The following SQL alternative is generated by DB Expert. You can try to see which on is fit for your enviroment.
Generated at (Date/Time)
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Source SQL */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt1 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ ALL_ROWS */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt2 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ FIRST_ROWS */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt3 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ FULL(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt4 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ ROWID(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt5 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ INDEX(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt6 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ INDEX_ASC(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt7 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ NO_INDEX(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt8 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ NO_MERGE(DBA_SEGMENTS) */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt9 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ RULE */ count(*)
from dba_segments
/*****************************************************************/
/*----------------------------------------*/
/* SQL NAME : Alt10 */
/*----------------------------------------*/
select /*+ CLUSTER */ count(*)
from dba_segments
http://www.itpub.net/viewthread.php?tid=58537&extra=&highlight=&page=3