Problem with SYSDBA/SYSOPER levels of access

[Alerik]

HEEELLLLPPPP!!!

I've been handed an install of Oracle-8; unpatched as far as I know (Apart from the call-alloc software running on top).
Currently, I'm desperatly trying to get a backup job out of it, without downing thr Oracle (We're a 24/7 shop).
Fairly straight forward, I thought, having RTFM and gone through the stuff on the oracle site..

However,
The sys and system account will not allow me to log in with SYSDBA or SYSOPER priviliges:
I can log in as 'Normal' with both accounts, so I know the passwords are correct.
I've tried this from the log-in dialog box (Running on NT..)
and from a SQL-prompt,
from the server (logged in as administrator) and
from a remote-workstation.
I've also tried using OS authentication, after changing the Remote_loggin password in the iniseed.ora file.

Basically, I've tried everything I can think of, but I'm an MS-SQL admin, not an Oracle one !
Help !!

 

[Alerik]

Though I should mention, I've alos tried logging in as 'internal',
this gives me the crypic error ORA-00000, normal, operation sucessful

And drops me back to the login prompt !

 

[Alerik]

Managed to get this sorted-
so thought I'd post in case someone else has the same
prob-

All the doc's etc list the sys and system passwords,
and give the 'internal' password as null:

connect internal/oracle as sysdba

finally got me in....