Can't login as sysdba in oracle sqlplus Can't login as sysdba in oracle sqlplus oracle oracle

Can't login as sysdba in oracle sqlplus


connecting by $ sqlplus / as sysdba or SQL> conn / as sysdba mean connecting to the SYS schema implicitly.

That's the most privileged schema of Oracle, and because of this the Operating System of the machine where Oracle installed, trusts and accepts the main administration schema and no needs a password and a username.


On windows for / AS SYSDBA you need

  • the user to be part of the dba group, check using NET USERS YOUR_NAME_HERE
  • sqlnet.ora contains the line SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES = (NTS)
  • the dos session is started "AS ADMINISTRATOR"

The last one catches me out all the time.