How to install Oracle on openSuSE 11.3

Note: I am writing this for people who just want to install Oracle for personal use, for learning Oracle. This tutorial is not for installing Oracle for production systems or any critical use. The instructions are for 32 bit systems, it should be same for 64 bit systems but I am not sure. I am installing on openSuSe 11.3, but these steps can also work for 11.1 and 11.2, but again I am not sure 🙂

I will write down the instructions as a series of steps.
  • Step 1: Download Oracle from Oracle Website. This is a 32-bit install. For 64-bit systems download from here. You will need UserId for Oracle. You will also need to accept the license agreement. The downloaded file will be “linux_11gR1_database_1013.zip”.

  • Step 2: Install “C/C++ Development” environment from Yast.

  • Step 3: Dwonload and install Orarun package. You will now get a User for Oracle. Open Yast(Adminsitration Settings), Select “Security and Users” tab and from there open “User Group Management”. On the resulting window set filter to “System Users”. From the list select “Oracle” and edit it. Set the password for user oracle on “User Data” tab. Go to “Deatils” tab and set the Login shell to “/bin/bash” (It will be /bin/false there). Save the changes and exit.
  • Step 4: Just some cosmetic changes, if needed. Open “/etc/profile.d/oracle.sh”. Check parameters ORACE_BASE, ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID. You can change ORACLE_SID if you want it to be something different, by default it is “ORCL”. Modify the following parameters in “/etc/sysconfig/oracle”. [code lang=”perl”] AIO_MAX_SIZE=1048576 FILE_MAX_KERNEL=6815744 IP_LOCAL_PORT_RANGE="9000 65500" [/code] Modify the following parameters in /etc/init.d/oracle:
    test -f /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr && echo "  AIO_MAX_SIZE=${AIO_MAX_SIZE:-1048576}"
    test -f /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr && echo ${AIO_MAX_SIZE:-1048576} > /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr
    test -f /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr || echo
    You will need superuser priviliges for modifying these files.
  • Step 5: Start Oracle server.
    sudo /usr/sbin/rcoracle start
    You will get a output like:
  • Step 6: Either logg off and log in as Oracle user. Or you can Switch to Oracle user (Application Launcher -> Leave -> Switch USer). Login user id is “oracle” and use the password you hav set in Step 2. After logging inCheck some details.

    no images were found

  • Step 7: Unzip the download oracle installation zip file ( Step 1).
    unzip linux_11gR1_database_1013.zip
    You will now get a new directory “database”. Go to that directory and run “runInstaller” script. Before running set the execution permissions for whole database directory. Check the snapshot below:
  • Step 8: Now the oracle installer will fire up. Tick the “Create Starter Database” checkbox if you want the example databses to be installed and enter the password of your choice and click Next button. You may get a warning that directory does not exist, click OK button and move forward. Next window will be to Specify inventory localtion. This should be
    /opt/oracle/oraInventory
    You will get a warning, click YES there. The installer will check for pre-requisites and will throw some warnings and requirements. You need to manually tick those warnings and requirements. After that hit Next button and you will be taken to “Oracle Configuration Manager Registration”. You can skip this window by hitting Next button. Now will come the summary of software which will be installed. Verify and click Next. The installation will start. The installation process will take time so be patient. After installation will finish a window will pop up giving deatils of the installation. If you want to unlock accounts and set custom password you can do it by clicking on “Password Management” here. After finishing with this, oracle will display a window which will display scrips which you need to run as root. Run the scripts and the oracle installation finishes.
Now, whenever you want to start your oracle, First fire up konsole and start Oracle service
sudo /usr/sbin/oracle start

Then become oracle user (You do not need to login from GUI as you did in Step 6, but doing it from konsole will do). Start Oracle Listner.

lsnrctl start
Now login to idle session of oracle and connect as sys and start the database.
sqlplus /nolog
Connect as sys user.
connect sys as sysdba
And start the Oracle database.
startup
Check the snapshots below:

Let me know if this post has helped you or if I have missed something.

My openSuSE 11.3 Setup

After experimenting with kernel and KDE version since the release of openSuSE 11.3, I decided to have a stable system till the next SuSE release, that is till openSuSE 11.4 is released. That means no KDE 4.5 as I do not want to change anything released in SuSE 11.3. Here are a few snapshots which I took after getting everything up and running… I am sure you are going to love it 🙂
Next I am planning to migrate to ext4 from ntfs completely, but that is going to take time.

Assertive Prime Minister!

Did I hear it right! Assertive Prime Minister? Assertive Dr. Manmohan Singh? Ok.. let us first know what “assertiveness” means. As per the The Free Dictionary being “Assertive” means “Inclined to bold or confident assertion;aggressively self-assured”. So what was our dear Prime Minister “assertive” about. He was “assertive” about the thing that he can not “Shut up” his cabinet. So he is “confident” that he can not handle people who he claims to head.
On the Chinese front he says that “we” need to engage Pakistan because he has failed to counter China on Indian terms (Makes me feel once again that why are we Indians so docile, all the time.. everytime!). So our Prime Minister is “confident” that he can neither handle China nor Pakistan on Indian terms. Crux of the matter… our Prime minister is confident that he is capable of doing nothing. He has failed on Kashmir and he has failed on naxalism. In Delhi the Congress(Indira) Government says that the Naxalism is the biggest threat to national security while the cabinet minister Mamta Banerjee addresses people with PCPA (People’s Committee against Police Atrocities) “managing” the rally and the congress (Indira) “Prince” Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally in Orissa with Maoist supporters standing beside him.
I think Indians should stop getting themselves fooled by the “secular” talk of Congress(Indira), the party, whose leader, after assassination of Indira Gandhi justified the killings of Sikhs and in whose rule 5 Lakh Hindus were forced out of Kashmir. What can you expect from a party whose “assertive” Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh calls in and pleaded to Yasin Malik( a former terrorist and cadre of Jammu & Kashmir Liberation front) to break his fast during the Amarnath Land dispute.