Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Restoring When All Control Files Are Damaged
If you lose all of your control files, you can restore one from a backup, or you can recreate the control file. As long as
you have all your data files and any required redo (archive redo and online redo), you should be able to recover your
database completely. The steps for this scenario are as follows:
1.
Shut down the database.
2.
Restore a control file from the backup.
Start the database in mount mode, and initiate database recovery, using the
RECOVER
DATABASE USING BACKUP CONTROLFILE
clause.
3.
4.
For a complete recovery, manually apply the redo contained in the online redo logs.
Open the database with the
OPEN RESETLOGS
clause.
5.
In this example all control files for the database were accidentally deleted, and Oracle subsequently reports
this error:
ORA-00210: cannot open the specified control file...
Step 1. Shut Down the Database
First, shut down the database:
SQL> shutdown abort;
Step 2. Restore the Control File from the Backup
This database was configured with just one control file, which you copy back from the backup location, as shown:
$ cp /u01/hbackup/O12C/controlbk.ctl /u01/dbfile/O12C/control01.ctl
If more than one control file is being used, you have to copy the backup control file to each control file and
location name listed in the
CONTROL_FILES
initialization parameter.
Step 3. Start the Database in Mount Mode, and Initiate Database Recovery
Next, start the database in mount mode:
SQL> startup mount;
After the control file(s) and data files have been copied back, you can perform a recovery. Oracle knows that the
control file was from a backup (because it was created with the
ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE
statement), so
the recovery must be performed with the
USING BACKUP CONTROLFILE
clause:
SQL> recover database using backup controlfile;
