unable to login oracle as sysdba I just got 11gR2 running and was able to conn as sysdba. I shutdown and started up the database to mount a new pfile. Now, I cannot login as sysdba. My parameter for password file is:

 *.remote_login_passwordfile='EXCLUSIVE'


I am using sqlplus within the server. This is not a remote connection.

[oracle@oel56 ~]$ sqlplus /nolog

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Tue Feb 5 22:50:46 2013

Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

SQL&gt; conn / as sysdba
ERROR:
ORA-01031: insufficient privileges


Here's some more information:

[oracle@oel56 ~]$ grep -E "ine SS_DBA|ine SS_OPER" $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/lib/config.c
#define SS_DBA_GRP "oracle"
#define SS_OPER_GRP "oracle"
[oracle@oel56 ~]$ id oracle
uid=500(oracle) gid=500(oracle) groups=500(oracle),54321(oinstall),54322(dba),54323(oper) context=user_u:system_r:unconfined_t
The problem was I was using the variable TWO_TASK. Once I unset the variable, I nolonger had issues logging in a sysdba.

$ unset TWO_TASK
$ sqlplus /nolog

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Wed Feb 6 02:51:55 2013

Copyright (c) 1982, 2009, Oracle.  All rights reserved.

SQL&gt; conn / as sysdba
Connected to an idle instance.
SQL&gt; startup;
ORACLE instance started.

Total System Global Area 1707446272 bytes
Fixed Size          1336988 bytes
Variable Size         989858148 bytes
Database Buffers      704643072 bytes
Redo Buffers           11608064 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL&gt; exit


I found the answer here.