I: file system backup of postgresql db onto another installation

"Giovanni Gualdi" <giovanni.gualdi@xxxxxxxxxxx> · Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:15:32 +0200

of 
course, I did take care of postmaster.pid file, removing it when 
necessary...

thanks
Giovanni

  Da: Giovanni Gualdi 
  [mailto:giovanni.gualdi@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Inviato: giovedì 14 aprile 
  2005 19.10
A: 'pgsql-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Oggetto: file 
  system backup of postgresql db onto another installation

  Hi 
  all,

  I created a DB 
  with PostgreSql 8.0.0beta4, and filled it up with data. It is installed on Windows 
  2000 server.

  I turned off the 
  service for some regular maintainance, 
  but 
  for some 
  reasons the PostgreSQL service cannot restart anymore.
  I get the 
  following error:

  "Could not 
  start the PostgreSQL Database Server [version # inserted here]
service on 
  local computer.
The service did not return an error. This could be an 
  internal Windows
error or an internal service error.
If the problem 
  persists, contact your system administrator."

  I've no idea what 
  could cause the problem, but looking on the net i found that it could be a bug 
  of the beta releases of postgres.
  Anyway, i tried to 
  turn of as many services as i could from my server, but it's still impossible 
  to run the postgresql service.

  Now my big problem 
  is 
  how to get the 
  data out of the DB, since i don't have any recent dump of the data 
  (I've 
  just the backup of the schema).

  I tried all ways 
  to copy the 
  \data directory 
  and all its content inside a working installation of PostgreSQL 8.0 

  (not of 8.0.0beta4 
  since I cannot find anywhere the those installation files), 

  I also updated the 
  paths in \data\postmaster.conf and 
  \data\global\config_exec_params,
  but the service 
  crashes as soon as I try to run it: the error is the same as 
  before.
  (NET HELPMSG 3534, 
  very useful =)

  I even tried to 
  uninstall 8.0.0beta4, keeping the \data directory, and then installing on it 
  the new 8.0, but still I have the same problem.

  i've no idea why i 
  cannot run it...
  should I change 
  any configuration file?
  or is there a 
  compatibility issue between 8.0.0beta4 and 8.0? 
  (strange...)
  or is the DB files 
  corrupted in any way? (strange, since the server didn't have any error or 
  interruption...)

  is there any way, 

  any 
  utility, to recover the data of a postgres DB just starting from the file 
  system?

  thanks in 
  advance,
  Giovanni