Related articles

*   [Oracle client](/index.php/Oracle_client "Oracle client")

This document will help you install [Oracle Database](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_Database "wikipedia:Oracle Database") 11gR1 on Arch Linux. If you only want to connect to Oracle databases running elsewhere, see the instructions for installing the [Oracle client](/index.php/Oracle_client "Oracle client"). For installation of Oracle Express Edition, see [#Install Oracle Express Edition](#Install_Oracle_Express_Edition).

## Contents

*   [1 Install Oracle](#Install_Oracle)
    *   [1.1 Pre installation](#Pre_installation)
        *   [1.1.1 Required packages for Oracle database installation](#Required_packages_for_Oracle_database_installation)
        *   [1.1.2 Configuration](#Configuration)
    *   [1.2 Graphical installation](#Graphical_installation)
        *   [1.2.1 Installing Oracle database software](#Installing_Oracle_database_software)
    *   [1.3 Oracle Enterprise Manager installation (optional)](#Oracle_Enterprise_Manager_installation_.28optional.29)
*   [2 Install Oracle Express Edition](#Install_Oracle_Express_Edition)
    *   [2.1 Installation](#Installation)
*   [3 Post installation](#Post_installation)
    *   [3.1 Creating initial database](#Creating_initial_database)
        *   [3.1.1 Graphical](#Graphical)
        *   [3.1.2 Scripted](#Scripted)
        *   [3.1.3 Testing database](#Testing_database)
    *   [3.2 Starting oracle during the boot](#Starting_oracle_during_the_boot)
    *   [3.3 Setting permissions for normal users](#Setting_permissions_for_normal_users)
*   [4 Transfer existing Oracle installation](#Transfer_existing_Oracle_installation)
*   [5 Known issues](#Known_issues)
*   [6 See also](#See_also)

## Install Oracle

This section will guide you through installing Oracle onto a fresh installation of archlinux. This is a general approach that has been tested with kernel 2.6.28.ARCH x86_64 and Oracle 11g R1 64-bit. ***This should in principle work with other versions of Oracle***.

### Pre installation

#### Required packages for Oracle database installation

[Install](/index.php/Install "Install") the [base-devel](https://www.archlinux.org/groups/x86_64/base-devel/) group and these packages: [elfutils](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=elfutils), [gdb](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gdb), [icu](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=icu), [libstdc++5](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libstdc%2B%2B5), [sysstat](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=sysstat), [unixodbc](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=unixodbc) and [unzip](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=unzip).

Install a [Java](/index.php/Java "Java") runtime environment, like [jre10-openjdk](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=jre10-openjdk) and [jdk10-openjdk](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=jdk10-openjdk).

From the [AUR](/index.php/AUR "AUR"), install [ksh](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/ksh/) (other implementations like [these](/index.php/Ksh "Ksh") may work), [beecrypt](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/beecrypt/), [rpm-org](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/rpm-org/) and [libaio](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libaio).

Oracle database 32-bit requires [lib32-unixodbc](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/lib32-unixodbc/), [lib32-libaio](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=lib32-libaio), [lib32-libstdc++5](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=lib32-libstdc%2B%2B5), [lib32-glibc](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=lib32-glibc) and [lib32-gcc-libs](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=lib32-gcc-libs).

#### Configuration

Create users and group for Oracle database:

```
# groupadd oinstall
# groupadd dba
# useradd -m -g oinstall -G dba oracle

```

Set password for the user oracle:

```
# passwd oracle

```

Optional: Install [OpenSSH](/index.php/OpenSSH "OpenSSH") and add this line to `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`:

```
AllowUsers oracle

```

Add oracle to `/etc/sudoers`. This will give oracle super user privilege.

```
oracle    ALL=(ALL) ALL

```

Add these lines to `/etc/sysctl.d/99-sysctl.conf` (***Review Oracle documentation to adjust these settings***).

```
# oracle kernel settings
fs.file-max = 6553600
kernel.shmall = 2097152
kernel.shmmax = 2147483648
kernel.shmmni = 4096
kernel.sem = 250 32000 100 128
net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range = 1024 65535
net.core.rmem_default = 4194304
net.core.rmem_max = 4194304
net.core.wmem_default = 262144
net.core.wmem_max = 262144

```

Add these lines to `/etc/security/limits.conf` (***Review Oracle documentation to adjust these settings***)

```
# oracle settings
oracle           soft    nproc   2047
oracle           hard    nproc   16384
oracle           soft    nofile  1024
oracle           hard    nofile  65536

```

Optional: You may reboot now if you want the changes to take effect.

Create some directories for Oracle database. You can chose the directory path. Here is an example.

```
mkdir -p /oracle/inventory /oracle/recovery /oracle/product/db

```

Set permissions for the directories.

```
chown -R oracle:dba /oracle
chmod 777 /tmp

```

Create or update oracle bashrc `/home/oracle/.bashrc`. Here is an example of the oracle user settings.

```
export ORACLE_BASE=/oracle
export ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/db
export ORACLE_SID=xdb
export ORACLE_INVENTORY=/oracle/inventory
export ORACLE_BASE ORACLE_SID ORACLE_HOME
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export EDITOR=nano
export VISUAL=nano

```

### Graphical installation

#### Installing Oracle database software

Download the Oracle database from here: [http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/index.html](http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/index.html)

Unzip the Oracle database.

```
unzip linux.x64_11gR1_database_1013.zip -d /media

```

Optional: Arch x86_64 (only required if the installer will not launch automatically ... at the time of this writing there was an issue with the packaged unzip in the 64-bit Oracle installer):

```
cd /media/database/install
mv unzip unzipx
ln -s /usr/bin/unzip 

```

Change the permissions for the extracted Oracle database.

```
chmod -R 777 /media/database
chown -R oracle:oinstall /media/database

```

Enter the directory where you extracted the Oracle database.

In oder to run oracle installation script you need to export the X display as a normal user:

```
DISPLAY=:0.0; export DISPLAY; xhost +

```

Login as the user oracle and export the X display:

```
su oracle
DISPLAY=:0.0; export DISPLAY

```

Enter the database directory and run the Oracle Universal Installer as the user oracle.

```
cd /media/database
./runInstaller -ignoreSysPrereqs

```

During the Graphical installation:

1.  Click on "Next".
2.  Choose "Enterprise Edition" Installation Type and click on "Next"
3.  Oracle Base should be: /oracle. Don't change it, unless you know what you're doing.
    1.  Change the default "Name" to orarch or something else.
    2.  The predefined path in `/etc/rc.d/oracledb` is "db", ie: /oracle/product/db. If you want to use a different path you'll have to change `/etc/rc.d/oracledb`, so that the startup script can locate ORACLE_HOME directory.
    3.  After changing the defaults, click on "Next".
4.  Since Oracle database requires certain distro requirement, you'll have to manually check them and then click on "Next".
5.  Chose "Software Install Only" and click on "Next".
6.  There is only one DBA group for oracle database. Click on "Next".
7.  Install "Summary" shows what's going to be installed. Click on "Install".
8.  The installation will take some time, especially the "Linking" part. Be patient! If you get an error message ignore it by clicking on "Continue".
    1.  At the end of the installation you'll have to open another terminal, and execute `/oracle/product/db/root.sh` as root. **Don't click on "OK" yet**.
    2.  When running root.sh, you'll be offered to use /usr/local/bin as the full pathname. Press the "Enter" key here.
    3.  Now you can click on "OK"
9.  Installation is finished, click on "Exit" and "Yes", you really want to exit.

### Oracle Enterprise Manager installation (optional)

This section describes how to install the web based OEM available in 10g+.

*Depending on your settings the OUI may have already installed this*.

Login or su to oracle, then run the following commands (answering the prompts approriately). ***This may take a while***.

```
cd ${ORACLE_HOME}/bin
./emca -repos create
./emca -config dbcontrol db

```

Test this out by navigating to the enterprise manager (adjust the servername (localhost) apporpriately).

```
https://localhost:1158/em/console

```

You can control OEM with the following commands.

```
emctl status dbconsole
emctl stop dbconsole
emctl start dbconsole

```

## Install Oracle Express Edition

### Installation

**Note:** This installation method creates a database automatically. The Oracle database will therefore be ready to be used after the installation.

**Step 1.** Download the Arch Linux package [oracle-xe](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/oracle-xe/) from AUR. Download the Oracle Database Express Edition from [http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/database-technologies/express-edition/downloads/index.html](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/database-technologies/express-edition/downloads/index.html)

**Step 2.** Extract the Arch Linux package into a directory. Copy the Oracle database 11gR1 into that directory as well.

INFO: The default install configuration in `ee.rsp.patch` is:

```
ORACLE_BASE="/home/oracle/app/oracle"
ORACLE_HOME="/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/orarch"
ORACLE_HOME_NAME="orarch"
s_globalDBName="archlinux"
s_dbSid="archlinux"
s_superAdminSamePasswd="orarchdbadmin"
s_superAdminSamePasswdAgain="orarchdbadmin"

```

Optional: You can either change the default password now or later after the installation. If you change the ee.rsp.patch file, you need to update the md5sums in the PKGBUILD file. To obtain the md5sum, run (makepkg -g) or:

```
md5sum ee.rsp.patch 

```

Create the Oracle database package by using makepkg:

```
makepkg -s

```

**Step 3.** Install the package.

Pacman will now install the Oracle database by executing Oracle's own installation script(./runInstaller -silent -ignoreSysPrereqs).

The installation will take som time, please be patient. Do not exit terminal during database installation, especially when the installation script is executing configuration assistants:

```
.... 
Starting to execute configuration assistants
Configuration assistant "Oracle Net Configuration Assistant" succeeded 
...

```

The installation script ends something like this:

```
The following configuration scripts need to be executed as the "root" user.
#!/bin/sh
#Root script to run
/home/oracle/oraInventory/orainstRoot.sh
/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/orarch/root.sh
To execute the configuration scripts:
   1\. Open a terminal window
   2\. Log in as "root"
   3\. Run the scripts

The installation of Oracle Database 11g was successful.
Please check '/home/oracle/oraInventory/logs/silentInstall2009-03-03_07-24-10PM.log'
for more details.

```

**Step 4.** Run these scripts as root:

```
# cd /home/oracle/oraInventory
# ./orainstRoot.sh
# cd /home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/orarch
# ./root.sh

```

**Step 5.** The default user for the Oracle database is "oracle". Since the password is not set for the user oracle, you need to run passwd as root:

```
passwd oracle

```

**Step 6.** Login as the user oracle.

```
su oracle

```

Create the file /home/oracle/.bashrc and add these lines to the .bashrc file:

```
export ORACLE_SID=archlinux
export ORACLE_HOME=/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.1.0/orarch
export PATH=$PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/bin

```

**Step 7.** If you haven't altered the `ee.rsp.patch` file, you need to **change the administration password for SYS and SYSTEM**.

**Note:** If the database isn't mounted or opened. Login as the user oracle and try this first:

```
su oracle

```

```
sqlplus '/as sysdba'

```

```
SQL> startup mount;
SQL> alter database open; 

```

Changing the password for the **SYSTEM** user:

```
sqlplus '/as sysdba'

SQL> show user
USER is "SYS"

SQL> passw system
Changing password for system
New password:
Retype new password:
Password changed

SQL> quit

```

Changing the password for the **SYS** user:

```
sqlplus system/secretpassword

SQL> show user;
USER is "SYSTEM"

SQL> passw sys
Changing password for sys
New password: 
Retype new password: 
Password changed

SQL> quit

```

## Post installation

### Creating initial database

#### Graphical

You have only installed the Oracle database software. Now you need to create a database. Login as the user oracle:

```
su oracle

```

Export the ORACLE_HOME binary directory:

```
export ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/db
export PATH=$PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/bin

```

Run database installation script:

```
dbca

```

During the graphical installation:

1.  Click on "Next".
2.  Check "Create a Database" and click on "Next".
3.  Check "General Purpose or Transaction Processing" and click on "Next".
4.  Chose a database name and SID. Example: Global Database Name: `archlinux`, SID: `archlinux`. And then click on "Next".
5.  Uncheck "Configure Enterprise Manager", leave it empty and click on "Next".
6.  Check "Use the Same Administrative Password for All Accounts", set password and click on "Next".
7.  Check "File System" and click on "Next".
8.  Check "Use Database File Locations from Template" and click on "Next".
9.  Uncheck "Specify Flash Recovery Area" and click on "Next".
10.  No need for "Sample Schemas", click on "Next".
11.  If you do not know what you're doing, check "Typical" and click on "Next"
12.  Check "Keep the enhanced 11g default security settings" and click on "Next".
13.  Uncheck "Enable automatic maintenance tasks" if you wish to do it by yourself and click on "Next".
14.  View your filesystem layout and click on "Next".
15.  "Create Database" is checked by default. Click on "Finish" to create database.
16.  Summary of following operations to be performed, click on "OK".
17.  When database creation is complete, click on "Exit".

#### Scripted

This section walks you through doing a scripted initial database creation.

**Note:** The scripts assume they are the first database to be installed on this system. If this is not the case review the xdb-create.sh script and comment out the portions which deal with the *.ora files.

Download the following tar file with a set of scripted database installation scripts.

```
wget [http://sites.google.com/site/mbasil77/Home/instanceCreateXdb.tgz](http://sites.google.com/site/mbasil77/Home/instanceCreateXdb.tgz)

```

Extract the directory

```
tar xzf instanceCreateXdb.tgz

```

Move into instanceCreateXdb directory

```
cd instanceCreateXdb

```

File list

*   CreateDB.sql
*   CreateDBCatalog.sql
*   initxdb.dbs.ora
*   initxdb.ora
*   listener.ora
*   postDBCreation.sql
*   sqlnet.ora
*   sysObjects.sql
*   tnsnames.ora
*   xdb-create.sh
*   xdb-create.sql
*   xdb-secfix.sh

Script notes

*   the files assume a database sid of **xdb**
*   the files assume an oracle base of **/oracle/product/db**
*   ***review all memory and storage parameters against Oracle documentation***

Setup filesystem (as root)

```
./xdb-create.sh

```

Install database from script (***this will take a long time***)

```
su oracle
sqlplus / as sysdba @/oracle/admin/xdb/scripts/xdb-create.sql

```

#### Testing database

Login as the user oracle and run export ORACLE_SID="yourSID" etc., ie:

```
export ORACLE_SID=xdb
export ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/db
export PATH=$PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/bin

```

Running oraenv should confirm the exported configuration:

```
oraenv

```

```
ORACLE_SID = [xdb] ? 
The Oracle base for ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/db 
is /oracle

```

Check if the database is shutting down or starting:

```
sqlplus '/as sysdba'

```

```
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.

```

```
SQL> startup mount;

ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area  385003520 bytes
Fixed Size		    1300100 bytes
Variable Size		  234883452 bytes
Database Buffers	  142606336 bytes
Redo Buffers		    6213632 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.

```

Type "quit" when you want to leave SQL prompt:

```
SQL> quit

```

### Starting oracle during the boot

If you want to start with your oracle SID, replace ":N" with ":Y" in `/etc/oratab`:

```
<your sid>:<oracle home>:N
<your sid>:<oracle home>:Y

```

Example from Scripted database creation (/etc/oratab):

```
xdb:/oracle/product/db:Y

```

To start the oracle database daemon during boot, add "oracledb" in your /etc/rc.conf:

```
DAEMONS=(oracledb syslog-ng dbus !network netfs crond ntpd alsa hal wicd fam)

```

Note: If the daemon doesn't start, please check that the `ORACLE_HOME` path matches your current oracle directory in /etc/rc.d/oracledb:

```
export ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/product/db

```

```
$ pwd
/oracle/product/db

```

Test starting the daemon as root:

```
/etc/rc.d/oracledb start

```

```
Starting Oracle: 
LSNRCTL for Linux: Version 11.1.0.6.0 - Production on 27-FEB-2009 23:14:45
...
The command completed successfully
Processing Database instance "archlinux": log file 
/oracle/product/db/startup.log
OK

```

Now you'll login to your oracle database each time you reboot:

```
su oracle
export ORACLE_SID=xdb
oraenv
sqlplus '/as sysdba'

```

Install Method 2:

```
su oracle
export ORACLE_SID=archlinux
oraenv
sqlplus '/as sysdba'

```

### Setting permissions for normal users

Since there is only one user(oracle) that has access to the oracle database, you need to add your normal user to the group "dba". In this case "joe" is the normal user:

```
# gpasswd -a joe dba

```

The group changes will take effect after you logout and login again. The user oracle has the permissions to access the oracle home directory, ie /home/oracle:

```
drwx------ 6 oracle dba 4096 2009-02-27 23:27 oracle

```

You need to grant the group "dba" permission to execute the binary files in the oracle home directory:

```
chmod -R g+x /home/oracle

```

Now you'll be able to run the oracle database as the normal user.

## Transfer existing Oracle installation

Moving or transferring Oracle can be quite useful in the following conditions:

*   replacing hardware
*   setting up several dev machines
*   running lean system (no desktop manager, java, etc)

The installation of Oracle requires several packages. However, just running an Oracle database is much simpler and has far fewer requirements, as shown below.

*In principle transferring Oracle should work across distros. Transferring from RHEL/Centos 5.2 to ARCH 2009.02 has been tested successfully.*

To prep Oracle for a move shutdown database services

```
dbstop ${ORACLE_HOME}
lsnrctl stop

```

Optional: stop OEM if it is running

```
emctl stop dbconsole

```

***If you are running other Oracle daemons stop them as well***

This section assumes the following conditions about the existing Oracle installation:

*   oracle root is /oracle
*   oracle data is at /oracle/oradata/<sid>

Tar up entire Oracle installation and data.

```
cd /
tar czf oracle.tgz /oracle

```

Using ssh and sftp or your method of choice transfer oracle.tgz to the root (/) of the target system.

Login to target system as root and unpack the tar

```
cd /
tar xzf oracle.tgz
chmod 755 -R /oracle
chown -R oracle:dba /oracle

```

Install [unzip](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=unzip), [sysstat](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=sysstat), [libaio](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libaio).

Configure server for oracle [#Configuration](#Configuration)

Setup OEM (optional) [#Oracle Enterprise Manager installation (optional)](#Oracle_Enterprise_Manager_installation_.28optional.29)

Execute appropriate/desired post installation steps [#Post installation](#Post_installation)

## Known issues

The Oracle Universal Installer (ie, in silent mode) seems create errors when installing on other paths than "../app/oracle/..".

Two consistent errors using the current libraries will occur. The first one can be ignored:

```
INFO: / usr/lib64/libstdc + + so.5:. Undefined reference to `memcpy@GLIBC_2.14 '
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status

```

Ignore this message by clicking the "Continue" button. Unfortunately,this has the consequence of the Lexical Compiler not working. The Lexical Compiler is used to generate the Chinese and Japanese dictionaries.

The second error needs to be fixed as it can cause the emconsole to fail eventually. Fortunately, the fix is easy:

```
su oracle
cd $ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib
make -f ins_emagent.mk "agent"

```

The last gcc call fails, which is what is causing the error. We need to add the -lnnz11 flag after the -lcore11 flag for this to make successfully, therefore, enter the following into the terminal:

```
gcc -o $ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib/emdctl -L$ORACLE_HOME/lib/ -L$ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib/  -L$ORACLE_HOME/lib/stubs/       `cat $ORACLE_HOME/lib/sysliblist` -Wl,-rpath,$ORACLE_HOME/lib -lm    `cat $ORACLE_HOME/lib/sysliblist` -ldl -lm   -L$ORACLE_HOME/lib $ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib//s0nmectl.o -lnmectl -lclntsh -L$ORACLE_HOME/lib  -L$ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib/ -lnmemso -lcore11 -lnnz11 -Wl,-rpath,$ORACLE_HOME/lib/:$ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib/:$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64/server:$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64 -L$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64/server -L$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64 -z lazyload -ljava -ljvm -lverify -z nolazyload -Wl,-rpath,$ORACLE_HOME/lib/:$ORACLE_HOME/sysman/lib/:$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64/server:$ORACLE_HOME/jdk/jre/lib/amd64 -Wl,--allow-shlib-undefined    `cat $ORACLE_HOME/lib/sysliblist` -ldl -lm

```

The make will succeed and you can now choose continue in the Oracle installer.

## See also

Most of the steps are based on this oracle installation guide for ubuntu users. This guide includes step by step graphical examples: [http://www.pythian.com/blogs/1355/installing-oracle-11gr1-on-ubuntu-810-intrepid-ibex](http://www.pythian.com/blogs/1355/installing-oracle-11gr1-on-ubuntu-810-intrepid-ibex)