FWIW : Here is what we have been doing to keep a tab on this oraInventory stuff and make 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 9.0.1 releases work on the same server with their respective patches etc.
1) Keep a separate oraInst.loc file for each release, by renaming it (oraInst.loc.816, oraInst.loc.817 etc) so that there is none with default name (oraInst.loc). 2) Prior to installing Oracle s/w, we set ORACLE_BASE to ORACLE_HOME, so that the oraInventory directory for that release is created in the respective ORACLE_HOME. By default it is created in ORACLE_BASE. (As Ron mentioned, there is a Note on Metalink about this. I forget the Note#. Sorry.) 3) Prior to patching a particular Oracle release, we rename the corresponding oraInst.loc.NNN file to the default name (oraInst.loc), set ORACLE_BASE to ORACLE_HOME, run Installer to apply the patch. Also, we create the 'oui' directory within the respective ORACLE_HOME. We let the Java VM stuff take Oracle's defaults. This process adds more work in the steps while applying patch sets. And we do need to *remember* to follow this process. But is has been working fine without any problems. We came up with this process when our patching of 8.1.6.2 aborted for some reason, but it left the oraInventory directory in a corrupted state and prevented me from re-running the patching process. Per Oracle Support, the corruption in oraInventory directory structures is irreparable, and I had to install 8.1.6.0 and start again. Hope this helps... Regards, - Kirti -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 8:09 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L You said: There isn't a separate orainventory for each ORACLE_HOME. A single orainst.loc file defines where orainventory is located, and the Not necessarily (and not recommended). It is very easy to setup an orainventory file for each installation. Check metalink for details. Ron Thomas Hypercom, Inc [EMAIL PROTECTED] "The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober." --William Butler Yeats. < stuff deleted > -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Deshpande, Kirti INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).