Install oracle 11gR2 on Centos 5 : No init file found

Question

I'm trying to install oracle 11gR2 on Centos 5 and when I do a /etc/init.d/oracle start I get in the log : No init file found for Database instance "ORCL". Error database instance "ORCL" not started.

I've followed this tutorial very well explained : http://ivan.kartik.sk/oracle/install_ora11gR1_elinux.html

Do you have any idea about what's wrong ?

Thank you for your help !

Answer 1

To start a database, Oracle need a parameter file. It can be either an ASCII file (pfile) or a binary file that must not be modified by hand (spfile).

According to the error message, Oracle can't find this file and thus can't start your database. The file is suppose to be created with the database, not during the installation of the engine.

If you don't specify the file when you start the database, Oracle will look for the following files in $ORACLE_HOME/dbs:

• spfile*SID*.ora
• spfile.ora
• init*SID*.ora
• init.ora

You can find more informations about pfile and spfile here.

Answer 2

Your question is a bit sparse on details, so I'm going to ask a few obvious questions:

1. You did create the database during the installation, and you did name it ORCL, right?
2. You're sure you've set ORACLE_HOME correctly in your init.d/oracle script? If you copy/paste your ORACLE_HOME=... command into a terminal session, then ls $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init.ora you get a file listed?
3. Your ORACLE_SID variable is ORCL, not orcl, correct? It's case sensitive.
4. You are using the bash shell, right? Not sh or ksh?

If all these check out, perhaps it's time to post your init.d/oracle script, your /etc/oratab file, maybe a directory listing of $ORACLE_HOME to start.