Re: Possible causes for database corruption and solutions - Mailing list pgsql-general

From Craig Ringer
Subject Re: Possible causes for database corruption and solutions
Date
Msg-id 4B28B675.6080606@postnewspapers.com.au
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: Possible causes for database corruption and solutions  (Florian Weimer <fweimer@bfk.de>)
Responses Re: Possible causes for database corruption and solutions  (Florian Weimer <fweimer@bfk.de>)
List pgsql-general
On 16/12/2009 3:54 PM, Florian Weimer wrote:
> * Michael Clark:
>
>> The solution to the problem seemed to be to change the value for the
>> wal_sync_method setting to fsync_writethrough from the default of fsync.
>> I was curious if there were perhaps any other reasons that we should look
>> at?  Or if there may be other alternatives to changing the wal_sync_method
>> setting.
>
> Fsync and related settings only matter if the operating system (not
> just the database) crashes.  Does this happen frequently for you?

When you're dealing with end users who have machines running
god-knows-what kinds of awful hardware drivers and with no power
protection, then I expect it does. Add laptop users with ageing/flakey
batteries, laptops let go flat after they go into powersave suspend,
etc, and you're sure to see plenty of cases of apparent crashes.

--
Craig Ringer

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