ahh, but I recently restored a database from a cold backup, and it would not start because the existing (not backed up) redo logs did not sync with the restored datafiles. Nor could I drop them and create new ones. After more than a few anxious moments I finally found & used the alter database clear logfiles command and I was up & running, I immediatly altered my cold backup scripts so that they copied the online redo logs as well so they could be restored as well if need be.