postgresql 7.4.6 - FATAL Database Startup Message - Mailing list pgsql-admin

Database System startup message

In postgres version  7.4.6, I notice that sometimes when the database starts up, it outputs a log message such as "2005-01-18 14:44:13 FATAL:  the database system is starting up". Shouldn't this be "LOG" instead of "FATAL" message. Well, it's not like the database does not startup or anything, the server starts up just fine all the time !

I also observed that this FATAL message appears during system reboots as well as when I shutdown and restart the server back-to-back (immediately following the shutdown, right after I get a prompt from shutdown).

On the other hand, If I shutdown the database server, wait for about 5-7 seconds and then re-start the server I do not see this FATAL message, it spits out a standard log message such as "2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  database system is ready". That said, the FATAL message during system startup brings up unnecessary attention when in fact the system and the database starts up just fine.

I have observed this in several installations. I never saw this message in pre 7.4.6 releases and I do not know if this issue had been addressed in 8.0 release.

Thank You for your attention.

Best Regards,

Rao Kumar

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-- Shutdown,  Restart within 1-2 seconds

2005-01-18 14:44:05 LOG:  received fast shutdown request
2005-01-18 14:44:05 LOG:  shutting down
2005-01-18 14:44:07 LOG:  database system is shut down

2005-01-18 14:44:13 LOG:  database system was shut down at 2005-01-18 14:44:07 EST
2005-01-18 14:44:13 LOG:  checkpoint record is at 0/43B8378
2005-01-18 14:44:13 LOG:  redo record is at 0/43B8378; undo record is at 0/0; shutdown TRUE
2005-01-18 14:44:13 LOG:  next transaction ID: 21838; next OID: 50690
2005-01-18 14:44:13 LOG:  database system is ready
2005-01-18 14:44:13 FATAL:  the database system is starting up

2005-01-18 14:44:32 LOG:  received fast shutdown request
2005-01-18 14:44:32 LOG:  shutting down
2005-01-18 14:44:34 LOG:  database system is shut down

2005-01-18 14:44:39 LOG:  database system was shut down at 2005-01-18 14:44:34 EST
2005-01-18 14:44:39 LOG:  checkpoint record is at 0/43B83B8
2005-01-18 14:44:39 LOG:  redo record is at 0/43B83B8; undo record is at 0/0; shutdown TRUE
2005-01-18 14:44:39 LOG:  next transaction ID: 21840; next OID: 50690
2005-01-18 14:44:39 LOG:  database system is ready
2005-01-18 14:44:39 FATAL:  the database system is starting up

-- Shutdown,  Restart after waiting for 5 secs

2005-01-18 14:45:08 LOG:  received fast shutdown request
2005-01-18 14:45:08 LOG:  shutting down
2005-01-18 14:45:10 LOG:  database system is shut down

2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  database system was shut down at 2005-01-18 14:45:10 EST
2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  checkpoint record is at 0/43B8438
2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  redo record is at 0/43B8438; undo record is at 0/0; shutdown TRUE
2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  next transaction ID: 21844; next OID: 50690
2005-01-18 14:45:27 LOG:  database system is ready