Validating Database Files and Backups

VALIDATE command to manually check for physical and logical corruptions in database files

VALIDATE DATABASE; -- validate all datafiles and control files (and the server parameter file if one is in use)
VALIDATE BACKUPSET 22;
VALIDATE DATAFILE 1 BLOCK 10;

Validating Database Files with BACKUP VALIDATE

BACKUP VALIDATE DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL; -- validate that all database files and archived logs can be backed up
BACKUP VALIDATE CHECK LOGICAL DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL; -- check for logical corruptions in addition to physical corruptions

Validating Backups Before Restoring Them

RESTORE DATABASE VALIDATE;
RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL VALIDATE;