how do i connect oracle 6i to oracle 8 database

I have a oracle tools cd pack for oracle developer forms/reports and have installed the programs and the oracle 8i personnel database but cant get the system to connect to the database.
It has been several years since i last used this and cant find any documentation at oracle support on how to establish the connection.
i have this installed on windows xp home.
does anyone know the steps required to get this up and running?
I am trying to refresh my skills for a job and this would be most helpfull.
Thanks
dna

Easy : Developer 6i uses NET8 to connect, just config NET8 - you could use the Easy Config tool, but I had many many problems with it in Windows XP (after all, it is a very very old applet, written many moons before XP), so I do the config myself, editing SQLNET.ORA e TNSNAMES.ORA files manually : just remember, the files are in %DEVELOPER_HOME%NET80/admin .

[]s

Chiappa

I removed everything and reinstalled just the database and was able to connect to the database using sql and the net8, right after the install , then i rebooted the computer and find that i cannot connect to the database, when i try using net 8 to test the connection or using sql i get the error: ora-01034 oracle not avaliable. what causes this?

How to Install oracle 6i 8i on windows xp
I was getting error ora-01034 and could not connect to database on computer restart
Found oracle 8i not certified by oracle to run on windows xp
The problem is the oracle service database_home was hanging is the startup state

Solution
1. install developer 6i to default_home (dir orant)
2. install oracle personnel edition database to default_home2 (dir oracle_data)
3. reboot
4. create a new database (start, oracle-default_home2, database admin, oracle admin)
5. reboot
6. rename orant\net80\admin\tnsnames.ora *.oldora
7. copy oracle_data\network\admin\tnsnames.ora to orant\net80\admin\*
8. edit orant\net80\admin\sqlnet.ora and change the line names.default_domain = world to # line names.default_domain = world
9. change service startup for both oracleservices to manual (start, settings, control panel, administrative tools, services )
10. reboot
11. start service for the second database you created when it has started start the original database service
12. now you can connect to database from developer

"I am trying to refresh my skills for a job and this would be most helpfull."
Why would you try to 'refresh' skills using products that Oracle no longer supports ?
I'd start by dumping Oracle 8i and downloading a copy of Oracle 10gR2 Express Edition (XE)