Backing Up the Database

Note:

If ARCHIVELOG mode is on, the script performs an online backup. The database is available during the backup.

If ARCHIVELOG mode is off, the script performs an offline backup. The database is shut down during the backup and restarted afterwards. Your applications are unavailable during the backup.

To back up the database:

Do one of the following:
- On Windows: Log in to the Oracle Database XE host computer as a user who is a member of the ORA_DBA user group. This is typically the user that installed Oracle Database XE.
- On Linux: Log in to the Oracle Database XE host computer as a user who is a member of the dba user group. This is typically the oracle user.
See "Operating System Authentication" for more information.
Do one of the following:
- On Windows: Click Start, point to Programs (or All Programs), point to Oracle Database 10g Express Edition, and then select Backup Database.
- On Linux with Gnome: In the Applications menu, point to Oracle Database 10g Express Edition, and then select Backup Database.
- On Linux with KDE: Click the icon for the K Menu, point to Oracle Database 10g Express Edition, and then select Backup Database.
A console window opens so that you can interact with the backup script.

If running in ARCHIVELOG mode, the script displays the following output:
```
Doing online backup of the database.
```
If running in NOARCHIVELOG mode, the script displays the following output:
```
Backup in noarchive log mode will shutdown and re-start the database. Are you sure [Y/N]?
```
If prompted, answer y to confirm the database shutdown and begin the backup.

After the backup is complete, the script displays the following output:
```
Backup of the database suceeded.
Log file is at location
Press any key to exit
```
where location is the location of the log file.
Press any key to close the Backup Database window.

Logs containing the output from the last two backups are stored in the locations listed in Table: Backup Script Output Log Locations.

Backup Script Output Log Locations

Platform Location

Platform	Location
Linux	`$HOME/oxe_backup_current.log` `$HOME/oxe_backup_previous.log`
Windows	`C:\ORACLEXE\APP\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\SERVER\DATABASE\OXE_BACKUP_CURRENT.LOG.` `C:\ORACLEXE\APP\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\SERVER\DATABASE\OXE_BACKUP_PREVIOUS.LOG.`

Linux

$HOME/oxe_backup_current.log

$HOME/oxe_backup_previous.log

Windows

C:\ORACLEXE\APP\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\SERVER\DATABASE\OXE_BACKUP_CURRENT.LOG.

C:\ORACLEXE\APP\ORACLE\PRODUCT\10.2.0\SERVER\DATABASE\OXE_BACKUP_PREVIOUS.LOG.

You can review the output of the two most recent backup attempts in the files OXE_BACKUP_CURRENT.LOG and OXE_BACKUP_PREVIOUS.LOG.