Ok, got it to work once, then I logged off, logged back in and re-traced my steps..... ORACLE_BASE=/u01/oracle11g;exported it ORACLE_HOME=/u01/oracle11g/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1;exported it ORACLE_SID=orcleg;exported it Then added: export PATH=$PATH:/u01/oracle11g/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/bin So when I type in sqlplus, this is what I get: $ sqlplus SP2-1503: Unable to initialize Oracle call interface SP2-0152: ORACLE may not be functioning properly ciao, Brian From: Maureen English [mailto:maureen.english@xxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 11:06 AM To: Zelli, Brian Subject: Re: oracle_home take off the /bin for ORACLE_HOME For us, ORACLE_BASE is /u01/app/oracle ORACLE_HOME is /u01/app/oracle/product/rel112030 the 112030 is equivalent to your dbhome_1 - Maureen On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 6:52 AM, Zelli, Brian <Brian.Zelli@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Brian.Zelli@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote: Ok, I have a 10g version on my unix box. I just loaded 11g. I set the new ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_BASE and ORACLE_SID to the 11g directories I enter sqlplus and I get: Error 6 initializing SQL*Plus Message file sp1<lang>.msb not found SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software directory For ORACLE_HOME I put /u01/oracle11g/product/11.2.0/dbhome_1/bin I did the same for ORACLE_BASE. I even added it to the $PATH, so what am I missing? ciao, Brian This email message may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for the delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of this email message is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail and delete this email message from your computer. Thank you. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l This email message may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent responsible for the delivery of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of this email message is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail and delete this email message from your computer. Thank you. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l