Summary: I used a workstation where /usr/local/pgsql was mounted, and which had a larger SHMMAX. initdb worked there. Then I returned to the server, edited /usr/local/pgsql/data/pgsql.conf for smaller sizes than the default shared_buffers and max_connections. Thanks to Pandu and Tom Lane for the following links which describe in detail the various configuration options: http://www.powerpostgresql.com/Downloads/annotated_conf_80.html http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/static/kernel-resources.html However, when the server SHMMAX is smaller than the size required by the defaults for shared_buffers and max_connections, I have not been able to find a way (other than the above), to tell initdb to use a nondefault values. If this is possible, it should be documented. The conf file is in the data directory--initdb will not init if there are existing files in that directory. I am doing this for a class where there initially will be only one connection; and it's not possible to reboot the server at this time. So I realize my solution is a suboptimal configuration, but would like to get it up and working. If there is another way to do this, such as command line options or environmental values for initdb, I haven't found it. Thanks for the help and suggestions. Anne On 12/7/05, Anne M. Hammond <hammond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > This is running on a Solaris 8 machine. > > I installed V 7.4.7 to use with OpenACS. > > lcd[34]% /usr/local/pgsql/bin/initdb -D /usr/local/pgsql/data > ... > selecting default max_connections... 10 > selecting default shared_buffers... 50 > creating configuration files... ok > creating template1 database in /usr/local/pgsql/data/base/1... FATAL: > could not create shared memory segment: Invalid argument > DETAIL: Failed system call was shmget(key=1, size=1081344, 03600). > ... > > lcd[36]% sysdef -i | grep SHMMAX > 1048576 max shared memory segment size (SHMMAX) > > ----------- > So the shared memory request is greater than the SHMMAX in > the kernel. If I just wanted to use a smaller number of shared_buffers > (24), I tried editing /usr/local/pgsql/data/pgsql.conf. > > But initdb -D /usr/local/pgsql/data > finds that the directory is not empty and will not create the databases. > I have also tried > setenv PGOPTIONS="shared_buffers = 24" > and tried initdb, but initdb uses the default number. > > Could you tell me how to set shared_buffers from the default so > that a smaller shared memory segment will be requested? > > If you could also tell me how to set the max_connections to a value > different from the default, that would be great. > > Any advice appreciated. > > Anne Hammond, University of Colorado at Boulder >
