Thread: Desparate: Lost WAL files
Hi. Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents of my pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start because it can't find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a clean shutdown, so I know that the dbms should be okay if I could just restart it. I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. Thanks in advance.
Richard Doust wrote: > Hi. > Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents of my > pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start because it can't > find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a clean shutdown, so I know > that the dbms should be okay if I could just restart it. > I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. Well the exact error would be good just in case but you may be able to use pg_resetxlog to get the machine back up. However you will have no idea what state the database itself is in. You need to restore from backup. Sincerely, Joshua D. Drake > Thanks in advance. > > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 1: subscribe and unsubscribe commands go to majordomo@postgresql.org -- Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. 1.800.492.2240 PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/
Richard Doust wrote: > Hi. > Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents of my > pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start because it can't > find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a clean shutdown, so I > know that the dbms should be okay if I could just restart it. > I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. > Thanks in advance. Have you tried pg_resetxlog to get it started? -- Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001 + If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road + Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073
Thanks guys. I didn't know about this command. It worked like a charm. Like I said, I had done a clean shutdown. Thanks again. On Jul 6, 2005, at 11:51 AM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > Richard Doust wrote: > >> Hi. >> Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents of >> my pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start because >> it can't find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a clean >> shutdown, so I know that the dbms should be okay if I could just >> restart it. >> I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. >> > > Well the exact error would be good just in case but you may be able > to use pg_resetxlog to get the machine back up. However you will > have no > idea what state the database itself is in. > > You need to restore from backup. > > Sincerely, > > Joshua D. Drake > > > > >> Thanks in advance. >> ---------------------------(end of >> broadcast)--------------------------- >> TIP 1: subscribe and unsubscribe commands go to >> majordomo@postgresql.org >> > > > -- > Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. > 1.800.492.2240 > PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support > Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting > Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >
Richard Doust wrote: > Thanks guys. > I didn't know about this command. > It worked like a charm. > Like I said, I had done a clean shutdown. If you did a clean shutdown and you lost those files you quite likely have a very serious problem. You should investigate your hardware. Files don't just "disappear". Sincerely, Joshua D. Drake > Thanks again. > > On Jul 6, 2005, at 11:51 AM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > >> Richard Doust wrote: >> >>> Hi. >>> Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents of >>> my pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start because it >>> can't find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a clean shutdown, >>> so I know that the dbms should be okay if I could just restart it. >>> I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. >>> >> >> Well the exact error would be good just in case but you may be able >> to use pg_resetxlog to get the machine back up. However you will have no >> idea what state the database itself is in. >> >> You need to restore from backup. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joshua D. Drake >> >> >> >> >>> Thanks in advance. >>> ---------------------------(end of >>> broadcast)--------------------------- >>> TIP 1: subscribe and unsubscribe commands go to >>> majordomo@postgresql.org >>> >> >> >> -- >> Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. 1.800.492.2240 >> PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support >> Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting >> Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >> -- Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. 1.800.492.2240 PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/
Well, actually, (he said sheepishly) I deleted the WAL files myself. A bit of stupidity. On Jul 6, 2005, at 12:03 PM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > Richard Doust wrote: > >> Thanks guys. >> I didn't know about this command. >> It worked like a charm. >> Like I said, I had done a clean shutdown. >> > > If you did a clean shutdown and you lost those files you quite likely > have a very serious problem. You should investigate your hardware. > Files don't just "disappear". > > Sincerely, > > Joshua D. Drake > > > >> Thanks again. >> On Jul 6, 2005, at 11:51 AM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: >> >>> Richard Doust wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Hi. >>>> Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents >>>> of my pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start >>>> because it can't find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a >>>> clean shutdown, so I know that the dbms should be okay if I >>>> could just restart it. >>>> I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> Well the exact error would be good just in case but you may be >>> able to use pg_resetxlog to get the machine back up. However you >>> will have no >>> idea what state the database itself is in. >>> >>> You need to restore from backup. >>> >>> Sincerely, >>> >>> Joshua D. Drake >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> Thanks in advance. >>>> ---------------------------(end of >>>> broadcast)--------------------------- >>>> TIP 1: subscribe and unsubscribe commands go to >>>> majordomo@postgresql.org >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. >>> 1.800.492.2240 >>> PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support >>> Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting >>> Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >>> >>> > > > -- > Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. > 1.800.492.2240 > PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support > Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting > Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >
Richard Doust wrote: > Well, actually, (he said sheepishly) I deleted the WAL files myself. A > bit of stupidity. Doh! In the future it would probably be wise to *not* do that ;) Sincerely, Joshua D. Drake > > On Jul 6, 2005, at 12:03 PM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > >> Richard Doust wrote: >> >>> Thanks guys. >>> I didn't know about this command. >>> It worked like a charm. >>> Like I said, I had done a clean shutdown. >>> >> >> If you did a clean shutdown and you lost those files you quite likely >> have a very serious problem. You should investigate your hardware. >> Files don't just "disappear". >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joshua D. Drake >> >> >> >>> Thanks again. >>> On Jul 6, 2005, at 11:51 AM, Joshua D. Drake wrote: >>> >>>> Richard Doust wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hi. >>>>> Can anyone please tell me what I can do? I've lost the contents >>>>> of my pg_xlog directory and postmaster is failing to start >>>>> because it can't find a valid checkpoint record. It had done a >>>>> clean shutdown, so I know that the dbms should be okay if I >>>>> could just restart it. >>>>> I'm in a desparate situation. It's a production database. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> Well the exact error would be good just in case but you may be >>>> able to use pg_resetxlog to get the machine back up. However you >>>> will have no >>>> idea what state the database itself is in. >>>> >>>> You need to restore from backup. >>>> >>>> Sincerely, >>>> >>>> Joshua D. Drake >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> Thanks in advance. >>>>> ---------------------------(end of >>>>> broadcast)--------------------------- >>>>> TIP 1: subscribe and unsubscribe commands go to >>>>> majordomo@postgresql.org >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. >>>> 1.800.492.2240 >>>> PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support >>>> Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting >>>> Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >>>> >>>> >> >> >> -- >> Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. 1.800.492.2240 >> PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support >> Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting >> Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/ >> -- Your PostgreSQL solutions company - Command Prompt, Inc. 1.800.492.2240 PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Programming, 24x7 support Managed Services, Shared and Dedicated Hosting Co-Authors: plPHP, plPerlNG - http://www.commandprompt.com/