ORA-01078: failure in processing system parameters LRM-00109: could not open parameter file - Fixed

Requirement - When starting up database following error occurs:

SQL> startup
ORA-01078: failure in processing system parameters
LRM-00109: could not open parameter file ‘/opt/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/dbs/inittest01.ora’

I have faced this problem, while setting up an new image of VMware. I am starting server and I got this error.
What does this mean –

Reason-
Database start using spfile (Default)
In Unix default path is $ORACLE_HOME/dbs
If spfile is not present it looks for pfile at same path. If pfile is also not present it will give above message.

Implementation -
If you have spfile then you can copy default values from spfile to pfile and create pfile. But what if you don’t have spfile
You have to create an pfile

How to create pfile –

When database starts it writes list of non default parameters in alert log files. We can use these values to create a pfile and start the database.

Find your Alert log file and open it, this is Database Management Software Oracle 11g
Here you will see entry like this:

processes = 150
sga_target = 512M
control_files = “/opt/oracle/test01/dbs/control01.ctl”
control_files = “/opt/oracle/test01/dbs/control02.ctl”
control_files = “/opt/oracle/test01/dbs/control03.ctl”
db_block_size = 8192
compatible = “10.2.0.1.0”
log_archive_dest_1 = “LOCATION=/opt/oracle/test01/archive”
log_archive_dest_state_1 = “ENABLE”
log_archive_format = “%t_%s_%r.dbf”
log_archive_max_processes= 10
log_checkpoint_interval = 9999
log_checkpoint_timeout = 0
db_file_multiblock_read_count= 16
db_recovery_file_dest = “/opt/oracle/test01/flash_recovery_area”
db_recovery_file_dest_size= 2G
undo_management = “AUTO”
undo_tablespace = “UNDOTBS1”
remote_login_passwordfile= “EXCLUSIVE”
db_domain = “agilis.com”
job_queue_processes = 32
core_dump_dest = “/opt/oracle/test01/diag/cdump”
audit_file_dest = “/opt/oracle/test01/adump”
open_links = 10
db_name = “test01”
open_cursors = 500
optimizer_index_cost_adj = 20
optimizer_index_caching = 90
pga_aggregate_target = 128M
diagnostic_dest = “/opt/oracle/test01/diag”

Create pfile using these values:
$ cd /opt/oracle/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/dbs/
vi inittest01.ora

Copy non default parameter values from alert log in this file and save it. This is your pfile,
Start the database using this pfile

Start the Database using Pfile:

[oracle@ dbs]$ export ORACLE_SID=test01
 [oracle@ dbs]$ sqlplus sys as sysdba
 SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Fri Jun 24 15:53:16 2011
 Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle. All rights reserved.
 Enter password:
 Connected to an idle instance.
 SQL> startup pfile=’$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/inittest01.ora’
ORACLE instance started.
 Total System Global Area 534462464 bytes
 Fixed Size 2228200 bytes
 Variable Size 163577880 bytes
 Database Buffers 360710144 bytes
 Redo Buffers 7946240 bytes
 Database mounted.
 Database opened.
 SQL>

Create spfile from pfile:

SQL> create spfile from pfile=’$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/inittest01.ora’;
File created.

Shutdown the database and restart it will use spfile (Default) and problem is solved.

Install JAVA

The instructions below are for installing version Java 8 Update 73 (8u73). If you are installing another version, make sure you change the version number appropriately when you type the commands at the terminal

Example: For Java 8u79 replace 8u73 with 8u79

Note that, as in the preceding example, the version number is sometimes preceded with the letter 'u' and sometimes it is preceded with an underbar, for example jre1.8.0_73

1. Become root by running su and entering super-user password

2. Change to the directory in which you want to install. Type:

cd directory_path_name

For example to install the software in /usr/java/ directory, Type:

cd /usr/java

3. Uninstall any earlier installations of the Java packages

 rpm -e package_name

4. Install the package

rpm -ivh jre-8u73-linux-x64.rpm

To upgrade a package

rpm -Uvh jre-8u73-linux-x64.rpm 

5. Delete '.rpm' file if you want to save disk space 

6. Exit the root shell. No need

ORA-00106: cannot startup/shutdown database when connected to a dispatcher

Problem Description

We are running a multi-threaded server and are trying to shutdown the database. But it fails through below message

ORA-00106: cannot startup/shutdown database when connected to a dispatcher

In simplest, ORA-00106 means following according to oracle documentation

Cause: An attempt was made to startup/shutdown database when connected to a shared server via a dispatcher.
Action: Re-connect as user INTERNAL without going through the dispatcher.
For most cases, this can be done by connect to INTERNAL without specifying a network connect string

Cause of the Problem
The problem happened because you are trying to shutdown the database while connected to a shared server process.
Because you cannot startup or shutdown a database while connected to a shared server process via a dispatcher.
To shutdown or startup a database you must connect via a dedicated server process.

Solution of the Problem

In order to startup/shutdown a database, you must connect via a dedicated server process and not a shared process.
If you are connecting to database server through TNS entry then add the following entry to your tnsnames.ora file in the address_list section:

(SERVER=DEDICATED)

Example of a TNS entry that establish a dedicated connection:

 service_name=
      (DESCRIPTION =
          (ADDRESS_LIST =
             (ADDRESS =
              (PROTOCOL = PROTOCOL_NAME)
                (Host = server_name)
                (Port = port_number)
             )
          )
         (CONNECT_DATA =
             (SID = sid_name)
             (SERVER=DEDICATED)
         )
       )

Another solution is login to the server and issue startup/shutdown from that computer by connecting as sysdba without any TNS entry

Catuppst.sql fails with "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION" does not exist after upgrading the database

ORA-00604: error occurred at recursive SQL level 1
ORA-04045: errors during recompilation/revalidation of GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION
ORA-04067: not executed, package body "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION" does not exist
ORA-06508: PL/SQL: could not find program unit being called: "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION"
ORA-06512: at line 1027
ORA-04067: not executed, package body "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION" does not exist
ORA-06508: PL/SQL: could not find program unit being called: "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION"

Followed by this, utlrp.sql would also result the same error.

Database components "Oracle XML Database" and "Oracle Database Packages and T" (CATPROC) will be in INVALID state.

Solution:

According to below Metalink note

ORA-03113: During an Upgrade while Running Catuppst.sql ORA-6508 "GGUSER.DDLREPLICATION" in alert.log (Doc ID 1506156.1)

we need to disable the system trigger that was enable for DDL replication during Golden gate setup.

SQL> alter trigger sys.GGS_DDL_TRIGGER_BEFORE disable;

Now, re run catuppst.sql and utlrp.sql

Once this goes successfully, enable the trigger again.

SQL> alter trigger sys.GGS_DDL_TRIGGER_BEFORE enable;