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Learn Oracle - Download and Install, Part 1

© Lewis R Cunningham

This article will cover getting the Oracle 10g database from the Oracle Technology Network (OTN), http://otn.oracle.com/, and installing it on your computer.

If you have access to an already installed database and really aren't interested in any database administration, you can skip this article and pick up on my next article. However, having your own local database has many benefits: full control (you are the DBA), you can drop it and re-install anytime, etc. Running your own database is somewhat more complex than using one someone else is maintaining; I believe it's easy enough for anyone with a little hardware to do themselves, though.

I will be making the following assumptions:

• You have created an account on OTN and can download the software. Accounts are free. Go to http://otn.oracle.com and click on Register.
• You have a computer with Windows that supports Oracle 10g. In the following article, I will be working with Windows 2000 professional. The installation should work with Windows 2000 Professional, XP Professional or 2003. I have also installed on other Windows versions but I can't guarantee that will work for you.

  Check here, http://www.oracle.com/technology/support... , to make sure you are using a supported OS.

  If you want to install on Linux, see http://download-east.oracle.com/docs/htm... .

  If you have problems with Linux or any other OS issues, post in the discussion area and hopefully I, or someone else, will be able to walk you through it.

• Your computer has enough RAM and disk to run Oracle. Oracle's stated minimum is a 200 Mhz CPU and 256 Megabytes of RAM. In this article, I will be installing Oracle 10g on a Celeron 466 Mhz with 256 Megabytes of memory and a 20 gigabyte hard drive using Windows 2000. I would say this is the minimal hardware expectation.
• You have administrative access on your PC. Oracle requires changes that require this access to install.

If you have problems, post in the discussion area. Hopefully, we'll be able to get you over the problem.

Let's get some software!

Getting the software

Head to OTN and log in. The login link is in the top right corner of the screen.

Once you're logged in, head over to left menu bar and select Downloads. It's under services near the bottom. From there select, Database and then database 10g. On this screen, select the flavor of your OS. I'm downloading the version for Microsoft Windows 32bit.

Read the License and click off the check boxes. If you agree to the terms and are not a terrorist or anything, click the I agree button. This takes you to the download screen. We will worry about the companion CD at a later time. For now, just download the Complete Files at the top of the page.