RMAN-04014: startup failed: ORA-07446: sdnfy: bad value

Problem Description
While performing disaster recovery to a new host, you need to start the database in nomount sate(in fact to restore control file) but database could not start in nomount state because it fails with RMAN-04014, ORA-07446.

RMAN> startup force pfile='/oradata2/arjudbapfile.ora';

RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-00569: =============== ERROR MESSAGE STACK FOLLOWS ===============
RMAN-00571: ===========================================================
RMAN-03002: failure of startup command at 08/28/2008 15:03:44
RMAN-04014: startup failed: ORA-07446: sdnfy: bad value '/oracle/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/admin/arjudba/udump' for parameter user_dump_dest.

Cause of The Problem
The path /oracle/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/admin/arjudba/udump as shown in output does not exist. Oracle itself does not create any path if a path does not exist. So, you have to change the value of user_dump_dest in the initialize parameter.

Solution of The Problem
If you use pfile to start your database then edit the pfile with any editor (for example vi on unix) and either change the location of user_dump_dest or remove the parameter user_dump_dest from pfile. And then perform startup.


If you like to use spfile then first create pfile from spfile, then edit the pfile and then create spfile from the pfile, like.

1.Create pfile from spfile.
SQL> create pfile='1.pfile' from spfile='/oracle/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/dbs/spfilearju.ora';

2.Edit the pfile.
SQL>!vi 1.pfile

Remove the entry of user_dump_dest or add valid entry.

3.Create spfile from pfile.
SQL>create spfile from pfile='1.pfile';

4.start the database.
SQL>STARTUP NOMOUNT