Oracle 8i hash parallel update question

Question

Hello All,
Fairly new to Oracle (old Sybase guy). Using Oracle 8i. Trying to
get an update to run in parallel against a table. Partitioned the
table 4 ways using hash partitioining. Please see the following
query/plan. I am trying to determine if this query is actually running
in parallel or not from the plan? If it is not, what might be
preventing it from running in parallel? I would expect Oracle would
kick off one thread to update each of the four partitions of the
sales_tran_detail table.
Appreciated,
Jeff
UPDATE /*+ PARALLEL(sd, 4) */ SALES_TRAN_DETAIL_HASH SD
SET PRI_PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD = DECODE(9, 1,
PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD, 4, PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD, 7,
PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD, 10, PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD,
PRI_PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD),
PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD = '10', --If Monthly/Quarterly, then
'DROPOUT'
PUBLISHER_CALC_STAT_CHANGE_DT = '30-SEP-2006',
PUBLISHER_PROCESS_PERIOD_DT = '30-SEP-2006'
WHERE PUBLISHER_CALC_STATUS_CD IN ('09', '10', '30', '50')
AND EXISTS (SELECT 1
FROM SALES_TRAN_HEADER SH,
MCEF_INPUT_RPUPSALE MCEF
WHERE SH.SALES_PERIOD_DT <= '30-SEP-2006'
AND SD.SALES_PERIOD_DT = SH.SALES_PERIOD_DT
AND SD.BATCH_ID = SH.BATCH_ID
AND SD.AFFILIATE_ID = SH.AFFILIATE_ID
AND MCEF.DATAFILE_CD = 'D' -- Records in Error
AND MCEF.BATCH_ID IN (' ', SH.BATCH_ID)
AND MCEF.ALT_COPYRIGHT_IN = 'N'
AND SH.DISTRIBUTION_METHOD_CD =
MCEF.DISTRIBUTION_METHOD_CD
AND SH.AFFILIATE_ID = MCEF.AFFILIATE_ID
AND SD.AFFILIATE_ID = MCEF.AFFILIATE_ID
AND SD.CATLG_CORE_ID = MCEF.CATLG_CORE_ID
AND SD.CATLG_PFIX_ID = MCEF.CATLG_PFIX_ID)
EXPLAIN PLAN from QUEST:
1 Every row in the table Partitions accessed #1 - #4 is read.
2 All partitions of steps 1 were accessed..
3 Rows were retrieved using the unique index PRD1.SALES_TRAN_HEADER_P.
4 Rows from table PRD1.SALES_TRAN_HEADER were accessed using rowid got
from an index.
5 One or more rows were retrieved using index
PRD1.MCEF_INPUT_RPUPSALE_N1. The index was scanned in ascending order.
6 For each row retrieved by step 4, the operation in step 5 was
performed to find a matching row.
7 For the rows returned by step 6, filter out rows depending on filter
criteria.
8 For the rows returned by step 2, filter out rows depending on filter
criteria.
9 Rows were updated.
10 Rows were updated.

Answer 1

Thanks everyone for the responses on this. I have tried everything suggested thus far and still do not get what I can recognize as an explain plan that shows parallel execution or multiple threads when running. I would have thought the hint would have forced it to happen!
My parallel_max_servers is set to 6.
I copied in the header as stated in goodwithalls email.
I enabled parallel dml for the session and played with "..adaptive_multiuser_tuning".
I still get exactly the same plan as posted and still 1 thread. I wonder if Oracle just doesn't like doing updates vs. hash paritioned tables in 8i? It claims it does it vs. paritioned tables but maybe hash doesn't count.. or it wants me to create paritioned indexes too or something wierd..
Still lost on this one,
Any other thoughts anyone?
Thanks,
Jeff