Using Sample File for Database Creation

Oracle Database provides an annotated sample initialization parameter file with alternative values for initialization parameters.

These values and annotations are preceded by the comment signs (#), which prevent them from being processed. To activate a particular parameter, remove the preceding # sign. To clear a particular parameter, edit the initialization parameter file to add a comment sign. The sample file is called initsmpl.ora and is located in

ORACLE_HOME\admin\sample\pfile. 

If you installed a starter database, then the initialization parameter file used by the starter database is located in the same directory. You can use either initsmpl.ora or the starter database init.ora as a basis for creating a new Oracle Database initialization parameter file.

To use the sample file initsmpl.ora as part of the database creation:

1. Rename the sample file init.ora.
2. Edit this file to reflect the correct location of your database control files and the name of your database, as a minimum.

Here are two examples of activation and de-activation of alternative parameters. Several initialization parameters are specified with three different values to create a small, medium, or large System Global Area, respectively. The parameter that creates a small SGA is active in this first example:

  db_block_buffers = 200  # SMALL 
# db_block_buffers = 550  # MEDIUM 
# db_block_buffers = 3200 # LARGE 

To create a medium-sized SGA, comment out the small parameter definition and activate the medium parameter definition. Edit the initialization parameter file as in this second example:

# db_block_buffers = 200  # SMALL 
  db_block_buffers = 550  # MEDIUM 
# db_block_buffers = 3200 # LARGE