Oracle log status is stale Solution

SQLDBA> SELECT * from v $ LOGFILE;

GROUP # STATUS MEMBER
-----------------------------------------------
1 STALE/Oracle/7.3.4/dbs/log1P734. dbf

2/oracle/7.3.4/dbs/log2P734. dbf

3/oracle/7.3.4/dbs/log3P734. dbf

Solution summary:

1. Do not forcibly close the database in the case of stale.

2. Check the log status several times to see if the stale status disappears.

3. If the query is invalid several times, you can switch the log.

4. Switch the log ownership and perform the forced checkpoint operation.

5. Continuously switch logs, force checkpoints, and query until the stale status disappears.

WARNING:

Do not issue a shutdown abort before going through steps 1 AND 2 BELOW.

Solution Description:
==================================

In general, the stale status of a redo log member shoshould not be a cause
Great concern, unless you observe that this happens frequently or
Systematically. Keep in mind that a stale log is not necessarily an invalid
Log, but more of an "in-doubt" one. Once the corresponding redo group becomes
The current one again, the stale status will go away by itself.

Here is the recommended procedure to deal with a stale redo log:

1. Issue the following query:

SELECT V2.GROUP #, MEMBER, V2.STATUS MEMBER_STATUS,
V1.STATUS GROUP_STATUS
From v $ LOG V1, V $ LOGFILE V2
WHERE V1.GROUP # = V2.GROUP # AND V2.STATUS = 'state ';

This will show you the group status for all stale log files.

2. For each stale log file,

2. a) If the GROUP_STATUS is 'inactive', do nothing. That implies
Oracle has already checkpointed past that redo group, and thus
Its contents are no longer needed for instance recovery.
Once the redo group becomes current again, the stale status
The log file will go away by itself.

2. B) If the GROUP_STATUS is 'active', go back to Step 1 and repeat
The query a few more times. This status usually means that
The log group is no longer the current one, but the corresponding
Checkpoint has not completed yet. Unless there is a problem,
The log group shoshould become inactive shortly.

2. c) If the GROUP_STATUS is 'current', force a log switch now.

Alter system switch logfile;

This will also force a checkpoint. If the checkpoint
Completes successfully, the contents of the redo group
Are no longer needed for instance recovery. Go back
Step 1 and repeat the query a few more times until
Log group becomes inactive.

IMPORTANT: If the stale logfile belongs to an active group
Or the current group (cases 2. B and 2.c abve), DO NOT ISSUE
A shutdown abort until the group becomes inactive.

3. Investigate the extent of the problem.

Examine the alert. log file for this instance and the LGWR
Trace file, if one can be found in your background_dump_dest.
See if there is any pattern to the problem. Do you see any
Recent errors, such as ORA-312, referencing that participant log
File? If so, there may be some sort uption problem with the file
Or a problem with the I/O subsystem (disk, controllers, etc .).
If you are running any other Oracle version on any other platform
If there is no pattern to the problem, it is more likely
Isolated incident.

4. If you are archiving, make sure the log has been correctly archived.

Before archiving a redo log group, the ARCH process actually
Verifies that its contents are valid. If that is not the case,
It issues an error such as ORA-255 ("error archiving log % s
Of thread % s, sequence # % s ". Therefore, if the log group
Which the stale member belongs has been successfully archived,
It means the redo contents of the group are good, and that
Archived log can be safely used for recovery. ARCH errors, if
Any, will be reported in your alert. log file and in an ARCH
Trace file.

Explanation:
================

A stale redo log file is one that Oracle believes might be incomplete for some
Reason. This typically happens when a temporary error prevents the LGWR
Background process from writing to a redo log group member. If Oracle cannot
Write to a redo log file at any one time, that log file can no longer be
Trusted, and Oracle marks it as "STALE". This indicates that the log file
Cannot be relied upon to provide all the data written to the log.