RMAN DUPLICATE from backup without Target or Catalog: How is the aux instance created? I am trying to duplicate an Oracle database based on backups to test if they can be used in case of complete system failure. Hence, I want to do this without a connection to the source database. I'm not using a Recovery Catalog.

I've read through all of the manual, but am stuck at step 7 of "Preparing to duplicate a database" on the fourth point:


  
  Start SQL*Plus and connect to the auxiliary instance as a user with SYSDBA or SYSBACKUP privileges.
  


The auxiliary server I am duplicating to is a clean empty installation with no database set up yet, as the manual mentions at Step 3:


  Install an Oracle Database that is the same release as the source database. Do not create a database; install the software only. 


Now, when running

sqlplus "/ as sysdba"


I get 

ORA-12560: TNS:protocol adapter error


Not entirely unexpected, as at no point have I set up a listener or Oracle service. So... what did I mis? Did I misunderstand the part about not creating a database? Is "a database" not the same as "an instance"? Did I overlook a part of the manual? And, what should I still install/create in order to have an "aux instance" i can start in nomount?

EDIT: This is in a Windows-server environment
That is the typical error message you get on Windows without properly setting up the environment.

While the steps in the manual may work flawlessly on Linux/UNIX, on Windows you need extra steps. On Windows, you need to create a service with oradim, start it (if it was not started), and after that you can use sqlplus / as sysdba.

The bare minimum is:

set ORACLE_HOME=...
set PATH=%ORACLE_HOME%\bin;%PATH%
set ORACLE_SID=test

oradim -new -sid test


This should automatically start the service, but if it did not:

sc start Oracleservicetest


And after the above, you can login to the idle instance with:

sqlplus / as sysdba