Tom, You can only connect as "sys" to a database in recovery mode. If your database link is connecting as any other user, then the error message you are getting is correct. I am correcting myself - maybe a user with the "restricted" priv may be able to connect. Hope this helps. Tom ________________________________ From: oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oracle-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mathias Magnusson Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 10:43 AM To: Tom.Terrian.ctr@xxxxxxx Cc: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Is there any way to create a database link with sysdba privs? Just a guess. For DB links to work you would need SQL Net to be working, but it is probably not when you are in recovery mode. Can you logon to the db with user@db? If you cannot do that, then I'd think you'd not be able to access the DB via a DB link. Mathias On Mon, May 18, 2009 at 4:11 PM, Terrian, Thomas J Mr CTR DLA J6DIB <Tom.Terrian.ctr@xxxxxxx> wrote: 10.2.0.4 I want to create a database link in database "A" that connects to a physical standby database "B" that is in recovery mode: SQL> create database link B connect to yyy identified by zzz using 'B'; Database link created. SQL> select sysdate from dual@B; select sysdate from dual@B ERROR at line 1: ORA-02068: following severe error from B ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress The "B" database is in recovery mode. Is there any way to connect to it with sysdba from the "A" database using a database link? ------------------------------------------------------- If I sign on directly to "B" as sysdba it works fine so I know the command will work even though it is in recovery mode: $> sqlplus /nolog SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.4.0 - Production on Mon May 18 07:08:40 2009 Copyright (c) 1982, 2007, Oracle. All Rights Reserved. SQL> connect / as sysdba; Connected. SQL> select sysdate from dual; SYSDATE --------- 18-MAY-09 -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l