let me start off with the reason my create database statement fails: the password file isn't there. i get an ORA-01990 saying it can't find /app/oracle/product/8.1.6/dbs/orapw .

i know it's not there, and i think i know how to create one (use orapw, output to the file it's looking for or a different one and specify it in my environment).

however i just wanted to use OS authentication, i don't know why it's looking for an orapw file. i set my REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE environment variable to equal NONE (which is default anyway), which should just denote that i'm using OS authentication, but it's still yelling about the missing orapw file.

anyone have any guesses as to why? system is solaris, database is 8.1.6. only password related environment variable set is the REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE=NONE.

thanks for any ideas.