Re: ORA-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error after 8i installation and new db creation

Jane Wang via OracleMonster.com wrote:
> I installed Oracle 8i on Windows 2000, but the installation was stuck when configuring Net8, Database Configuration Assistant and Oracle HTTP Service (the 3 optional tools). I checked that the following 6 Oracle services were installed under Windows Services:
>
> Service name Status Startup
>
> OracleOraHome81Agent Started Automatic
> OracleOraHome81ClientCache Manual
> OracleOraHome81DataGatherer Started Automatic
> OracleOraHome81HTTPServer Manual
> OracleOraHome81PagingServer Manual
> OracleOraHome81TNSListener Started Automatic
>
> I assumed that my Oracle installation was successful. But when I tried to use SQLPlus as follows:
>
> sqlplus /nolog
> conn / as sysdba
>
> I got the error:
> ORA-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error
>
> I haven't created any database yet. I also tried to create a database manullay using Database Configuration Assistant. After I went through all the configuration, I got the same error, and the database was not created.
>
> Anybody has any idea what could go wrong?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jianqun
>

A database instance requires services; oradim creates these, and iirc, 8i had a flaw where dbca did not call oradim correctly in all cases.
No services, no process to spawn from the listener, resulting in this error.
That may explain what is going on.

Use oradim from the command prompt, set your environment variables correctly, and rerun the dbca scripts (you *did* save 'em, didn't you?)

If any of the above appears new, strange, or not understandable, read up on concepts and other basic Oracle stuff at docs.oracle.com. May require a free sign up.

-- 
Regards,
Frank van Bortel