Now the Oracle server is installed we need to create a database to test the installation.
If you are using Oracle 7.2.x or earlier, please read the troubleshooting section below.
Copy the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init.ora to $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initorcl.ora:
Modify it by adding the following lines:
$ cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs $ cp init.ora initorcl.ora
db_name = orcl COMPATIBLE=7.3.3.0.0
Create a script file called makedb.sql in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory:
connect internal startup nomount set echo on spool makedb.log create database orcl maxinstances 1 maxlogfiles 8 datafile '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_syst_01.dbf' size 40M reuse logfile '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_redo_01.dbf' size 1M reuse, '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_redo_02.dbf' size 1M reuse, '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_redo_03.dbf' size 1M reuse; @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catalog.sql create tablespace rollback datafile '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_roll_01.dbf' size 8.5M reuse; create tablespace temp datafile '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_temp_01.dbf' size 5M reuse temporary; create tablespace users datafile '$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orcl_user_01.dbf' size 10M reuse; create rollback segment r1 tablespace rollback storage ( optimal 5M ); alter rollback segment r1 online; connect system/manager @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catdbsyn.sql connect internal @$ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catproc.sql connect system/manager @$ORACLE_HOME/sqlplus/admin/pupbld.sql spool off exit
Start svrmgrl and run the script:
$ cd $ORACLE_HOME/dbs $ svrmgrl Oracle Server Manager Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production Copyright (c) Oracle Corporation 1994, 1995. All rights reserved. Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production SVRMGR> connect internal Connected. SVRMGR> startup nomount ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 4313312 bytes Fixed Size 41876 bytes Variable Size 4140364 bytes Database Buffers 122880 bytes Redo Buffers 8192 bytes SVRMGR> @makedb <loads of messages> SVRMGR> exit Server Manager complete.
Firstly, we need to bring up the database by hand (we will automate this later on). To startup an Oracle database we need to issue the startup command when connected internally:
$ svrmgrl Oracle Server Manager Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production Copyright (c) Oracle Corporation 1994, 1995. All rights reserved. Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production SVRMGR> connect internal Connected. SVRMGR> startup ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 4313316 bytes Fixed Size 41876 bytes Variable Size 4140368 bytes Database Buffers 122880 bytes Redo Buffers 8192 bytes Database mounted. Database opened. SVRMGR> exit Server Manager complete.
It is worth mentioning here that restarting a Linux server without shutting down the Oracle database first there is a high risk of corrupting the database.
So, before we issue the Linux shutdown command it is wise to bring down the database:
$ svrmgrl Oracle Server Manager Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production Copyright (c) Oracle Corporation 1994, 1995. All rights reserved. Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production SVRMGR> connect internal Connected. SVRMGR> shutdown Database closed. Database dismounted. ORACLE instance shut down. SVRMGR> exit Server Manager complete.
The database, as created, has a two special users which are automatically created. These are:
Username Password SYSTEM MANAGER SYS change_on_install
These users are typically used to hold the standard data dictionary information for the database. It is a good idea to change the passwords from the defaults as soon as possible.
This can be achieved by:
sqlplus system/manager SQL*Plus: Release 3.3.3.0.0 - Production on Sat Feb 21 12:43:33 1998 Copyright (c) Oracle Corporation 1979, 1996. All rights reserved. Connected to: Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release SQL> alter user system identified by <newpassword>; User altered. SQL> alter user sys identified by <newpassword>; User altered. SQL> exit; Disconnected from Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production
Since the user system/manager is similar to using root on a UNIX machine, we need to create a user with less ability to cause damage. (remember to bring up the database before attempting to create a user)
Connect to SQL*Plus and create a user:
$ sqlplus system/manager SQL*Plus: Release 3.3.3.0.0 - Production on Sat Feb 21 12:43:33 1998 Copyright (c) Oracle Corporation 1979, 1996. All rights reserved. Connected to: Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production SQL> create user <user> identified by <psw> 2 default tablespace users 3 temporary tablespace temp; User created. SQL> grant connect, resource to <user> Grant succeeded. SQL> exit Disconnected from Oracle7 Server Release 7.3.3.0.0 - Production Release PL/SQL Release 2.3.3.0.0 - Production
Now that you have a new user on the system you can play with the new system. To login to the Oracle database:
$ sqlplus <user>/<password>
If this completes with no error messages then you have a working Oracle database. If you never want to connect to this database from anywhere but this server then the job is complete, enjoy!
If, however, like most people you want to configure the networking software so that you can connect from other machines, keep on reading.