Oracle 11.2.0.3 in Windows Server 2008 64 bits.
I try to set up archive mode in a database:
C:\Users\Admin>SET ORACLE_SID=BDSPROD
C:\Users\Admin>SQLPLUS /nolog
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.3.0 Production on Thu Oct 25 12:28:59 2012
Copyright (c) 1982, 2011, Oracle. All rights reserved.
SQL> connect sys/oracle as sysdba
Connected.
SQL> select log_mode from v$database;
LOG_MODE
NOARCHIVELOG
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET log_archive_start=TRUE SCOPE=spfile;
System altered.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET log_archive_dest='D:\oradata\BDSPROD\archivelogs\' SCOPE=spfile;
System altered.
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
ORA-01012: not logged on
SQL> STARTUP MOUNT;
ORA-32004: obsolete or deprecated parameter(s) specified for RDBMS instance
ORACLE instance started.
Total System Global Area 6781128704 bytes
Fixed Size 2268064 bytes
Variable Size 3539993696 bytes
Database Buffers 3221225472 bytes
Redo Buffers 17641472 bytes
Database mounted.
SQL> ARCHIVE LOG START;
Statement processed.
SQL> ALTER DATABASE ARCHIVELOG;
Database altered.
SQL> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
Database altered.
SQL> alter system switch logfile;
System altered.
SQL> select log_mode from v$database;
LOG_MODE
ARCHIVELOG
However, there is no archived redo logs generated in folder: D:\oradata\BDSPROD\archivelogs\
I also tried with SET log_archive_dest='D:\oradata\BDSPROD\archivelogs' (without last "\"), but same behaviour, no archived redo log is created
Best Answer
Perhaps this from the Oracle Database Reference will be useful: