There have been many questions regarding the fact that Oracle Workgroup Server
for WindowsNT does not startup automatically as it does on other desktop platforms.
Below is a simple workaround for this problem.

1. Start the Registry by executing the command REGEDT32.

2. Once in the registry, go down the following tree:

HKey_local_machine

software

microsoft

WindowsNT

current version

winlogon

3. Within the WINLOGON item, edit the SYSTEM entry and append a command line which
points to a startup command file (.CMD file), something like the following:

C:\ORANT\STARTDB.CMD

(Remember to separate the commands with a comma (,) delimiter)

4. Make sure in your SERVICES APPLET in the CONTROL PANEL that your Oracle services
are marked to start manually because the following command file will take care of
starting you services.

NOTE: If you use SQL*Net TCP/IP V1, leave that service setup to start automatically
in your services applet because there is no SID attached to that service.

Now, within your STARTDB.CMD (or whatever you want to call it) put a command line
that is similar to the following:

C:\ORANT\BIN\ORADIM71 -startup -sid orcl -usrpwd oracle -starttype srvc,inst

NOTE: This is just a sample line that will work for a SID called ORCL with the
database (authorization) password of ORACLE and is starting up both the services
and instance with the same command.

This will startup the database after the WindowsNT has booted, but before anyone
logs in.

NOTE: In step #4, if you are working with multiple instances/SID's, you will need to
repeat the command line for each instance/sid that you have created.

For more information, refer to "APPENDIX G" in the Oracle 7.1 IUG (Installation and
Users Guide) because there are many different variations of this command including
starting up sqlnet V2, edit, delete, etc.