The Oratab file is in the /etc directory and can be read by everyone, I have copied the contents of the file below, there is really nothing in it.

# This file is used by ORACLE utilities. It is created by root.sh
# and updated by the Database Configuration Assistant when creating
# a database.

# A colon, ':', is used as the field terminator. A new line terminates
# the entry. Lines beginning with a pound sign, '#', are comments.
#
# Entries are of the form:
# $ORACLE_SID:$ORACLE_HOME::
#
# The first and second fields are the system identifier and home
# directory of the database respectively. The third filed indicates
# to the dbstart utility that the database should , "Y", or should not,
# "N", be brought up at system boot time.
#
# Multiple entries with the same $ORACLE_SID are not allowed.
#
#
# *:/opt/oracle920:N
# *:/opt/oracle920:N
*:/opt/oracle920:N

Can I manually update it with the service that I need to see, and if so can you post the sintax.

The listener is also in it's default location /opt/oracle920/network/admin - it's contents are

PORTALS =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS =
(COMMUNITY = tcp)
(PROTOCOL = tcp)
(Host = )
(Port = 10001)
)
)

SID_LIST_PORTALS =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(SID_NAME = PORTALS)
(ORACLE_HOME = /opt/oracle920)
)
)

T01 =
(ADDRESS_LIST =
(ADDRESS =
(COMMUNITY = tcp)
(PROTOCOL = tcp)
(Host = 10.0.0.101)
(Port = 11001)
)
)

SID_LIST_T01 =
(SID_LIST =
(SID_DESC =
(SID_NAME = T01)
(ORACLE_HOME = /opt/oracle920)
)
)
and the TNSnames.ora is
T01 = (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS_LIST=
(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=localhost)
(PORT=11001)))(CONNECT_DATA=(SID=T01)))

thomas =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = TCP)
(Host = 10.0.0.101)
(Port = 9001)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = THOMAS))
)


teach57 =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = TCP)
(Host = 10.23.0.6)
(Port = 11057)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = T57))
)

teach37 =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = TCP)
(Host = 10.23.0.6)
(Port = 11037)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = T37))
)

PORTALS.WORLD =
(DESCRIPTION =
(ADDRESS =
(PROTOCOL = TCP)
(HOST = 10.0.0.101)
(PORT = 10001)
)
(CONNECT_DATA = (SID = PORTALS))

They all look fine to me, and there isn't a connectivity problem as I can connect to PORTALS when I am stand alone,

Thanks for your continuing help.

Alison