Chirag, Here is the exact test below...only on 9205@Linux. Your problem is that you do seem to be using the right file at the right time. You need to understand the "order of precedence" and location of these $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/spfile.ora $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init.ora $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/spfile[SID].ora $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init[SID].ora You need to dig a little (more)...I think the same answer (sample syntax) was given several times, no? hth Chris Marquez Oracle DBA [oracle@db05 dbs]$ cd /o01/app/oracle/product/9.2.0/dbs [oracle@db05 dbs]$ ls -ltr | grep orcl920 lrwxrwxrwx 1 oracle dba 51 May 16 23:52 initorcl920.ora -> /o01/app/oracle/admin/orcl920/pfile/initorcl920.ora -rw-r----- 1 oracle dba 4513792 Aug 10 21:28 snapcf_orcl920.f [oracle@db05 dbs]$ vi initorcl920.ora ... audit_trail='DB' "initorcl920.ora" 104L, 3203C written [oracle@db05 dbs]$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba' SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production on Wed Oct 12 11:13:52 2005 Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved. Connected to an idle instance. SQL> startup pfile='/o01/app/oracle/product/9.2.0/dbs/initorcl920.ora'; ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 202445952 bytes Fixed Size 451712 bytes Variable Size 167772160 bytes Database Buffers 33554432 bytes Redo Buffers 667648 bytes Database mounted. Database opened. SQL> SQL> show parameter audit_trail NAME TYPE ------------------------------------ --------------------------------- VALUE ------------------------------ audit_trail string DB SQL> SQL> show parameter spfile NAME TYPE ------------------------------------ --------------------------------- VALUE ------------------------------ spfile string SQL> create spfile from pfile='/o01/app/oracle/product/9.2.0/dbs/initorcl920.ora'; File created. SQL> shutdown immediate; Database closed. Database dismounted. ORACLE instance shut down. SQL> exit Disconnected from Oracle9i Enterprise Edition Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production With the Partitioning, OLAP and Oracle Data Mining options JServer Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production [oracle@db05 dbs]$ cd /o01/app/oracle/product/9.2.0/dbs [oracle@db05 dbs]$ ls -ltr | grep orcl920 lrwxrwxrwx 1 oracle dba 51 May 16 23:52 initorcl920.ora -> /o01/app/oracle/admin/orcl920/pfile/initorcl920.ora -rw-r----- 1 oracle dba 4513792 Aug 10 21:28 snapcf_orcl920.f -rw-r----- 1 oracle dba 2560 Oct 12 11:15 spfileorcl920.ora [oracle@db05 dbs]$ [oracle@db05 dbs]$ strings /o01/app/oracle/product/9.2.0/dbs/spfileorcl920.ora | grep -i audit *.audit_trail='DB' [oracle@db05 dbs]$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba' SQL*Plus: Release 9.2.0.5.0 - Production on Wed Oct 12 11:18:34 2005 Copyright (c) 1982, 2002, Oracle Corporation. All rights reserved. Connected to an idle instance. SQL> startup; ORACLE instance started. Total System Global Area 202445952 bytes Fixed Size 451712 bytes Variable Size 167772160 bytes Database Buffers 33554432 bytes Redo Buffers 667648 bytes Database mounted. Database opened. SQL> SQL> show parameter audit_trail NAME TYPE ------------------------------------ --------------------------------- VALUE ------------------------------ audit_trail string DB SQL> show parameter spfile NAME TYPE ------------------------------------ --------------------------------- VALUE ------------------------------ spfile string ?/dbs/spfile@.ora SQL> -----Original Message----- From: Reidy, Ron [mailto:Ron.Reidy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wed 10/12/2005 11:02 AM To: chiragdba@xxxxxxxxx; Marquez, Chris Cc: Oracle-L Freelists Subject: RE: Unable to create SPFILE. You have to restart your DB using the spfile, and read the docs. -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chirag DBA Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:19 AM To: Marquez, Chris Cc: Oracle-L Freelists Subject: Re: Unable to create SPFILE. I have started with pfile, by changing audit_trail=DB. startup pfile='file name'. show parameter audit. audit_trail=DB create spfile='location' from pfile; File created..!! but when see the spfile, *.audit_trail='OS'; I was thinking that while you do the create spfile, it is creating a binary copy of pfile matching exactly with pfile. but this is something unexpected I am getting. regards - chirag On 10/12/05, Marquez, Chris <cmarquez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Sorry meant to say; SQL> startup pfile ='/[your changed pfile]'; SQL> show parameter audit SQL> create spfile='.....' from pfile='....'; SQL> shutdown; SQL> startup spfile ='/[your new spfile]'; SQL> show parameter audit If this is a bug or feature this will show it. Chris Marquez Oracle DBA -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Marquez, Chris Sent: Wed 10/12/2005 10:06 AM To: chiragdba@xxxxxxxxx ; Oracle-L Freelists Subject: RE: Unable to create SPFILE. You sure you are using the right (default) pfile on startup? do this; SQL> startup; [as you normaly would] SQL> show parameter audit ??? Something got to be a miss on your end...or this would be a scary (documented) bug? Chris Marquez Oracle DBA -----Original Message----- From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Chirag DBA Sent: Wed 10/12/2005 9:45 AM To: Oracle-L Freelists Subject: Unable to create SPFILE. I have started my Database with pfile and now want to create spfile. I am using create spfile='location' from pfile; When I see the audit parameters in pfile, it is AUDIT_TRAIL=DB, but in SPFILE it is showing as AUDIT_TRAIL=OS, set previously but changed now. same with few other parameters. I changed my init file, bounce DB with pfile and now creating spfile. This is 9i with Solaris. regards - chirag This electronic message transmission is a PRIVATE communication which contains information which may be confidential or privileged. 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