Disaster Recovery Scenarios › Scenarios for Restoring to the Original Windows Server › Recover the ORCL Database

Recover the ORCL Database

You must create an Oracle instance before you start the recovery procedure. Because you had the starter database (ORCL) when reinstalling Oracle, we recommend that you create the instance for ORA.

To recover the ORCL database

1. Reinstall Windows.
2. Install Arcserve Backup if it was on the same server as your Oracle databases.
3. Do one of the following:
   • Reinstall Oracle
   • Restore all necessary sessions (files) from media (for example, sessions for Oracle executables, configuration files and registry information)
4. Reinstall the option, and create an Oracle database instance entry for each of the instances you intend to restore.
5. Restore the last full backup of ORCL.

   Note: If it is an offline backup, then no further recovery is needed. Proceed to Recover the ORA Database. If it is an online backup, continue with the next step.

6. Check the initorcl.ora file to see if it contains all the necessary settings for the following entries:

   LOG_ARCHIVE_START
   LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST
   LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT
   

7. Copy the restored control file (CONTROL.ORCL) from the option home directory to all necessary directories and rename this file with the appropriate name.
8. Connect to ORCL as user SYSTEM.
9. Mount the database.
10. Enter the following command at the SQL*Plus prompt:

    recover database using backup controlfile until cancel;
    

11. When the recovery has been completed, enter the following command:

    alter database open resetlogs
    

    Note: If the database does not open and a message reports on the status of the redo logs, enter the following query at the SQL*Plus prompt:

    select * from v$logfile
    

    This query returns, among other information, the directory structure in which Oracle looks for the redo logs. If the directory structure does not exist, create it. When you have done so, enter the following command again:

    alter database open resetlogs
    

    Oracle should open the database and recreate the redo logs.

    Important! The following step is very important. DO NOT OMIT IT.

12. Delete all archive logs for ORCL.

    The ORCL database is now fully recovered. You can now proceed to the second phase, recovering the ORA database.