These values and annotations are preceded by the comment signs (#), which prevent them from being processed. To activate a particular parameter, remove the preceding # sign. To clear a particular parameter, edit the initialization parameter file to add a comment sign. The sample file is called initsmpl.ora and is located in

ORACLE_HOME\admin\sample\pfile. 

If you installed a starter database, then the initialization parameter file used by the starter database is located in the same directory. You can use either initsmpl.ora or the starter database init.ora as a basis for creating a new Oracle Database initialization parameter file.

To use the sample file initsmpl.ora as part of the database creation:

Here are two examples of activation and de-activation of alternative parameters. Several initialization parameters are specified with three different values to create a small, medium, or large System Global Area, respectively. The parameter that creates a small SGA is active in this first example:

  db_block_buffers = 200  # SMALL 
# db_block_buffers = 550  # MEDIUM 
# db_block_buffers = 3200 # LARGE 

To create a medium-sized SGA, comment out the small parameter definition and activate the medium parameter definition. Edit the initialization parameter file as in this second example:

# db_block_buffers = 200  # SMALL 
  db_block_buffers = 550  # MEDIUM 
# db_block_buffers = 3200 # LARGE