What version of Oracle? What platform? The insufficient privileges error can also be produced when attempting to connect as sysdba and the $TWO_TASK environment variable is set on UNIX platforms. $ sqlplus /nolog SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.6.0 - Production on Tue Sep 22 11:10:34 2009 Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved. > connect / as sysdba ERROR: ORA-01031: insufficient privileges > exit $ unset TWO_TASK $ sqlplus /nolog SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.6.0 - Production on Tue Sep 22 11:10:57 2009 Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved. > connect / as sysdba Connected. -- Mark D Powell -- Phone (313) 592-5148 -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of sundar mahadevan Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:06 PM To: Oracle-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES = (NONE) results in ERROR: ORA-01031: insufficient privileges Hi All, SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES = (NONE) results in ERROR: ORA-01031: insufficient privileges when I connect with "/ as sysdba". This the expected behavior. The problem is that database startup and shutdown scripts execute as "/ as sysdba". What other options do I have to get dbstart and dbshut working? Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l