I think that you don't have a spfile in the default directory, as your on Windows there should be a spfile on.
ORACLE_HOME\database\spfiledba.ora (or whatever your sid is)
If you have create an SP file in another location then you will have to point to it in your create pfile command
sql > create pfile='c:\temp\init.ora' from spfile='c:\oracle\spfiledba.ora';
The reason that this worked on the other database is because the spfile had been created and the database was probably used it to start up (although as long as it exists then you don't have to be using it to run your command successfully)
You can use the command
SQL> SHOW PARAMETER SPFILE;
NAME TYPE VALUE
------- ----------- ------------------------------
spfile string %ORACLE_HOME%\DATABASE\SPFILE%
ORACLE_SID%.ORA
Hope this helps - get back if you need anything else
Allie
Last edited by alison; 10-21-2003 at 11:32 AM.
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