Linux Buffer Cache Clean Up

Every 1.0s: free -m                                                                                                                                                                   total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:          1998        631       1367          0          2        423
-/+ buffers/cache:        205       1792
Swap:         3999          0       3999

echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches --> Command to clear buffer cache.

Every 1.0s: free -m      

         total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached

Mem:          1998        629       1369          0          0        422

-/+ buffers/cache:        206       1792

Swap:         3999          0       3999

Mem:   2046792k total,   652248k used,  1394544k free,     1536k buffers

Swap:  4095992k total,        0k used,  4095992k free,   438744k cached

echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

Mem:   2046792k total,   648288k used,  1398504k free,      348k buffers

Swap:  4095992k total,        0k used,  4095992k free,   432796k cached

ORA-01078: failure in processing system parameters

This happens very rarely, when you are not able startup the DB.

SQL> startup;
ORA-01078: failure in processing system parameters
LRM-00109: could not open parameter file '/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/db_1/dbs/initTest.ora'
SQL>

The issue is the Oracle could not fine the Pfile or SPfile to startup the DB.

So, if both the files are deleted then restore the file backup and start the DBA.

I just restored,

SQL> startup;
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  730714112 bytes
Fixed Size                  2216944 bytes
Variable Size             478153744 bytes
Database Buffers          247463936 bytes
Redo Buffers                2879488 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL> select name from v$database;

NAME
---------
TEST

SQL>

SQL> show parameter spfile;

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE

------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------

spfile                               string      /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0

                                                 /db_1/dbs/spfileTest.ora

SQL>

And it just got up from SPfile.

What happens when your SPFILE is missing while starting the DB ?

I have a database called "Test".

The Test DB has its Pfile and SPfile.

Pfile is configured with the Memory of 600MB.
SPfile is configured with the Memory of 700MB.

I have renamed my SPfile.

[oracle@node1 dbs]$ mv spfileTest.ora spfileTest.ora_ORIG
[oracle@node1 dbs]$ ls -l spfileTest.ora*
-rw-r----- 1 oracle oinstall 2560 Jun 14 20:46 spfileTest.ora_ORIG
[oracle@node1 dbs]$

Shutting down and starting the DB:

SQL> shutdown immediate;

Database closed.

Database dismounted.

ORACLE instance shut down.

SQL> startup

ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  626327552 bytes

Fixed Size                  2215944 bytes

Variable Size             373297144 bytes

Database Buffers          247463936 bytes

Redo Buffers                3350528 bytes

Database mounted.

Database opened.

SQL> show parameter spfile;

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE

------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------

spfile                               string

SQL>

SQL> select name from v$database;

NAME

---------

TEST

SQL> sho parameter sga_max_size;

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE

------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------

sga_max_size                         big integer 600M

SQL>

Oracle DBA Startup Time

SQL> select INSTANCE_NAME,DATABASE_STATUS,STARTUP_TIME,STATUS from v$instance;

INSTANCE_NAME  DATABASE_STATU STARTUP_TIME   STATUS
-------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
Test           ACTIVE         14-JUN-14      OPEN

SQL>

ORA-32001: write to SPFILE requested but no SPFILE is in use

The possible issue could be the DB Started from the PFile or the SPFILE is missing.

SQL> show parameter spfile;

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
spfile                               string      /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0
                                                 /db_1/dbs/spfileTest.ora
SQL>

Command to verify whether the DB started from Pfile or SPFile.

ORA-00845: MEMORY_TARGET not supported on this system

When you get the message ORA-00845: MEMORY_TARGET not supported on this system while starting the DB.

It means you are running short of memory for that instance.

1) Increase RAM on your machine.

2) Else rework on the memory assigned for your database.

3) Else stop other database and start the needed one.

Here I get a error while starting a DB called "ORCL"

SQL> startup;
ORA-00845: MEMORY_TARGET not supported on this system
SQL>

Since I already have a DB called "TEST". I am stopping it and starting the "ORCL".

SQL> select name from v$database;

NAME
---------
TEST

SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL>

SQL> startup;

ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  835104768 bytes

Fixed Size                  2217952 bytes

Variable Size             536872992 bytes

Database Buffers          293601280 bytes

Redo Buffers                2412544 bytes

Database mounted.

Database opened.

SQL> select name from v$database;

NAME

---------

ORCL

SQL>