6 Removing Oracle Database Software

Removing an Automatic Storage Management Instance

To remove an Automatic Storage Management (ASM) instance running in the Oracle home after the database has been removed, perform the following steps:

1. At the Windows command prompt, set the ORACLE_SID environment variable to the SID for the Automatic Storage Management instance. For example:

   SYSTEM_DRIVE:\> set ORACLE_SID=+ASM
   
   

2. Start SQL*Plus and connect to the Automatic Storage Management instance as the SYS user:

   SYSTEM_DRIVE:\> sqlplus sys/sys_password as sysdba
   
   

3. Enter the following command to determine whether any Oracle database instances are using the Automatic Storage Management instance:

   SQL> SELECT INSTANCE_NAME FROM V$ASM_CLIENT;
   
   

   This command lists all of the database instances that are using this Automatic Storage Management instance. This command only lists database instances that are running. It is possible that other instances are associated with the Automatic Storage Management instance, but they are not currently running.

   If you removed a database from this Oracle home but the output from the command shows that this Automatic Storage Management instance is supporting a database instance in another Oracle home, do not remove the Automatic Storage Management instance or the Oracle home.

4. If there are no database instances associated with this Automatic Storage Management instance, drop the disk group associated with this instance.

   Note:

   Dropping the Automatic Storage Management disk group makes the disk device available for use with another Automatic Storage Management instance, if required. However, all data in the disk group is lost. Make sure that no other database instance requires any data from this disk group before you drop it.

   1. Identify the disk groups associated with the Automatic Storage Management instance:

      SQL> SELECT NAME FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP;
      
      

   2. For each disk group that you want to delete, enter a command similar to the following:

      SQL> DROP DISKGROUP disk_group_name INCLUDING CONTENTS;
      
      

5. Shut down the Automatic Storage Management instance and exit SQL*Plus:

   SQL> SHUTDOWN
   SQL> EXIT
   
   

6. At the command prompt, enter the following command to remove the Automatic Storage Management service:

   ORADIM -DELETE -ASMSID +ASM
   
   

Removing Oracle Keys from the Microsoft Registry Editor

Oracle Universal Installer creates Windows services for Oracle components during installation but it does not delete all the services created by Oracle Net Configuration Assistant and Oracle Database Configuration Assistant during deinstallation. In addition, Oracle Universal Installer does not delete several other registry editor keys. You need to remove any existing registry keys manually by following the instructions in one of the following sections:

• Removing the Oracle Net Service Registry Key

• Removing All Oracle Registry Keys

Removing the Oracle Net Service Registry Key

To remove only the Oracle Net Service registry entry (if it exists):

1. Log in as a member of the Administrators group.

2. Make sure that you have stopped Oracle services by following the instructions in the "Stopping Oracle Services" section.

3. From a command prompt, enter the following command:

   SYSTEM_DRIVE:\> regedit
   
   

4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services and delete the OracleHOME_NAMETNSListener registry entry. Oracle Universal Installer automatically deletes all other Oracle Net services.

5. Exit the registry editor.

6. Restart your computer.

Removing All Oracle Registry Keys

To remove all Oracle registry keys from a computer:

1. Log in as a member of the Administrators group.

2. Make sure that you have stopped Oracle services by following the instructions in the "Stopping Oracle Services" section.

3. Start the registry editor at the command prompt:

   SYSTEM_DRIVE:\> regedit
   
   

4. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

5. Delete keys that begin with Ora, Oracle, Orcl, or EnumOra.

   This collection of keys includes those that begin with the following:

   • EnumOraHomes

   • OracleConfig

   • OracleDatabase

   • OracleHome

   • OracleInProcServer

   • OracleProcess

   • ORADC

   • ORAMMCCFG10

   • ORAMMCPMON10

   • OraOLEDB

   • OraPerfMon

   • ORCLMMC

   • ORCLSSO

6. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

7. Delete the ORACLE key.

8. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software.

9. Delete all Oracle keys, including Oracle-HOME_NAME entries under: Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Start Menu\Programs.

10. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and search for the ORACLE group key.

    Select ORACLE and note the value of the inst_loc key. This is the location of Oracle Universal Installer. The default location is c:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory. If this value is different, make a note of it so that you can delete it later.

11. Delete the ORACLE Group key.

12. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ODBC.

13. Expand all the subkeys under ODBC and remove any Oracle-related ODBC driver keys, except for the Microsoft ODBC for Oracle key.

    For example, the ODBC\ODBCINST.INI directory lists keys for each Oracle home.

14. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services.

15. Delete all keys under this branch that begin with Oracle or OraWeb.

16. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ Eventlog\Application.

17. Delete all keys under this branch that begin with Oracle.

18. Exit the registry editor.

19. Restart your computer.

Updating the System Variable Path

Check the Path environmental variable and remove any Oracle entries.

1. Open System from the Control Panel.

2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab, then click the Environment Variables button.

3. Select the system variable Path and edit the Path variable to remove any Oracle entries.

   For example, remove Oracle entries that contain ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME in the Path variable. You may see a Path variable that contains entries similar to the following:

   C:\oracle\products\10.2.0\db_1\bin;C:\oracle\products\10.2.0\db_1\jre\1.4.2\bin\client;C:\oracle\products\10.2.0\db_1\jre\1.4.2\bin
   
   

   If the JRE path was installed by Oracle, remove it.

4. If there is a CLASSPATH variable that was set for Oracle, delete it.

5. If there are any other Oracle variables set, remove them: ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID, TNS_ADMIN, JSERV, or WV_GATEWAY_CFG.

6. Save your changes and then exit the Control Panel.

Removing Oracle from the Start Menu

Check the Start menu for any Oracle entries and remove them.

Follow these steps:

1. Select Start, then Programs, and then Oracle - HOME_NAME.

2. Right-click Oracle - HOME_NAME, and from the menu, select Delete.

You can also remove Oracle menu entries by using the following method:

1. Right-click the Start button to display the pop-up menu.

2. Select the Explore All Users option.

3. Under Documents and Settings, expand the \Start Menu\Programs folder.

4. Right-click and delete the Oracle - HOME_NAME folder.

Removing Oracle Directories

After removing all Oracle registry keys and restarting the computer, delete any existing Oracle directories and files.

Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to delete the following directories:

1. Delete the SYSTEM_DRIVE:\Program Files\Oracle directory.

2. Delete all ORACLE_BASE directories on your hard drive.

3. If Oracle Universal Installer was installed in a location other than the default, delete this directory.

4. Remove any Oracle temporary directory files from SYSTEM_DRIVE:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\Temp.