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How to start up the ASM instance when the spfile is misconstrued or lost

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The Problem

CRS and the ASM instance can not start up because the spfile is misconstrued or lost.

– Starting ASM instance fails with error:

SQL> startup;
ORA-00099: warning: no parameter file specified for ASM instance
ORA-00304: requested INSTANCE_NUMBER is busy

– Starting up the CRS services fails with error

# crsctl start crs
CRS-4640: Oracle High Availability Services is already active
CRS-4000: Command Start failed, or completed with errors

– Checked the GPnP profile and found that it referred to an spfile which did not exist in the ASM (or shared storage). For example:

$ cat /u01/app/11.2.0/grid/gpnp/gps-rac2/profiles/peer/profile.xml

The Solution

In our case the spfile indicated in the GPnP profile was not found in the ASM diskgroup.

# cat /u01/app/11.2.0/grid/gpnp/gps-rac2/profiles/peer/profile.xml

– In general to be able to start up the CRS properly. There should be a proper pfile or spfile to let the ASM instance startup and/or the gpnp profile should indicate to a proper spfile.

1. Create a new ASM pfile.

# cat ora_+ASM1.ora
+ASM1.asm_diskgroups='DATA','FRA'#Manual Mount
+ASM2.asm_diskgroups='DATA','FRA'#Manual Mount
*.asm_diskstring='/dev/rdsk/emcpower*'
*.asm_power_limit=1
*.diagnostic_dest='/mnt/crs/oracle'
*.instance_type='asm'
*.large_pool_size=12M
*.remote_login_passwordfile='EXCLUSIVE'

2. Start up the ASM instance on the first node:

$ export $ORACLE_SID=[asm instance name]
$ export $ORACLE_HOME=[full path of the asm home]
$ sqlplus / as sysdba

sql> startup pfile=[the full pathname of ora_+ASM1.ora]

The ASM instance shall start up properly

3. Check if the ASM diskgroups are mounted properly or not.

sql> select name,state from v$asm_diskgroup;

4. Create the spfile:

sql> create spfile='+DATA/../spfileasm.ora' from pfile='[the full path name of ora_+ASM1.ora]

5. In the GPnP profile we shall find that the spfile information set properly there.

# cat /u01/app/11.2.0/grid/gpnp/gps-rac2/profiles/peer/profile.xml

6. We need to stop and startup the CRS to make sure that the ASM and the CRS stack startup automatically without any issues.

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