importing database

[jambu]

I have been given the task of setting up an oracle 10g database from an oracle ORA9I '.dat' file. I have been told that this has failed import before but apart from that I have no details (tables were created but there appears to be no data).

I need to know the following.

1) Do I need to delete the existing database before trying import again? If so, what is the preferred method?

2) How do I import this file? Is it a command line from sqlplus or is there a utility I can use.

3) Once I get an import failure (or if), where should I look for info?

Obviously I am not an oracle DBA, most of my oracle experience is writing select statements, so any help much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jambu]

Just in case anyone comes across my previous questions and is wondering about the same things, here is what I did.

1) I did not need to delete the existing database.

2) The import utility is called imp.exe and if you just run imp at the command line it will prompt you for the basic import info.

3) No failure so can't help there.