What Oracle version? I just checked my 9i/Win database and I don't have any registry entry for PFILE at all - I just have the spfile in the default location (%ORACLE_HOME%\DATABASE\SPFILE%ORACLE_SID%.ORA) and it automatically uses the spfile when it autostarts. Maybe try just not setting the pfile registry entry to anything, or delete that entry from the registry? Regards, Brandon