check the dbora file under /etc/init.d and make sure that you are starting it there...

Code:
Sample
------
#!/bin/sh

ORA_HOME=/usr/local/oracle/app/oracle/product/8.1.7
ORA_OWNER=oracle

if [ ! -f $ORA_HOME/bin/dbstart ]
then
 echo "Oracle startup cannot start, because the ORA_HOME/bin does not have t
he dbstart file"
 exit
fi


case "$1" in
'start')

# Start the oracle databases:
# The following command does not prompt the oracle
# user for any values.

su - $ORA_OWNER -c "$ORA_HOME/bin/lsnrctl start"
su - $ORA_OWNER -c "$ORA_HOME/bin/dbstart"
;;
'stop')

# Stop the oracle databases:
# The following command does not prompt the oracle
# user for any values
su - $ORA_OWNER -c "$ORA_HOME/bin/lsnrctl stop"
su - $ORA_OWNER -c "$ORA_HOME/bin/dbshut"
;;
esac
Sam