Fixed – ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress

May 19, 2021 / By / 14 Comments

When you login into Oracle Database and it throws following error message:

ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress, then follow the below mentioned steps to solve this issue.

The following video is a practical demonstration to resolve ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress error.

As a DBA, you must know that Shutdown, Shutdown Immediate or Startup commands that are issued by database administrator with SYSDBA privileges.

If your database shutdown is in progress then wait for some time until the database is shutdown and start your database with Startup command.

C:\>sqlplus system/system
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Tue Nov 18 12:21:40 2013
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
ERROR:
ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress
Process ID: 0
Session ID: 0 Serial number: 0

To check the status of instance and database, login with SYSDBA privileges and follow the steps.

C:\>sqlplus
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Tue Nov 18 12:22:30 2013
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Enter user-name: / as sysdba
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Express Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 – Production
SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;
STATUS       DATABASE_STATUS
------------ -----------------
STARTED      ACTIVE

SQL> select open_mode from v$database;
select open_mode from v$database
                      *
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01507: database not mounted

Here we can see the instance is started but database is not mounted.

Now mount the database, if this succeeds then there is no problem.

SQL> alter database mount;
Database altered.
SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;
STATUS       DATABASE_STATUS
------------ -----------------
MOUNTED      ACTIVE
SQL> select open_mode from v$database;
OPEN_MODE
----------
MOUNTED

Database is mounted successfully but when you try to connect, you still get the same ORA-01033 error:

SQL> exit
Disconnected from Oracle Database 11g Express Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 – Production
C:\>sqlplus system/system
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Tue Nov 18 12:25:55 2013
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
ERROR:
ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress
Process ID: 0
Session ID: 0 Serial number: 0

When you open the database, you must ensure that database is opened in read write mode. Open your database with SYSDBA privileges and open the database.

Enter user-name: / as sysdba
SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.2.0 Production on Tue Nov 19 12:25:55 2013
Copyright (c) 1982, 2010, Oracle.  All rights reserved.
Connected to:
Oracle Database 11g Express Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
SQL> alter database open;
Database altered.
SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;
STATUS       DATABASE_STATUS
------------ -----------------
OPEN         ACTIVE
SQL> select open_mode from v$database;
OPEN_MODE
----------
READ WRITE

Now the database is opened in read write mode and your database is up. You can login with your user and can use your database.

14 thoughts on “Fixed – ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress”

  1. Sandeep Reddy

    thanks my problem is resolved thanks a lot

    Reply
  2. Mark Shanu

    How do i resolve this critical error please…i have not been able to use the DB for some days now:

    Enter user-name: sys as sysdba
    Enter password:

    Connected to:
    Oracle Database 11g Release 11.2.0.1.0 – 64bit Production

    SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;

    STATUS DATABASE_STATUS
    ———— —————–
    MOUNTED ACTIVE

    SQL> alter database open;
    alter database open
    *
    ERROR at line 1:
    ORA-00600: internal error code, arguments: [kcratr_nab_less_than_odr], [1],
    [613], [42759], [42760], [], [], [], [], [], [], []

    Reply
  3. Mark Shanu

    I did as was instructed but i got the error below:

    Enter user-name: sys as sysdba
    Enter password:

    Connected to:
    Oracle Database 11g Release 11.2.0.1.0 – 64bit Production

    SQL> select status, database_status from v$instance;

    STATUS DATABASE_STATUS
    ———— —————–
    MOUNTED ACTIVE

    SQL> alter database open;
    alter database open
    *
    ERROR at line 1:
    ORA-00600: internal error code, arguments: [kcratr_nab_less_than_odr], [1],
    [613], [42759], [42760], [], [], [], [], [], [], []

    SQL>

    what do i do to get working?

    Reply
    1. Musab

      Under this situation follow the following steps:

      SQL> startup mount

      ORACLE Instance started

      SQL> recover database

      Media recovery complete

      SQL> alter database open

      Database altered

      Reply
      1. Sameera Udakumbura

        I followed the steps in above video , but eventually I got the error which Mark Shanu had,

        after
        SQL> recovery database;

        I got an error as follows

        SQL> recovery database;
        ORA-00283: recovery session canceled due to errors
        ORA-00264:no recovery required

        Please Help….!!!

        Reply
  4. lloyd

    Please help with below

    ORA-01033: ORACLE initialization or shutdown in progress

    I installed oracle 10g and I getting the above error.before started to receive this error my installation complained about my password that has expired.I reused the password that I have and it worked but on subsequent login I got ORA-01033:. why should a password expire because I am using student licence with UNISA

    Reply
    1. Anil Kumar

      If your user password has been expired, first tell your sys administrator or dba rights user to renew your password using below command.
      Alter user identified by .
      Exp. – Alter user scott identified by tiger;

      Reply
  5. Krishna

    Hi,
    It’s worked.
    my export file name = tablexp.dmp .(my table name = ex)
    Now I want to delete my table from “SQL> drop table ex;” and I open/Import ex table again.(with SQL>select*from command).

    Reply
  6. Krishna

    How to save/Export my Table.I want copy my table into pen drive for further use,and paste my another computer.For example- when we use MS word and we save our files for further use or copy/move to another computer and open it.

    Reply
    1. Admin

      Hi Krishna,

      you can export your table using following command. There are many other ways also available where you can create a script and run in another database user. By this will be best for you.

      Open command prompt and issue following command after changing username, password, database and table names.

      For one table

      C:\>exp scott/tiger@xe tables=emp file=c:\tablexp.dmp log=c:\tableexp.log

      For two table

      C:\>exp scott/tiger@xe tables=emp,dept file=c:\tablexp.dmp log=c:\tableexp.log

      Just separate tables name with , and you can export many tables.

      Reply
  7. Krishna

    Thanks for suggestion.But how to commit on permanently ?

    Reply
    1. Admin

      Example:

      Insert into emp values (1,’TEST’);
      Commit;

      And you are done.

      Reply
  8. Krishna

    Hi,
    I am using oracle 9i-9.2 version.
    When I Insert new row into my table using Insert Into command from oracle SQL * plus GUI Editor,Then table Row created. but when I exit from SQL * plus GUI Editor and again log in then I can not find my table row with select*from command.the row can not automatically saved.

    Please solution this problem.

    Reply
    1. Admin

      Hi Krishna,

      When you insert any row in Oracle using SQL * Plus GUI Editor, it doesn’t make the changes permanent. You will have to commit when you finish your insert transaction.

      Check it out and write the feedback.

      Reply

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