[oracle] How to correctly set the ORACLE_HOME variable on Ubuntu 9.x?

I have the same problem as listed here: How to recover or change Oracle sysdba password although I did not lose the password, I entered it twice in the configure script originally, and then when I went to login (localhost:8080/apex, password not accepted.

I don't have anything in the database, I just want to install and use Oracle-XE. I have tried apt-get removing it twice and reinstalling, but if I try to run /etc/init.d/oracle-xe configure again and I get "Oracle Database 10g Express Edition is already configured" despite the second time removing any folders I could find for Oracle XE.

I tried running sqlplus "/ as sysdba" but all I get is:

Error 6 initializing SQL*Plus
Message file sp1<lang>.msb not found
SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software directory

I tried setting the variable via export. (also tried set).

Tried: export ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/xe/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/server/bin/sqlplus and all the subdirectories of that. Same error every time.

What is the ORACLE_HOME supposed to be set to? The only reference I have seen either just say general or say the above up to the version number then "/db_1". I do no thave a db_1.

Let me know if you need any clarification. I don't understand what I did wrong in this process.

I had the same issue. In my home folder I've got a script named sqlplus.sh that takes care of this for me, containing:

ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/xe/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/server
export ORACLE_HOME
ORACLE_SID=XE
export ORACLE_SID
NLS_LANG=`$ORACLE_HOME/bin/nls_lang.sh`
export NLS_LANG
PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH
export PATH
sqlplus /nolog

This is the right way to clear this error.

export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1 sqlplus / as sysdba

ORACLE_HOME needs to be at the top level of the Oracle directory structure for the database installation. From that point, Oracle knows how to find all the other files it needs. For example, the error message you get is because Oracle can't locate the message files to report errors with (should be in the various mesg directories below the oracle home. Instead of the above value you give, I would try

export ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/xe/app/oracle/product/10.2.0

After installing weblogic and forms server on a Linux machine we met some problems initializing sqlplus and tnsping. We altered the bash_profile in a way that the forms_home acts as the oracle home. It works fine, both commands (sqlplus and tnsping) are executable for user oracle

# .bash_profile

# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
    . ~/.bashrc
fi

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin

export JAVA_HOME=/mnt/software/java/jdk1.7.0_71
export ORACLE_HOME=/oracle/Middleware/Oracle_FRHome1
export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin:$ORACLE_HOME/bin
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/oracle/Middleware/Oracle_FRHome1/lib
export FORMS_PATH=$FORMS_PATH:/oracle/Middleware/Oracle_FRHome1/forms:/oracle/Middleware/asinst_1/FormsComponent/forms:/appl/myapp:/home/oracle/myapp

Had the same problem,

All i had to do whas set the oracle shell variable:

. /u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/xe/bin/oracle_env.sh

Sorterd!

Once I also got that same type of error.

I.E:

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2>SQLPLUS SYS AS SYSDBA
Error 6 initializing SQL*Plus
Message file sp1<lang>.msb not found
SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software directory

This error is occurring as the home path is not correctly set. To rectify this, if you are using Windows, run the below query:

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2>SET ORACLE_HOME=C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2>SQLPLUS SYS AS SYSDBA

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Tue Apr 16 13:17:42 2013

Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle.  All Rights Reserved.

Or if you are using Linux, then replace set with export for the above command like so:

C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2>EXPORT ORACLE_HOME='C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2'
C:\oracle\product\10.2.0\db_2>SQLPLUS SYS AS SYSDBA

SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Tue Apr 16 13:17:42 2013

Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle.  All Rights Reserved.

set <ORACLE_HOME> path variable

example

path ORACLE_HOME

value is C:\oraclexe\app\oracle\product\10.2.0\server

You have to set LANG as well, look for files named 'sp1*.msb', and set for instance export LANG=us if you find a file name sp1us.msb. The error message could sure be better :)