SPFile or PFile

[former_member222931]

Hi Gurus,

My system is running on ECC6 using Oracle 10.2. How can I check from OS level if its using SPFILE or PFILE. I can see both files in my ORACLE_HOME. I do not have acess to ST04 in SAP as its blocked by my client.

Appreciate your prompt feedback.

Thanks,

SS

[anindya_bose]

Hi SS

Please go through part A and Part B.

A. When an Oracle instance is started without the specification of a special profile (parameter file), it searches the default location for a file with one of the following names (in this order):

1. spfile<DBSID>.ora

2. spfile.ora

3. init<DBSID>.ora

4. init.ora

The search is finished as soon as one of the files is found, and the instance is started using that profile, which is normally an SPFILE. If no SPFILE exists in the default directory, the instance is started with the standard initialization file. This means you can use the init file as a kind of backup for your SPFILE – one more reason to kep the init file consistent with the SPFILE.

B. The SAP installation tools create the SPFILE as of release 6.40.

NB: Part A and Part B are from SAP training material TADM51.

Hope this will help.

Regards

Anindya Bose

[former_member222931]

Hi Javier, Anup & Anindya,

Thank you very much. It is resolved.

[Former Member]

hi,

If you have spfile in your ORACLE_HOME then by default the DB is started using the spfile. The preference is always give nto spfile.

However, if you want to check what is being used, then log on to SQL as sysdba.. and type show parameter spfile

If there is valuse returened in the string column then then the DB is using spfile.

Regards,

Anup

[fjhernanz]

Hi,

There are several ways to check this out:

SQL > select name, value from v$parameter where name = 'spfile';

SQL > select count(1) from v$spparameter where isspecified = 'TRUE';

(Returns a NON-ZERO value if SPFILE is in use.)

Hope this answers your query

Br,

Javier

[former_member222931]

Hi Javier,

I tried out the first command that you provided and it gives me the location of the spfile. Does that mean SPFILE is being used instead of PFILE?

Thanks,

SS