Instructions for Installing Oracle DBMS in Ubuntu VM

These install instructions are adapted from Me and My Ubuntu blog.

1. Download VirtualBox
Download the VirtualBox application for your host machine type from the virtual box download site.

2. Install VirtualBox
Doubleclick on the downloaded installer and follow the instructions.

3. Download Ubuntu
Download Ubuntu Desktop Edition (14.04 64 bit version). Note the directory where you downloaded it.

4. Start the VirtualBox application
5. Create a virtual machine (VM) and install Ubuntu
Make sure that you set the memory of the VM to be greater than 2GB and the storage of the VM to be at least 10GB. See screencast

6. Clone backups of your Ubuntu VM
See screencast

7. Download Oracle Database Express Edition
Download Oracle Database Express Edition 11g Release 2 for Linux x64.
See screencast

8. Follow pre-install instructions
See screencast, but note that the screencast did not include the last step before REBOOT listed below. You should execute the commands in the last step.

Unzip using the command:
unzip oracle-xe-11.2.0-1.0.x86_64.rpm.zip 
Install required packages using the command:
sudo apt-get install alien libaio1 unixodbc
Convert RPM package format to DEB package format (that is used by Ubuntu) using the command:
sudo alien --scripts -d oracle-xe-11.2.0-1.0.x86_64.rpm
Create the required chkconfig script using the command::
sudo pico /sbin/chkconfig
The pico text editor is started and the commands are shown at the bottom of the screen. Now copy and paste the following into the file and save:

#!/bin/bash
# Oracle 11gR2 XE installer chkconfig hack for Ubuntu
file=/etc/init.d/oracle-xe
if [[ ! `tail -n1 $file | grep INIT` ]]; then
echo >> $file
echo '### BEGIN INIT INFO' >> $file
echo '# Provides: OracleXE' >> $file
echo '# Required-Start: $remote_fs $syslog' >> $file
echo '# Required-Stop: $remote_fs $syslog' >> $file
echo '# Default-Start: 2 3 4 5' >> $file
echo '# Default-Stop: 0 1 6' >> $file
echo '# Short-Description: Oracle 11g Express Edition' >> $file
echo '### END INIT INFO' >> $file
fi
update-rc.d oracle-xe defaults 80 01
Change the permission of the chkconfig file using the command:
sudo chmod 755 /sbin/chkconfig  
Set kernel parameters. Oracle 11gR2 XE requires additional kernel parameters which you need to set using the command:
sudo pico /etc/sysctl.d/60-oracle.conf
Copy the following into the file and save:
# Oracle 11g XE kernel parameters  
fs.file-max=6815744  
net.ipv4.ip_local_port_range=9000 65000  
kernel.sem=250 32000 100 128 
kernel.shmmax=536870912 
Verify the change using the command:
sudo cat /etc/sysctl.d/60-oracle.conf 
You should see what you entered earlier. Now load the kernel parameters:
sudo service procps start
Verify the new parameters are loaded using:
sudo sysctl -q fs.file-max
You should see the file-max value that you entered earlier.
Set up /dev/shm mount point for Oracle. Create the following file using the command:
sudo pico /etc/rc2.d/S01shm_load
Copy the following into the file and save.
#!/bin/sh
case "$1" in
start) mkdir /var/lock/subsys 2>/dev/null
       touch /var/lock/subsys/listener
       rm /dev/shm 2>/dev/null
       mkdir /dev/shm 2>/dev/null
       mount -t tmpfs shmfs -o size=2048m /dev/shm ;;
*) echo error
   exit 1 ;;
esac 
Change the permissions of the file using the command:
sudo chmod 755 /etc/rc2.d/S01shm_load
[This step was not included in the screencast, but you should do it.] Execute the following commands:
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/awk /bin/awk 
sudo mkdir /var/lock/subsys 
sudo touch /var/lock/subsys/listener 
REBOOT your Ubuntu VM.
9. Install Oracle
See screencast for a recording of the following steps.

Install the oracle DBMS using the command:
sudo dpkg --install oracle-xe_11.2.0-2_amd64.deb
Configure Oracle using the command:
sudo /etc/init.d/oracle-xe configure 
Enter the following information:
A valid HTTP port for the Oracle Application Express (the default is 8080)
A valid port for the Oracle database listener (the default is 1521)
A password for the SYS and SYSTEM administrative user accounts
Confirm password for SYS and SYSTEM administrative user accounts
Whether you want the database to start automatically when the computer starts (next reboot).
Setup environment variables by editting your .bashrc file:
pico ~/.bashrc
Add the following lines to the end of the file:
export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/xe
export ORACLE_SID=XE
export NLS_LANG=`$ORACLE_HOME/bin/nls_lang.sh`
export ORACLE_BASE=/u01/app/oracle
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH
Load the changes by executing your profile:
. ~/.profile
Start the Oracle 11gR2 XE:
sudo service oracle-xe start
Add user YOURUSERNAME to group dba using the command
sudo usermod -a -G dba YOURUSERNAME
10. Using the Oracle XE Command Shell
See screencast for a recording of the following steps.

Start the Oracle XE 11gR2 server using the command:
sudo service oracle-xe start
This step is most likely not necessary, but I am documenting the command here anyway.
Start command line shell as the system admin using the command:
sqlplus sys as sysdba
Enter the password that you gave while configuring Oracle earlier. You will now be placed in a SQL environment that only understands SQL commands.
Create a regular user account in Oracle using the SQL command:
create user USERNAME identified by PASSWORD;
Replace USERNAME and PASSWORD with the username and password of your choice. Please remember this username and password. If you had error executing the above with a message about resetlogs, then execute the following SQL command and try again:
alter database open resetlogs
Grant privileges to the user account using the SQL command:
grant connect, resource to USERNAME;
Replace USERNAME and PASSWORD with the username and password of your choice. Please remember this username and password.
Exit the sys admin shell using the SQL command:
exit;
Start the commandline shell as a regular user using the command:
sqlplus
You will be prompted for a username and password. Once authenticated, you will be able to type in the standard SQL commands learned in class.
11. Clone your VM if everything was successful!

Source: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~lipyeow/ics321/2015spr/installoracle11g.html