Thanks for the replies so far guys. I added the local server name in my hosts file. gonna try that. I also saw the ORACLE_SID thing at a bunch of different forums as well as someone having an extra / at the end of the ORACLE_HOME variable. This is my environment: [oracle@oracletest etc]$ env SSH_AGENT_PID=2870 HOSTNAME=oracletest DESKTOP_STARTUP_ID= SHELL=/bin/bash TERM=xterm HISTSIZE=1000 TMPDIR=/tmp GTK_RC_FILES=/etc/gtk/gtkrc:/home/oracle/.gtkrc-1.2-gnome2 WINDOWID=48234577 OLDPWD=/hdmn1/app/oracle/admin/TEST1/udump USER=oracle LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/hdmn1/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/lib:/lib:/usr/lib LS_COLORS=no=00:fi=00:di=00;34:ln=00;36:pi=40;33:so=00;35:bd=40;33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=01;05;37;41:mi=01;05;37;41:ex=00;32:*.cmd=00;32:*.exe=00;32:*.com=00;32:*.btm=00;32:*.bat=00;32:*.sh=00;32:*.csh=00;32:*.tar=00;31:*.tgz=00;31:*.arj=00;31:*.taz=00;31:*.lzh=00;31:*.zip=00;31:*.z=00;31:*.Z=00;31:*.gz=00;31:*.bz2=00;31:*.bz=00;31:*.tz=00;31:*.rpm=00;31:*.cpio=00;31:*.jpg=00;35:*.gif=00;35:*.bmp=00;35:*.xbm=00;35:*.xpm=00;35:*.png=00;35:*.tif=00;35: ORACLE_SID=TEST1 GNOME_KEYRING_SOCKET=/tmp/keyring-g5Zu01/socket ORACLE_BASE=/hdmn1/app/oracle SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/tmp/ssh-aRMHwb2811/agent.2811 SESSION_MANAGER=local/oracletest:/tmp/.ICE-unix/2811 USERNAME=oracle TNS_ADMIN=/hdmn1/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/network/admin MAIL=/var/spool/mail/oracle DESKTOP_SESSION=default PATH=/hdmn1/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/bin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/home/oracle/bin GDM_XSERVER_LOCATION=local INPUTRC=/etc/inputrc PWD=/etc XMODIFIERS=@im=none LANG=en_US.UTF-8 ORACLE_TERM=xterm GDMSESSION=default SSH_ASKPASS=/usr/libexec/openssh/gnome-ssh-askpass HOME=/home/oracle SHLVL=2 GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID=Default TMP=/tmp LOGNAME=oracle CVS_RSH=ssh DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:abstract=/tmp/dbus-KtKHkplnvO,guid=43264c471dbb7894e179a3d29c6b4c00 LESSOPEN=|/usr/bin/lesspipe.sh %s DISPLAY=:0.0 ORACLE_HOME=/hdmn1/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1 G_BROKEN_FILENAMES=1 COLORTERM=gnome-terminal XAUTHORITY=/tmp/.gdmB5TA2T _=/usr/bin/env [oracle@oracletest etc]$ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mercadante, Thomas F (LABOR)" To: lyallbarbour@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: Oracle 10g R2 Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:44:25 -0500 Lyall, Do you have the ORACLE_SID environmental declared before you start SqlPlus? Tom -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lyall Barbour Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:27 AM To: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Oracle 10g R2 Hello all, Trying to create a database on Linux RHE5 with a new install of 10gR2 that i downloaded. Have had the same core dump ever time i try to startup nomount. I've look through posts, lists, different DBA areas on the net and i think the problem is in the pfile. i get ora-600: internal error code arguments [keltnfy-lmdInit] [46], [], [], []and then in the stack trace:ora-12707: shared memory realm does not exit. Linux error: 2: No such file or directory. It sounds like posts i've seen are correct for me, that an environment variable is not set correctly. but i haven't been able to find any miss types. I remember ANYSQL on the list saying that there is a patch coming out for 10g soon. I want to know if anyone could give me some suggestions. I can provide more info if needed. Lyall -- Over 2 Million Holiday Gift Ideas - Take a Look! mail.com Shopping -- Over 2 Million Holiday Gift Ideas - Take a Look! mail.com shopping at http://mail.shopping.com/?linkin_id=8033174