error starting the database

[Dan Copeland]

Hi all,

When our DBA's tried to start a database it is coming up with the following errors

/ad_ale_pr/orabin/8.0.5.1.32/rdbms/log/ora_5157.trc
Oracle8 Enterprise Edition Release 8.0.5.1.0 - Production
With the Partitioning and Objects options
PL/SQL Release 8.0.5.1.0 - Production
ORACLE_HOME = /ad_ale_pr/orabin/8.0.5.1.32
System name: HP-UX
Node name:
XXXXXX
Release: B.11.00
Version: U
Machine: 9000/800
Instance name: pXXX
Redo thread mounted by this instance: 0
Oracle process number: 0
Unix process pid: 5157, image: oraclepXXX

File '/dev/async' not present : errno=2

Has anybody seen this before is this a database or a HPUX error. Please advise.

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Frank,

Looks like an OS error to me.
Specifically the device file /dev/async is missing.
Try running
insf -e
to reinstall any missing special files.
If that doesn't recreate it, then try to restore from backup. If not on tape then you'll have to recreate it which implies you'll need to know the major & minor numbers for the device.

HTH,
Jeff

[S.K. Chan · Accepted solution]

If you're not suppose to use "async" but got it "turn-on" in init.ora file ..
disk_async_io=TRUE
then this error will come up upon startup. Change it to FALSE.
If you're using "async" then /dev/async is probably missing. Recreate it ..
# /sbin/mknod /dev/async c 101 0x0
# chown oracle:dba /dev/async
# chmod 660 /dev/async