Using control files

[jason adam]

I've been creating a test Oracle database, but can't get it to mount. It keeps giving errors about the control files. When looking through my init.ora, it showed the path to the ctl files it expected. However, those files weren't there. So I copied some from an existing database, but of course those control files point to that database, not the new one. Can I modify these control files to point to the new database, or is there a way to create new control files?
Thanks!
Jason

[Prem Somasekaram]

Controlfiles are unique for each database and have updated data specific for that database such as database name, checkpoint information, timestamp info, log sequence, and locations of data files so even if we copy from an existing database, it�ll still not work. I�d recommend creating new control files by starting the database in nomount mode only and issuing the CREATE CONTROLFILE statement. Please also make sure that you have more than one set of control files by defining it in init.ora.

Regards,
Prem