Import Database from Oracle .DBF files

There are 3 alternatives:

• create a new controlfile and try to add those file in one or more tablespaces, they look part of a partitioned object (you might want to use dbverify before running create controlfile)

• use UNIX strings command, this should recover some information, but not all...

• use the BBED tool as documented here: http://orafaq.com/papers/dissassembling_the_data_block.pdf this is a powerful tool but takes a bit of time to master

Also, if you have Oracle Support contract you might try contacting them, it is their format, it is the easiest path to "success".. but probably the most expensive.

The information about database data files and online redo log files along with their paths is stored in the control file(s). The information about the control file path is stored in initialization parameter file (pfile) or in server parameter file (spfile).

So if you moved your data files, online redo log files and/or control file(s) you should update the paths in the appropriate files to reflect the changes before you can mount and open the database.

First, you alter you parameter file with new information after you successfully started the instance:

SQL> startup nomount;
SQL> alter system set control_files = '/oracle/data/control.dbf';

Then you mount the database so control file can be read and written:

SQL> alter database mount;

After database is mounted you can use RENAME FILE command to set the new pats to data files and online redo log files:

SQL> alter database rename file '/u01/data/sysaux.dbf'
  to '/oracle/data/sysaux.dbf';


SQL> alter database rename file '/u01/data/redo_1a.dbf'
  to '/oracle/data/redo_1a.dbf';

If your online redo is damaged – you didn't specify redo log files names in the list – and database was not shut down orderly, then data files and control file(s) are in inconsistent state and the only way to open your database is to restore and recover it from a previous backup.