On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 11:19:55 -0000, Paul Vincent <paul.vincent@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > One other piece of information: when I try using Oracle Enterprise = > Manager to connect to the database (using SYS as SYSDBA), I go to the = > "General" tab on Instance/Configuration, and this shows the database in = > a "down" state (red traffic light). I then try to open the database, = > click Apply, and the "Starting up the database" step fails with the = > error: > > "ORA-03113: end-of-file on communication channel" > > Does this shed any more light on the possible cause of the problem? > > Paul Ok in that case I think I would do the manual startup thing. at a command window on the server oradim -edit -sid <your sid> -startmode manual -- try to avoid the service trying to start the instance. then net start oracleservice<sid> set oracle_sid=<your sid> sqlplus /nolog in sqlplus connect / as sysdba startup you should get the underlying error. -- Niall Litchfield Oracle DBA http://www.niall.litchfield.dial.pipex.com -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l