Please try to set all three parameters and try again. set ORACLE_SID= set LOCAL= (check alis in tnsnames.ora file) set ORACLE_HOME= It appears to be permission issue as well while try to writing to listener.log file. Is the same user id starting other databases as well? Regards Rafiq Subject: Oracle on Windows questionDate: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:42:05 -0500From: JJReimer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx We have a problem connecting to a database that we have not seen before, and I am wondering if any else has encountered it. OS: Windows2003 32-bit Database Version: 9.2.0.8 Only one Oracle Home on the box There are six databases running on this server. We can connect to five of them just fine. When setting ORACLE_SID to the problem SID, and trying "Connect sys as sysdba" we get "ORA-12546: TNS:permission denied" When we do "Connect sys@sidname as sysdba" it connects fine. Why would one database have a problem when the others all work? _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_howitworks_022009