XTREMELY minimal manual Oracle database creation script

1. Set your ORACLE_SID

export ORACLE_SID=test

export ORACLE_HOME=/path/to/oracle/home

2. Create a minimal init.ora

# $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init<sid>.ora

control_files = (/path/to/control1.ctl,/path/to/control2.ctl,/path/to/control3.ctl)
undo_management = AUTO
undo_tablespace = UNDOTBS1
db_name = test
db_block_size = 8192
sga_max_size = 1073741824 #one gig
sga_target = 1073741824 #one gig

3. Create a password file

$ORACLE_HOME/bin/orapwd file=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/pwd<sid>.ora
password=oracle entries=5

4. Start the instance

sqlplus / as sysdba

startup nomount
5. Create the database

create database test

logfile group 1 ('/path/to/redo1.log') size 100M,
group 2 ('/path/to/redo2.log') size 100M,
group 3 ('/path/to/redo3.log') size 100M
character set WE8ISO8859P1
national character set utf8
datafile '/path/to/system.dbf' size 500M autoextend on next 10M maxsize unlimited
extent management local
sysaux datafile '/path/to/sysaux.dbf' size 100M autoextend on next 10M maxsize
unlimited
undo tablespace undotbs1 datafile '/path/to/undotbs1.dbf' size 100M
default temporary tablespace temp tempfile '/path/to/temp01.dbf' size 100M;

Note: there's some other things you can do here, like "ARCHIVELOG" "SET
TIME_ZONE =" and "USER SYS IDENTIFIED BY password" and "USER SYSTEM
IDENTIFIED BY password"

6. Run catalog and catproc

@?/rdbms/admin/catalog.sql

@?/rdbms/admin/catproc.sql

7. Change passwords

alter user sys identified by whatever;

alter user system identified by whatever;

OMF: minimal manual Oracle create database syntax

1. Set your ORACLE_SID

export ORACLE_SID=test
export ORACLE_HOME=/path/to/oracle/home

2. Create a minimal init.ora

# $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/init<sid>.ora

control_files = (/path/to/control1.ctl,/path/to/control2.ctl,/path/to/control3.ctl)
undo_management = AUTO
db_name = test
db_block_size = 8192

sga_max_size = 1073741824 #one gig

sga_target = 1073741824 #one gig
db_create_file_dest = /path/to/datafile/location #OMF
db_create_online_log_dest_1 = /path/to/first/redo_and_control_file/location #OMF
db_create_online_log_dest_2 = /path/to/second/redo_and_control_file/location #OMF
db_recovery_file_dest = /path/to/flash/recovery/area #OMF
#note it’s a good idea to also have background_dump_dest, user_dump_dest, and
core_dump_dest here as well

3. Create a password file

$ORACLE_HOME/bin/orapwd file=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/pwd<sid>.ora
password=oracle entries=5

4. Start the instance

sqlplus / as sysdba
startup nomount

5. Create the database

create database test
character set WE8ISO8859P1
national character set utf8
undo tablespace undotbs1
default temporary tablespace temp;

You can even do this and it will work, the ultimate in minimalism:

create database test;

Note: There's some other things you can do here, like "ARCHIVELOG" "SET
TIME_ZONE =" and "USER SYS IDENTIFIED BY password" and "USER SYSTEM
IDENTIFIED BY password"

Note 2: This is so minimal because you are using Oracle Managed Files as seen in #2

6. Run catalog and catproc

@?/rdbms/admin/catalog.sql

@?/rdbms/admin/catproc.sql

Standard create Oracle database syntax

After creating your init.ora file with the appropriate parameters you can use the "create
database" command in SQL*Plus to create a database:

Make sure that your have your $ORACLE_HOME and $ORACLE_SID set properly and
that you sign-on as SYSDBA:

startup nomount;

CREATE CONTROLFILE REUSE DATABASE "OLDLSQ" NORESETLOGS

NOARCHIVELOG
MAXLOGFILES 16
MAXLOGMEMBERS 2
MAXDATAFILES 240
MAXINSTANCES 1
MAXLOGHISTORY 113
LOGFILE
GROUP 1 ('/u03/oradata/oldlsq/log1a.dbf',
'/u03/oradata/olslsq/log1b.dbf') SIZE 30M,
GROUP 2 ('/u04/oradata/oldlsq/log2a.dbf',
'/u04/oradata/oldlsq/log2b.dbf') SIZE 30M
DATAFILE
'/u01/oradata/oldlsq/system01.dbf',

'/u01/oradata/oldlsq/mydatabase.dbf'
;
This is just an abbreviated sample of the Oracle create database command and there are
many more options:

clone/copy oracle with create database command

Oracle 10g Automated create database DBCA

Oracle9i DBCA Database Creation Assistant Templates

RAC Grid Oracle Database Creation with DBCA

Oracle Tips
David Ellison: Heir to the Oracle throne?
Oracle whistleblower asking for $42,000,000 payday
2010 Oracle Offshoring declared a disaster
2010 Oracle layoffs may exceed 10,000
Do you have what it takes to be an emergency DBA?

Oracle performance tuning software

Oracle performance Tuning 10g reference poster

Oracle training in Linux commands

Oracle training Excel

Oracle training & performance tuning books

Burleson is the American Team

Note: This Oracle documentation was created as a support and Oracle training reference
for use by our DBA performance tuning consulting professionals. Feel free to ask
questions on our Oracle forum.

Verify experience! Anyone considering using the services of an Oracle support expert
should independently investigate their credentials and experience, and not rely on
advertisements and self-proclaimed expertise. All legitimate Oracle experts publish their
Oracle qualifications.
Errata? Oracle technology is changing and we strive to update our BC Oracle support
information. If you find an error or have a suggestion for improving our content, we
would appreciate your feedback. Just e-mail: and include the URL for the page.

Burleson Consulting

The Oracle of Database Support

Oracle Performance Tuning

Remote DBA Services

Copyright © 1996 - 2010 by Burleson Enterprises, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Oracle © is the registered trademark of Oracle Corporation.