..."tribulations," I should say.

OS: Red Hat Fedora Core (aka "Yarrow"). Kernel: 2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
Oracle: I'll take *any* release! Need Oracle.

Oracle's compatibility matrix for the i386 lists only older versions of Linux (6.x and 7.1), so Oracle support can't help, but a knowledgable guy there told me I would have an easier time getting 9i to run on this OS.

=========== side bar on 8i =====================
I came very close installing 8.1.7 by following this procedure:
http://dbforums.com/arch/50/2003/12/838005
...but still didn't get a "lsnrctl" binary and couldn't create a database.

Excerpt from $ORACLE_HOME/install/make.log:
(Note the "undefined reference to `__ctype_" errors, there were many more of these)

/usr/bin/make -f ins_net_client.mk client_sharedlib
ORACLE_HOME=/data/oracle/ora817
/data/oracle/ora817/bin/genclntsh
/data/oracle/ora817/lib/libclient8.a(kgupd0.o)(.text+0x7b): In
function `kgupdpg':
: warning: undefined reference to `__ctype_b'
/data/oracle/ora817/lib/libnidx8.a(naui.o)(.text+0x48f): In function
`nauiget':
: warning: undefined reference to `__ctype_toupper'
=========== end of side bar on 8i ================

Now trying to install 9i following this link from OTN (this is for RedHat 9, a version below mine):
http://linux.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/4141
...went through that procedure and when I invoke the Oracle Installer (w/ runInstaller) it won't launch, failing with:
------------------------------------
$ runInstaller
$ Initializing Java Virtual Machine from /tmp/OraInstall2004-02-09_11-19-45AM/jre/bin/java. Please wait...
Error occurred during initialization of VM
Unable to load native library: /tmp/OraInstall2004-02-09_11-19-45AM/jre/lib/i386/libjava.so: symbol __libc_wait, version GLIBC_2.0 not defined in file libc.so.6 with link time reference
------------------------------------

I must say I've gotten quite a bit of help from reading you guys at this site, but now I find it necessary to sign up and post. Wenn Sie auf Deutsch beantworten wollen ist das mir OK.

I've run into some similar problems with RHAS 3... some settings Ora Support has had me try are:

environment:
LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.4.19

file stuff:
create a link for g++ and gcc to ver 2.96 versions instead of the 3.x versions

After doing these, I've had some success, however some things still do not work like I would expect.

Happy to help more if I can, but I think we are both on the bleeding edge with Redhat/Oracle on this one...

JoeB

Thanks, Joe. I had tried several values for LD_ASSUME_KERNEL and also tried yours to no avail. The sad part is that this error:
--------------------------------------------------------
Unable to load native library: /tmp/OraInstall2004-02-09_04-51-53PM/jre/lib/i386/libjava.so: symbol __libc_wait, version GLIBC_2.0 not defined in file libc.so.6 with link time reference
--------------------------------------------------------
...(I believe) is just from the JRE, and since the Oracle Installer appears to be using its own (in the /tmp directory), there appears to be no way to fix it. I diddled with the runInstaller script to make it point to my version of java, but it does the same thing.

Also tried to install 10g (!!), which at least said "no" cleanly:
-----------------------------------------------------------
$ runInstaller
Starting Oracle Universal Installer...

Checking installer requirements...

Checking operating system version: must be redhat-2.1, UnitedLinux-1.0 or redhat-3
Failed <<<<

Exiting Oracle Universal Installer, log for this session can be found at /tmp/OraInstall2004-02-09_04-37-05PM/installActions2004-02-09_04-37-05PM.log
-----------------------------------------------------------

There is no Personal Edition for Linux. Running out of options.

1. In 9i is old version of JDK which have problems with newest glibc and also with kernels with nptl (Native Posix Thread Library which is included in RH kernels).
Simple solution is change existing JDK to actual version (1.4.2) ar downgrade glibc and recompile the kernel.

2. This is simple hack how you can "blame" the 10g installer.
If you have Fedora just open /etc/redhat-release file and change this value "Fedora Core release 1 (Yarrow)" to this value "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES release 3 (Taroon)" and voila.... installation is done without any error.
In other Linux distros just create the redhat-release in /etc directory with above text inside.

> If you have Fedora just open /etc/redhat-release
> file and change this value "Fedora Core release 1
> (Yarrow)" to this value
> "Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES release 3 (Taroon)"
> and voila.... installation is done without any error.

IKA, I LOVE YOU!! And Oracle! Whoever thought (among those of us who have tried to install Oracle on an unsupported Linux) that such a simple and stupid tweek would fix the whole thing? Even the Database Configuration Assistant (dbca) worked!

For everyone else, these are the steps I followed:
0. Created a "dba" group, an "oracle" user in that group, and logged in as oracle. (It won't let you install as root). Downloaded 10g for Linux from otn.oracle.com.

1. Made the change Ika mentioned (see above). After the installation I restored this to its original value. You must "su" to root to do this.

2. Ran "runInstaller" on Disk1. Selected "Standard Edition" (as opposed to Enterprise). YMMV. Cancelled the Database Configuration Assistant first time through, then ran it later by typing "dbca &" after the installation was complete.

I must say that the 10g OEM is a masterpiece! It runs on a web browser instead of an ugly JRE for Windows GUI, and the interface is better (more usable) and looks more appealing. Wow.

P.S. Whoever thought that of all the versions and editions of Oracle's DBMS, 10g would be the easiest to install? The installer itself has also undergone big improvements!

Advice for future: "strace" (truss in Solaris) is your best friend.

Aloha. I have been working w/Oracle & Unix for >14 years. I started with Oracle 9i DBA certification courses this year & have just installed Fedora on an old PC. I am now trying to install 9i. As sys. admin. newbie I guess I need a little hand holding.

Would you please either give me some instructions or let me know where I can find the necessary info?

How do I change the Oracle installation to recoginize my current java version, 1.5.0? I noticed in Disk1/runInstaller there is this:

I assume if I comment that line out in Disk1/runInstaller, I probably would break the installalation.

Alternately, how does one go about downgrading glibc and recompiling the kernel? I do not have the source code --- I installed Fedora from a 2-cd set I got from the "Official Fedora Companion" book from redhat press.

Mahalo (thanks)!