| Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643308] |
Sun, 04 October 2015 02:24  |
Eric Langager
Messages: 38
Registered: April 2004
Location: Beijing, China
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Hi.
I am trying to start my Oracle database and continue to get the following errors:
ORA-01261: Parameter db_recovery_file_dest destination string cannot be translated
ORA-01263: Name given for file destination directory is invalid
OSD-04018: Unable to access the specified directory or device.
O/S-Error: (OS 3) The system cannot find the path specified.
I cannot understand this, because the archived redo log files are where they are supposed to be. But I notice that the backup I did last night (see log below) does not appear to be anywhere in sight. So I am wondering if there is a problem with the backup that affected archiving.
Since my database is for personal data and not always on, I could get by without archiving. But the problem is that I cannot turn off archiving without starting the database and the database won't start.
Any ideas?
Recovery Manager: Release 11.2.0.2.0 - Production on Sat Oct 3 22:15:54 2015
Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Windows NT Version V6.1 Service Pack 1
CPU : 2 - type 586, 2 Physical Cores
Process Affinity : 0x0x00000000
Memory (Avail/Total): Ph:1753M/3062M, Ph+PgF:4079M/6122M, VA:1940M/2047M
Starting with debugging turned off
connected to target database: XE (DBID=2729942492)
RMAN> set echo on;
2> sql 'alter system archive log current';
3>
echo set on
using target database control file instead of recovery catalog
sql statement: alter system archive log current
Recovery Manager complete.
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643311 is a reply to message #643309] |
Sun, 04 October 2015 03:30  |
Eric Langager
Messages: 38
Registered: April 2004
Location: Beijing, China
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Thanks, that did it. I could not open Oracle to execute the command, but I opened the SP file in notepad and found it. Here is what happened: I had moved the recovery area to dropbox to be sure I had backup. I had changed everything over, but there is still part of the process that looks for the old destination so I had to create a folder called "Dropbox" in the old location, and a folder inside that one called "Archive." Apparently, Oracle is still using that area for the backup, even though I have moved the archive files. Thanks again.
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643312 is a reply to message #643311] |
Sun, 04 October 2015 07:09 |
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EdStevens
Messages: 1376
Registered: September 2013
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Senior Member |
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Eric Langager wrote on Sun, 04 October 2015 03:30Thanks, that did it. I could not open Oracle to execute the command, but I opened the SP file in notepad and found it.
I hope you didn't try to modify and save it that way. the spfile is a binary file. editing in with a text editor will corrupt it.
Quote: Here is what happened: I had moved the recovery area to dropbox to be sure I had backup.
What is 'dropbox'?
You don't make a backup of ANYTHING by MOVING it, you make a backup by COPYING.
Quote: I had changed everything over,
What is "everything"?
Quote:but there is still part of the process that looks for the old destination so I had to create a folder called "Dropbox" in the old location, and a folder inside that one called "Archive." Apparently, Oracle is still using that area for the backup, even though I have moved the archive files. Thanks again.
When you move things around at the OS level, oracle has no way of knowing what you've done.
CM: fixed quote tags
[Updated on: Mon, 05 October 2015 02:41] by Moderator Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643314 is a reply to message #643312] |
Sun, 04 October 2015 14:46 |
Eric Langager
Messages: 38
Registered: April 2004
Location: Beijing, China
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When I said "Change everything over," I was referring to exactly what you are talking about i.e., telling Oracle where I put the files. Dropbox is a free service (www.dropbox.com) that, when installed, puts a dropbox folder on your hard drive. Anything you put in that folder is automatically backed up online, and also synchronized with the dropbox folder on your other computer (if you have one). Also, anything placed in the Public folder in Dropbox is automatically given an Internet link. So if you move anything into Dropbox it will be backed up. Sorry, I didn't clarify that.
You are right about the sp file. It is safe to view the sp file if the following two conditions prevail:
1. Oracle is shut down.
2. You absolutely do not make any changes to the file.
When I was teaching Oracle, I would actually delete the sp file (Oracle9i) and show my hstudents how to edit the init.ora file. But since I am not teaching Oracle anymore, I don't do that. I do everything dynamically and leave the sp file alone. But this is one situation where it is handy to be able to view the contents of the file, because there is no other way to get those parameter values if you cannot start Oracle to execute the command. It's my own carelessness, I know, but it was information I had to have to fix the problem.
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643332 is a reply to message #643314] |
Mon, 05 October 2015 06:10 |
John Watson
Messages: 8964
Registered: January 2010
Location: Global Village
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Senior Member |
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Quote:But this is one situation where it is handy to be able to view the contents of the file, because there is no other way to get those parameter values if you cannot start Oracle to execute the command. If you want to investigate the contents of your spfile without attempting to start the instance, the correct approach is to geneate a pfile from it:C:\Users\john>
C:\Users\john>sqlplus / as sysdba
SQL*Plus: Release 12.1.0.2.0 Production on Mon Oct 5 12:07:43 2015
Copyright (c) 1982, 2014, Oracle. All rights reserved.
Connected to an idle instance.
orclz> create pfile='c:\tmp\initorclz.ora' from spfile;
File created.
orclz> |
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #643357 is a reply to message #643332] |
Tue, 06 October 2015 01:19 |
Eric Langager
Messages: 38
Registered: April 2004
Location: Beijing, China
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Thanks for that information, John. Somehow I had it in my mind that you couldn't do that from an idle instance. To be honest, I don't know if I have ever tried it from an idle instance, but I just did it now and it works. That's really good to know, because you're right, creating a pfile is much better, and it's a good idea to do that anyway, because then if the spfile should become corrected you could use a pfile with the correct parameters to start your database.
====================================================================
SQL> shutdown
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> connect / as sysdba
Connected to an idle instance.
SQL> create pfile from spfile;
ERROR:
ORA-01034: ORACLE not available
Process ID: 0
Session ID: 0 Serial number: 0
File created.
SQL> startup
ORACLE instance started.
Total System Global Area 535662592 bytes
Fixed Size 1384760 bytes
Variable Size 339742408 bytes
Database Buffers 188743680 bytes
Redo Buffers 5791744 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL>
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| Re: Cannot start Oracle -- unable to find file [message #644878 is a reply to message #644575] |
Thu, 19 November 2015 04:50 |
Eric Langager
Messages: 38
Registered: April 2004
Location: Beijing, China
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Member |
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Thanks, Halim. You know, I had forgotten all about the alert.log. I really haven't thought much about it since I am no longer doing Oracle training...Under Oracle9i I used to rename it once in awhile to keep it from getting to big. But I understand that in Oracle 11g it is a .xml file. Can you tell me where it is located? It's not that critical because I am just using the database for my own data, but I should at least take a look at it. I have the XE version. Thanks for your help.
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