B Using Response Files

B.1.1 General Procedure for Using Response Files

The following are the general steps to install and configure Oracle products using Oracle Universal Installer in silent mode:

1. Verify that the oraInst.loc file exists in the /etc directory.

2. Prepare a response file.

3. Run Oracle Universal Installer in silent mode.

B.2.1 Prepare the Response File

Oracle Database Vault comes with a response file template (dv.rsp) that you can edit to customize your installation. You can use this response file for silent mode installations.

The dv.rsp file is located in the response directory on the installation media. Use the following steps to copy and modify the response file:

1. Copy the response file from the response directory to a directory on your system.

   $ cp /directory_path/response/dv.rsp local_directory
   

   In this example, directory_path is the path to the database directory on the installation media. local_directory is the path to a directory on your disk.

2. Open the response file in a text editor:

   $ vi local_directory/dv.rsp
   

   The response file contains variables that store information required by Oracle Universal Installer. You must set these variable values in the file. For example, you must specify values for the Oracle home location, Database Vault owner name, and other such information required by Oracle Universal Installer.

   The response file contains two parts. You should edit the variables only in the first part. The second part of the file contains preset variables, which must not be edited. This instruction is also provided in the response file.

   Some of the variables are mandatory while others are optional. The mandatory variables must be supplied for a successful installation. Each variable is explained within the response file. Examples are also provided within the response file.

   The following excerpt from the response file shows instructions related to setting the Oracle home variable:

   #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   --
   #Name       : ORACLE_HOME
   #Datatype   : String
   #Description: Complete path of the existing 10.2.0.5.0 database Oracle
   #             Home into which Oracle Database Vault will be installed.
   #
   #Requirement: 1) Must have Oracle Database Enterprise Edition release 
   #                10.2.0.5.0 installed.
   #             2) Must have Oracle Enterprise Manager Console DB version
   #                10.2.0.5.0 installed. 
   #             3) Cannot contain an Automatic Storage Management(ASM) instance.
   #             4) Cannot contain Oracle Database Vault.
   #
   #Example: ORACLE_HOME = "C:\OHOME1"
   #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   --
   ORACLE_HOME=Value Required
   

   Lines starting with a pound sign (#) are comment entries. If you want to omit an optional variable, you can comment it by adding a pound sign (#) at the beginning of the line. You cannot comment lines containing mandatory variables, like ORACLE_HOME.

   Remember that you can specify sensitive information, such as passwords, at the command line rather than within the response file. "How Response Files Work" explains this method.

   See Also:

   Oracle Universal Installer and OPatch User's Guide for detailed information on creating response files.

3. Follow the instructions in the file to edit it. Save and close the file.

   Note:

   Oracle Universal Installer fails if you do not correctly configure the response file. Refer to the "Troubleshooting Silent Mode Installation" section for more information about troubleshooting a failed silent mode installation.

4. Change the permissions on the file to 700:

   $ chmod 700 /local_dir/response_file.rsp
   

   Caution:

   A fully specified response file for an Oracle Database Vault installation contains the passwords for database administrative accounts. Ensure that only the Oracle software owner user can view or modify response files or consider deleting them after the installation succeeds.

B.2.2 Run Oracle Universal Installer Using the Response File

Now, you are ready to run Oracle Universal Installer at the command line, specifying the response file you created, to perform the installation. The Oracle Universal Installer executable, runInstaller, provides several options. For help information on the full set of these options, run runInstaller with the -help option. For example:

$ directory_path/runInstaller -help

To run Oracle Universal using a response file:

1. Complete the preinstallation tasks listed in Chapter 2, "Installing Oracle Database Vault".

   See Also:

   Frequently Asked Questions in the Database Vault Release Notes for a checklist of the preinstallation requirements

2. Log in as the Oracle software owner user (typically oracle).

3. To start Oracle Universal Installer in silent mode, enter a command similar to the following:

   Note:

   Do not specify a relative path to the response file. If you specify a relative path, Oracle Universal Installer fails.

   • $ /directory_path/runInstaller -silent -responseFile responsefilename
     

   In this example:

   • directory_path is the path to the database directory on the DVD or the path to the Disk1 directory on the hard disk.

   • -silent indicates that you want to run Oracle Universal Installer in silent mode.

   • responsefilename is the full path and file name of the installation response file that you configured.

   Note:

   For more information about other options for the runInstaller command, enter the following command:

   $ /directory_path/runInstaller -help