Thread: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

From

"Jean-Marc Paulin"

Date:

21 June 2002, 14:00:16

Hi there,

Seems I am not the only one in this case...

I am running PostgreSQL 7.2.1 (freshly build on a Win2K SP2 machine) and all
its dependants.
- I have follow Jason's FAQ (ok, without the patches ... )
- I have managed to initialize the template1 database.
- I can get the samples to run against the server
- I can create tables, insert/select data... (I've done that in another
database, not template1)

If I run postmaster as a daemon from a cygwin telnet session, createdb works
fine.
If I run postmaster as a service (via the cygrunsrv), createdb return the
error: "could not initialize database directory".

Even more confusing, if I run postmaster as a daemon, create a Db, then kill
postmaster daemon, then start posmaster service, I can use the freshly
created database.

I do not belive this is a security issue because postmaster as a daemon
works fine, files are owned by postmater, the /etc/passwd file is
correct,...
- this is not because cp and mv are not in the default path ( if I logon to
the PC with postgres user and open a raw Win32 cmd window, I can use cp and
mv).
- I do not have any quota or disk space Pb either...

Any hints ?

Jean-Marc

Re: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

From

s0lao@netscape.net (S. L.)

Date:

24 June 2002, 11:21:34

[...]
>If I run postmaster as a daemon from a cygwin telnet session, createdb works
>fine.
>If I run postmaster as a service (via the cygrunsrv), createdb return the
>error: "could not initialize database directory".
[...]

This means the user you login to the telnet session is different from the user that executes postmaster as a service
(usuallySYSTEM or LocalSystem, which, usually again :), is not provided with the rights to login), and/or the options
usedto start the postmaster as a daemon are different from those used to start it as a service. 

[...]
>Any hints ?
>
[...]

You must check the user context for the two cases, and make sure that you use the same command line options for
postmasterwhen started as a service, also the environment variables. 

SLao


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Re: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

From

"Jean-Marc Paulin"

Date:

24 June 2002, 12:06:29

YES 100%

Affirmative !!!

Same command line too. Even further, a psql client connected to the postmaster service can select/insert in the databases. So I would assume this is not a privilege related issue either.

----- Original Message -----
From: Henshall, Stuart - WCP
To: 'Jean-Marc Paulin' ; pgsql-cygwin@postgresql.org
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 10:17 AM
Subject: RE: [CYGWIN] ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

Are you running the service as the same user as when you run from a shell?
- Stuart
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jean-Marc Paulin [mailto:jmp@micromuse.com]
>
> Hi there,
>
> Seems I am not the only one in this case...
>
> I am running PostgreSQL 7.2.1 (freshly build on a Win2K SP2
> machine) and all
> its dependants.
> - I have follow Jason's FAQ (ok, without the patches ... )
> - I have managed to initialize the template1 database.
> - I can get the samples to run against the server
> - I can create tables, insert/select data... (I've done that
> in another
> database, not template1)
>
> If I run postmaster as a daemon from a cygwin telnet session,
> createdb works
> fine.
> If I run postmaster as a service (via the cygrunsrv),
> createdb return the
> error: "could not initialize database directory".
>
> Even more confusing, if I run postmaster as a daemon, create
> a Db, then kill
> postmaster daemon, then start posmaster service, I can use the freshly
> created database.
>
> I do not belive this is a security issue because postmaster
> as a daemon
> works fine, files are owned by postmater, the /etc/passwd file is
> correct,...
> - this is not because cp and mv are not in the default path (
> if I logon to
> the PC with postgres user and open a raw Win32 cmd window, I
> can use cp and
> mv).
> - I do not have any quota or disk space Pb either...
>
> Any hints ?
>
> Jean-Marc

Re: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

From

"Jean-Marc Paulin"

Date:

24 June 2002, 12:12:31

Yo,

The postmaster service is configure to be logged-on as .\postgres user (same
username / password / privileges as the telnet user).

The *really* weird thing is that the service can select/insert/delete
rows/table in existing databases. The only failure is
for the CREATE DATABASE. This is what is the most confusing for me.

It might well be an environment issue, but same user would get the same
environment. So what could be next ?

Thanks

JM

----- Original Message -----
From: "S. L." <s0lao@netscape.net>
To: ""Jean-Marc Paulin"" <jmp@micromuse.com>; <pgsql-cygwin@postgresql.org>
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 6:37 AM
Subject: RE: [CYGWIN] ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database
directory


> [...]
> >If I run postmaster as a daemon from a cygwin telnet session, createdb
works
> >fine.
> >If I run postmaster as a service (via the cygrunsrv), createdb return the
> >error: "could not initialize database directory".
> [...]
>
> This means the user you login to the telnet session is different from the
user that executes postmaster as a service (usually SYSTEM or LocalSystem,
which, usually again :), is not provided with the rights to login), and/or
the options used to start the postmaster as a daemon are different from
those used to start it as a service.
>
> [...]
> >Any hints ?
> >
> [...]
>
> You must check the user context for the two cases, and make sure that you
use the same command line options for postmaster when started as a service,
also the environment variables.
>
> SLao
>
>
> __________________________________________________________________
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Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape!
http://shopnow.netscape.com/
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>

Re: ERROR: CREATE DATABASE: could not initialize database directory

From

s0lao@netscape.net (S. L.)

Date:

25 June 2002, 05:24:59

[...]
>rows/table in existing databases. The only failure is
>for the CREATE DATABASE. This is what is the most confusing for me.
[...]

The CREATE DATABASE needs to have the rights to do a "mkdir" in the place where $PGDATA environment variable points to,
andto "cp"/configure several files after that. 
Actually, all I can guess is that executing postmaster as a service, there are some _cygwin_ variables in your telnet
session,that the cygrunsrv command doesn't pass to the started backend. The same user would get the same environment,
butnot all the time. Try a simple "bash.exe" command and a "bash.exe --login" in a cmd window, each followed by a "set"
command,to see what I mean.  

SLao


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