init.ora.37200311431 and SPFILEs

From: Randy Nichols <randynichols_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 16:50:26 GMT
Message-ID: <mlaYa.216$M6.20381@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>

We are running Oracle 9.2.0.3 under Windows 2003, Windows 2000, and Windows NT4 (and starting to run under Linux).

Literature always refers to the "init.ora" initialization file. The file on my NT4 installation is named "init.ora.37200311431".

My guess is this may have something to do with using a "Server Parameter File" (SPFILE). Does the fact that I do not have a simple "init.ora" file name mean that my startup parameters are being set from an SPFILE?

If I change something in the "init.ora.37200311431", will it be ignored?

Is there an advantage to using a SPFILE?

If I am in fact using an SPFILE, how does one change/maintain it?

How can I go back to using a simple "init.ora" file to initialize the database?

Thanks,

-Randy Nichols Received on Wed Aug 06 2003 - 11:50:26 CDT