How to Install Oracle 10g on Mac OS X

Oracle 10g has been certified on Mac OS X Leopard. I will explain Installation of Oracle 10.2.4 on Mac OS X 10.5.8.

Initial Requirements:

Make sure your Mac is updated and has 5GB of disk space and 1GB of RAM.

Oracle Installation requires compilers(gcc) which is not present with default Mac installation.So we need to install Xcode tool  which contain all the required programs and compilers.This tool can be install from OS X Disk or you can download from Apple Developer Connection.

Create required groups/users :

1.Create Oracle inventory group :

# dscl . -create /groups/oinstall

# dscl . -append /groups/oinstall gid 100

# dscl . -append /groups/oinstall passwd "*"

2.Create Oracle software owner :

# dscl . -create /users/oracle

# dscl . -append /users/oracle uid uid_number

# dscl . -append /users/oracle gid oinstall_gid

# dscl . -append /users/oracle shell /bin/bash

# dscl . -append /users/oracle home /Users/oracle

# dscl . -append /users/oracle realname "Oracle software owner"

3.Create the home directory for Oracle user as:

# mkdir /Users/oracle

# chown oracle:oinstall /Users/oracle

4.Set the password for Oracle user:

# passwd oracle

Change Default Kernel Parameters

Edit /etc/sysctl.conf and add the following

vi /etc/sysctl.conf

kern.sysv.semmsl=87381

kern.sysv.semmns=87381

kern.sysv.semmni=87381

kern.sysv.semmnu=87381

kern.sysv.semume=10

kernel.shmall=2097152

kernel.sys.shmmax=2147483648

kernel.sys.shmmni=4096

kern.maxfiles=65536

kern.maxfilesperproc=65536

net.inet.ip.portrange.first=1024

net.inet.ip.portrange.last=65000

kern.corefile=core

kern.maxproc=2068

kern.maxprocperuid=2068

The values are recommended by Oracle.Reboot machine for parameters to take effect.

Configure Oracle user’s environment 

Create .bash_profile and add the following.

# Must match kern.maxprocperuid

ulimit -Hu 2068

ulimit -Su 2068

# Must match kern.maxfilesperproc

ulimit -Hn 65536

ulimit -Sn 65536

export DISPLAY=:0.0

export ORACLE_BASE=/Users/oracle

export ORACLE_HOME=$ORACLE_BASE/product/10.2.0/db_1

export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib

export ORACLE_SID=ret123

PATH=$PATH:/$ORACLE_HOME/bin

You can specify SID of your choice.

Download db.zip and unzip it and run the Installer.

~oracle$Cd db/Disk1

~oracle$./runInstaller

You can perform standard or advanced installation.

You need to run couple of scripts as root user.

Make sure to set DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH to avoid errors related to different tools.

If your Mac is using DHCP (most likely) then you may see the error shown below:

~ oracle$ lsnrctl start

LSNRCTL for MacOS X Server: Version 10.2.0.4.0 - Production on 14-SEP-2010 14:48:49

 Copyright (c) 1991, 2007, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

 Starting /Users/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/bin/tnslsnr: please wait...

 TNSLSNR for MacOS X Server: Version 10.2.0.4.0 - Production

System parameter file is /Users/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/network/admin/listener.ora

Log messages written to /Users/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1/network/log/listener.log

Listening on: (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=ipc)(KEY=EXTPROC1)))

Error listening on: (DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=dhcp-usca14-133-197.SFBay.Sun.COM)(PORT=1521)))

TNS-12545: Connect failed because target host or object does not exist

 TNS-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error

  TNS-00515: Connect failed because target host or object does not exist

   MacOS X Server Error: 49: Can't assign requested address

Listener failed to start. See the error message(s) above...

Edit $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/listener.ora  to fix the error.

SID_LIST_LISTENER =

  (SID_LIST =

    (SID_DESC =

      (SID_NAME = PLSExtProc)

      (ORACLE_HOME = /Users/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1)

      (PROGRAM = extproc)

    )

    (SID_DESC =

      (SID_NAME = ret123)

      (ORACLE_HOME = /Users/oracle/oracle/product/10.2.0/db_1)

    )

  )

LISTENER =

  (DESCRIPTION_LIST =

    (DESCRIPTION =

      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = localhost)(PORT = 1521))

      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = IPC)(KEY = EXTPROC0))

    )

  )

We need to add new sid so that listener listen to new sid at port 1521. Changes are highlighted in bold.

Then also change ret123 alias definition in $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora :

RET123 =

  (DESCRIPTION =

    (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = localhost)(PORT = 1521))

    (CONNECT_DATA =

      (SERVER = DEDICATED)

      (SERVICE_NAME = ret123)

    )

  )

Save file and restart the listener.

Connect with sqlplus.

~oracle$ sqlplus /nolog

~oracle$conn /as sysdba

~oracle$ startup