Hi, Actually, I tried stopping server by 'kill `cat /opt/pgsql/data/postmaster.pid`. This did not work. So I used kill -9 on Red Hat 4.
This is a test database where we are in the process of setting up. So it does not have live data. Still I do agree, it was not a good idea. Now, do I have to re-install PostgreSQL or is there any way out? Server configuration is default. Only change from default is allowing tcp/ip connections. Regards, Kakoli > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Craig Ringer > Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 11:09 AM > To: Kakoli Sen > Cc: pgsql-general@postgresql.org > Subject: Re: [GENERAL] Problem with starting PostgreSQL server 7.4.19 > > > Kakoli Sen wrote: > > Hello all, > > It was running fine initially and the database was > lying idle for a > > few days. Today I looged into the machine and restarted the server by > > killing the process by 'kill -9 pid'. And then restarted it by > > 'postmaster -i -D /opt/pgsql/data/'. > > > Why did you use `kill -9' ? Was it not responding to `kill -15' ( ie > SIGTERM, kill -TERM ) or shutdown using the init script? > > SIGKILL, ie signal 9, terminates the process without giving it a chance > to clean its state up. It gets no chance to write out buffered data, > mark data files as clean, or take any other safe shutdown actions. It's > a REALLY REALLY BAD IDEA to do this on a database server, though it > should still be able to recover if it's configured to operate with fsync > enabled etc. > > Then it gives the following error on stdout : > > > > LOG: database system was interrupted at 2008-03-06 14:15:17 IST > > LOG: record with incorrect prev-link 1/0 at 0/A4EB08 > > LOG: invalid primary checkpoint record > > LOG: record with incorrect prev-link 42FD/0 at 0/A4EAC8 > > LOG: invalid secondary checkpoint record > > PANIC: could not locate a valid checkpoint record > Ouch. It can't handle either of the checkpoints, and so it can't load > the database. > > I don't know what database repair tools exist, but personally at this > point I'd be glad my backups are always kept up to date. > > What is the problem? It was running fine all this time. > > > I suspect that killing it without giving it a chance to do any cleanup > operations might not have helped. > > What's your server configuration? Could you have disabled any safe I/O > options to get some more speed out of the database, perhaps? > > I'm pretty sure 8.x copes with SIGKILL (because of its use of WAL > logging, strong fsync requirements, etc) though of course it's still not > a good idea. I don't know about 7.x . > > -- > Craig Ringer > > -- > Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org) > To make changes to your subscription: > http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
