Advantages of SPFILE over PFILE

SPFILEs are available in Oracle 9i and above. All prior releases of Oracle are using PFILEs.

1.An SPFILE can be backed-up with RMAN and PFILE can't.
2.The SPFILE is maintained by server.Parameters are checked before changes are accepted.
3.Eliminate configuration problems.

How to know whether database is using pfile or spfile?

sql> select decode(value, null, 'pfile', 'spfile') "parameter file"
2 from sys.v_$parameter where name = 'spfile';

parame
------
spfile

Converting between pfiles and spfiles

You must connect as sysdba or sysoper to execute the following commands.

Sql> create pfile from spfile;

sql> create spfile from pfile;

How can we know whether a parameter in parameter file is modifiable or not?


SQL> select distinct issys_modifiable from v$parameter;

ISSYS_MODIFIABLE
—————————
DEFERRED
FALSE
IMMEDIATE


If the ISSYS_MODIFIABLE value is set to FALSE for a parameter, it means that the parameter cannot change its value in the lifetime of the instance; the database needs to be restarted for changes to take effect.

A parameter set to IMMEDATE value means that it is dynamic and can be set to change the present active instance as well as future database restarts.

A parameter set to DEFERRED is also dynamic, but changes only affect subsequent sessions, currently active sessions will not be affected and retain the old parameter value.

When an instance is started, if SPFILE is present, it will be used; otherwise, Oracle searches for a default PFILE.Oracle will scan the files in the following order:

1) spfileSID.ora
2) spfile.ora
3) initSID.ora
4) init.ora

If a PFILE is explicitly specified in the STARTUP command Oracle uses it.

SQL> startup pfile=init.ora

Views Related to parameter files

V$PARAMETER - Display the currently in effect parameter values
V$PARAMETER2 - Display the currently in effect parameter values, but "List Values" are shown in multiple rows
V$SPPARAMETER - Display the current contents of the server parameter file.

Exports & Imports

1.In order to use exp & imp the catexp.sql must be run. It creates exp_full_database and impfull_database roles.

2.Objects owned by sys can't be exported.

3.To see help on IMP & EXP simply say
Exp help = y
at command promt.

4.If exp and imp are used to export data from an oracle database with a different version then

Exp must be of lower version
Imp must match the target version

5.Always mention the filenames for DMP and LOG files. Otherwise oracle will use default file name for dmp which is EXPDAT.DMP

6.EXP & IMP must be done wile database is up & running.

7.While exp is going on users may access & modify database. Export is not guaranteeing a time image.

you can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. select run... From the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the users tab, clear the box for users must enter a user name and password to use this computer, and click on ok. An automatically log on dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.

IN XP,,
The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.

You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation' in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.

IN XP,,,
You can delete files immediately, without having them move to the Recycle Bin first. Go to the Start menu, select Run... and type 'gpedit.msc'; then select User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Explorer and find the Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin setting. Set it. Poking around in gpedit will reveal a great many interface and system options, but take care -- some may stop your computer behaving as you wish. (Professional Edition only).

Display legal notice on startup:
Wanna tell your friends about the do's and dont's in your computer when they login in your absence. Well you can do it pretty easily by displaying a legal notice at system start up.
REGEDIT
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system]
"legalnoticecaption"="enter your notice caption"
"legalnoticetext"="enter your legal notice text"

Turn Off System Recovery
Right click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the System Restore tab and check the box Turn off System Restore. (This will increase Windows performance & save disk space)

Win XP Won’t Completely Shutdown
• Goto Control Panel, then goto Power Options.
• Click on the APM Tab, then check the "Enable Advanced Power Management support."
• Shut down your PC. It should now successfully complete the Shut Down process.

Disable error reporting
• Open Control Panel
• Click on Performance and Maintenance.
• Click on System.
• Then click on the Advanced tab
• Click on the error-reporting button on the bottom of the windows.
• Select Disable error reporting.
• Click OK
• Click OK

Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons
Here's how you can remove those shortcut arrows from your desktop icons in Windows XP.
1. Start regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTlnkfile
3. Delete the IsShortcut registry value.
You may need to restart Windows XP.

Change the text in Internet Explorers title bar to anything you want
In regedit navigate to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain
change the value of the string "Window Title" to whatever you want on the title bar of Internet Explorer - to have no title except the title of the web pages you are browsing do not enter anything for a value.

Increase BROADBAND
This is for broad band connections. I didn’t try it on dial up but might work for dial up.
1. make sure your logged on as actually "Administrator". do not log on with any account that just has administrator privileges.
2. start - run - type gpedit.msc
3. expand the "local computer policy" branch
4. expand the "administrative templates" branch
5. expand the "network branch"
6. Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left window
7. in right window double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting
8. on setting tab check the "enabled" item
9. where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0
Effect is immediate on some systems, some need to re-boot. This is more of a "counter what XP does" thing. In other words, programs can request up to 20% of the bandwidth be reserved for them, even with QoS disabled, this is no big deal and most programs do not request it. So, although QOS has caused a big stink because people think it reserves 20% of their bandwidth, you can still disable it, just to be sure,

Stop Password Expiration
After you have run Windows XP for a while, you may receive this message when you log on: "Your password will expire in 14 days.....".
By default, Windows XP is set up with passwords which will expire after 42 days. 14 days in advance, Windows will start warning you of this fact. If you do not want your passwords to expire:
1. Go to Start > Run and in the Open: box type control userpasswords2
2. Select the Advanced tab in the User Accounts window
3. Press the Advanced button below the Advanced user management header
4. Select Users in the Local Users and Groups
5. In the right pane, right-click the user name for which you want to change the setting, and select Properties
6. On the General tab, check Password never expires
7. Click Apply and OK (all the way out)

Add/Remove Sound Events from Control Panel

You can Add and delete sounds events in the Control Panel. In order to do that:

1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Eventlabels. If this key does not exist you can create it and add events.
3. You can add/delete any items you want to or delete the ones you no longer want.

Setting the Minimum Password Length

1.Open RegEdit
2.Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Network
3. Now, choose the Edit/New/Binary value command and call the new value MinPwdLen. Press Enter twice and Assign it a value equal to your minimum password length.

Turn Off Window Animation

You can shut off the animation displayed when you minimize and maximize Windows.
1. Open RegEdit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control panel \Desktop\ WindowMetrics
3. Create a new string value "MinAnimate".
4. Set the value data of 0 for Off or 1 for On