How to start and stop Oracle

Quoted from: http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2009/01/oracle-database-startup-and-shutdown-procedure/

log in as oracle


Connect to oracle sysdba

Make sure ORACLE_SID and ORACLE_HOME are set properly as shown below.
 $ env | grep ORA
ORACLE_SID=TESTDB
ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/10.2.0


connect using either “/ as sysdba” or an oracle account that has DBA privilege.
 $ sqlplus '/ as sysdba'

SQL>




Start Oracle Database

The default SPFILE (server parameter file) is located under $ORACLE_HOME/dbs. Oracle will use this SPFILE during startup, if you don’t specify PFILE.

Oracle will look for the parameter file in the following order under $ORACLE_HOME/dbs. If any one of them exist, it will use that particular parameter file.
 1.spfile$ORACLE_SID.ora
 2.spfile.ora
 3.init$ORACLE_SID.ora


Type “startup” at the SQL command prompt to startup the database as shown below.
 SQL> startup

How To Shutdown Oracle Database

Following three methods are available to shutdown the oracle database:

1. Normal Shutdown
2. Shutdown Immediate
3. Shutdown Abort

1. Normal Shutdown

During normal shutdown, before the oracle database is shut down, oracle will wait for all active users to disconnect their sessions. As the parameter name (normal) suggest, use this option to shutdown the database under normal conditions.

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

2. Shutdown Immediate

During immediate shutdown, before the oracle database is shut down, oracle will rollback active transaction and disconnect all active users. Use this option when there is a problem with your database and you don’t have enough time to request users to log-off.

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

3. Shutdown Abort

During shutdown abort, before the oracle database is shutdown, all user sessions will be terminated immediately. Uncomitted transactions will not be rolled back. Use this option only during emergency situations when the “shutdown” and “shutdown immediate” doesn’t work.

$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba'
SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Sun Jan 18 11:11:33 2009
Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle.  All Rights Reserved.
Connected to an idle instance.

SQL> shutdown abort
ORACLE instance shut down.