My Oracle 10 installation worked well enough to get a SQL prompt and make some tables.

I tried some utilities like Quest Toad. Then, I couldn't get into SQLPlusW, or at least the login info didn't work.

After many attempts at reinstalling from CD and from CD files copied to my hard disk, then uninstalling, then stopping services, then starting a new User, etc. I still get either a TNS: Protocol Adapter Error.

I'll try to attach some screen images.

Here's my configuration. Windows 2000 Pro. During installation I can choose Enterprise / Standard / Personal. I am not connecting through a network or internet. Everything runs on my local hard disk.

I select Personal. I created several sample files, one each time I reinstalled. The last one is named sept18. I login as DBSNMP with a password of zzzz (4 lowercase z's),

When it worked, the 3rd slot for Host String was blank.

I've manually added the path to the Environment Variable and "set Oracle_SID=sept18".

Help is appreciated.

Thanks.
- CarlD

Try this,

Open a DOS window and type the following:

tnsping '(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=adsl-75-50-111-217.dsl.lsan03.sbcglobal.nelnet)(PORT=1521))

If you get a reply, the TNS entry name for the "instance" is correct.

However I don't see a SID in your TNSNAMES.ORA file? You should have the SID entry specified in there like:

(CONNECT_DATA =
(SID =?? )
where?? = your SID

I believe you have to specifiy the SID name in the tnsnames.ora file if you are executing an application like SQLPLUS if you have this entry in your SQLNET.ORA file:

NAMES.DIRECTORY_PATH= (TNSNAMES)

Cheers