How to correctly set the ORACLE_HOME variable on Ubuntu 9.x?

I have the same problem as listed here: How to recover or change Oracle sysdba password although I did not lose the password, I entered it twice in the configure script originally, and then when I went to login (localhost:8080/apex, password not accepted.

I don't have anything in the database, I just want to install and use Oracle-XE. I have tried apt-get removing it twice and reinstalling, but if I try to run /etc/init.d/oracle-xe configure again and I get "Oracle Database 10g Express Edition is already configured" despite the second time removing any folders I could find for Oracle XE.

I tried running sqlplus "/ as sysdba" but all I get is:

Error 6 initializing SQL*Plus
Message file sp1<lang>.msb not found
SP2-0750: You may need to set ORACLE_HOME to your Oracle software directory

I tried setting the variable via export. (also tried set).

Tried: export ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/xe/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/server/bin/sqlplus and all the subdirectories of that. Same error every time.

What is the ORACLE_HOME supposed to be set to? The only reference I have seen either just say general or say the above up to the version number then "/db_1". I do no thave a db_1.

Let me know if you need any clarification. I don't understand what I did wrong in this process.

Usually the msb file not found problems are the result of an environment setting problem, but in your case I'm a little suspicious of the installation (I've never used the apt-get + configure method).

To check the sanity of the installation:

• ORACLE_HOME should be set to a directory path one level above the bin directory where sqlplus executable is found.
• There should some .msb files under $ORACLE_HOME/sqlplus/mesg
• There should be hundreds (not sure of the number with XE) of .msb files under $ORACLE_HOME (try find $ORACLE_HOME -name "*.msb" -print to show them)
• Your PATH should include $ORACLE_HOME/bin.
• All files under ORACLE_HOME should be owned by user:oracle group:dba.

I had the same issue. In my home folder I've got a script named sqlplus.sh that takes care of this for me, containing:

ORACLE_HOME=/usr/lib/oracle/xe/app/oracle/product/10.2.0/server
export ORACLE_HOME
ORACLE_SID=XE
export ORACLE_SID
NLS_LANG=`$ORACLE_HOME/bin/nls_lang.sh`
export NLS_LANG
PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH
export PATH
sqlplus /nolog