postgresql wont start in Lucid kubuntu

[starslights]

Binary package hint: postgresql-8.4

Hello,

I running Lucid beta2 on x86 64 and i report a new bug while postgresql wont start and i haven't any errors messages or infos about the cause.

So to be sure i report a new one

Best regards

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: postgresql 8.4.2-2build1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-19.28-generic 2.6.32.10+drm33.1
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-19-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Apr 8 11:39:59 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta amd64 (20100406.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 LANG=fr_CH.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: postgresql-8.4

[Michael Anckaert (michael-anckaert)]

Could you perform try to start the postgresql server and post the file /var/log/postgresql-8.4-main.log to here?
The following command will start the postgresql server, enter it in a gnome terminal:

sudo /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4 start

[starslights (starslights)]

hi Michael,

I looking in var/log and i found postgresql folder but still empty .

I have try to add postgresql-server but still the same.

on karmic it work fine but dunno why it's no message when i start it in terminal and why it's not log anywhere

[ugmoe2000 (ericpulvino)]

after:
sudo /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4 start

Result:
sudo: /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4: command not found

Could this be something wrong /w the installation or package? I confirm this bug in 10.04 beta1 64bit xubuntu.

[ugmoe2000 (ericpulvino)]

I would like to recant my previous comment.... it helps to have the proper package installed... postgresql-server is depricated, postgresql-8.4 is the current package; however when you throw the -y flag on aptitude you don't always see the output when it says things like I didn't actually install postgresql for you. My bad.

[Klas Kalass (klas-kalass)]

I got the same symptoms as described in the original report.

I found that /etc/postgresql/8.4 was missing, but the script silently exists with status 0 if that directory is missing.

The fix was to create the "main" cluster:

pg_createcluster 8.4 main

I suggest to either change the startup script such that a helpful message is shown if that directory is missing, or to include the createcluster call to the installation script.

[Ian Ward (ian-excess)]

Same here, after upgrading I'm left with a broken postgresql.

# dpkg -S /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4
postgresql-8.4: /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4
# ls /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4
ls: cannot access /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4: No such file or directory

[Jeff (freyley)]

I was using postgresql 8.3 on 9.10 but just upgraded to 10.04. In doing so, postgresql 8.3 stopped running and would not start. Installing package postgresql and postgresql-8.4 did not fix this, with no /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.4 package being installed. Looking at the file in the deb showed me a stock file without any code to cause postgresql to start. Reinstalling, removing and installing, these had no effect.

[Fred M. (frm)]

I can confirm that postgresql-8.4 on a brand new install of lucid is not usable. Klas' fix above works, but it's not obvious from error messages, postgresql-specific ubuntu web pages, etc. that this is a required step. Further, removing the packages in an attempt to "re-install" yields an non-uninstallable postgresql-8.4 package. I think a large font-ed link to this page from the ubuntu-postgresql wiki page that says "new postgres installations that fail to start on lucid, look HERE" would be a huge timesaver until a better solution is found.

[Kai Mast (kai-mast)]

I can confirm this too. Also on precise with upstream postgresql.

Please add a valid error message. Needed hours to fix this problem!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.