How To Startup Oracle Database on a Unix/Linux

In order to start Oracle service in a UNIX or Linux based system you need to login as a Oracle user.

Use the su - username command to login as oracle user. Open the Terminal or login using ssh and type the following command to login

$ su – oracle

Now, use the lsnrctl command to start service (usually located at /home/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/bin directory):
$ lsnrctl start

Next start database:
$ dbstart

If above is not working try to login as sysdba:
$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba'

At SQL> type startup command:

SQL> startup

To stop Oracle service type following two commands:

$ lsnrctl stop

$ dbshut

If above failed login as sysdba user:

$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba'

At SQL> type shutdown command:

SQL> shutdown

When successfully started You’ll notice below output:

[root@dev ~]# su – oracle

-bash-3.1$ sqlplus ‘/ as sysdba’

SQL*Plus: Release 8.1.7.0.0 – Production on Wed Apr 9 14:31:11 2014

Connected to an idle instance.

SQL> select status from v$instance;

select status from v$instance

ERROR at line 1:

ORA-01034: ORACLE not available

SQL> startup

ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 25088160 bytes

Fixed Size 73888 bytes

Variable Size 24526848 bytes

Database Buffers 409600 bytes

Redo Buffers 77824 bytes

Database mounted.

Database opened.

SQL>

SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;

STATUS DATABASE_STATUS

——- —————–

OPEN ACTIVE

SQL>