uk> wrote in message news:47120ba9.0203070514.36a87959_at_posting.google.com...
> I'm a developer with no DBA experience - until now.
> I've had to try and initialise a database which has been out of order
> for a while. I've found out that the database control files don't
> exist anymore. I learnt from searching old
> 'comp.databases.oracle.server' messages how to use the create
> controlfile command.
>
> The command I'm running brings up the following error:
>
> ORA-1053: CREATE CONTROLFILE failed
> ORA-01565: error in idenfifying file '...'
> ORA-27046: file size is not a multiple of logical block size
>
> I am concerned as the data files don't show the standard system data
> files that I'm used to seeing. I.e. system01.dbf and users01.dbf etc.
> Am I up the proverbial canal without a paddel?
>
> The list of the oradata directory is included below:
>
> ts_1.ora
> ts_2.ora
> etc..
> ts_6.ora
> data01.dbf
> index01.dbf
> rollback_01.dbf
> temp.ora
>
> (and .log files)
>
> In my create controlfile statement I only included the 'data01.dbf' in
> the DATAFILE section and it created the error.
> Does this mean it is totally corrupt?
>
>
> Any help or suggestions much appreciated.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Graeme
Received on Thu Mar 07 2002 - 17:10:08 CST