Thread: Re: [SQL] install problem

Re: [SQL] install problem

From
Tom Lane
Date:
Eric J McKeown <ericm@palaver.net> writes:
> when I attempt to run initdb, I get this message every time:
> Only the unix superuser may initialize a database with a different
> Postgres superuser.  (You must be able to create files that belong
> to the specified unix user).

Eric, check the setting of your USER environment variable.  It must be
set and set correctly, because that's what initdb looks at (ditto for
the Postgres regression tests, BTW, and perhaps other stuff).  At least
on my system, USER is not updated by "su", for example.

> I've checked the FAQ, but it doesn't seem to cover this one.

This oughta be mentioned in the documentation somewhere :-(

            regards, tom lane

Re: [SQL] install problem

From
Eric J McKeown
Date:
On Mon, 15 Mar 1999, Tom Lane wrote:

> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 10:09:08 -0500
> From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
> To: Eric J McKeown <ericm@palaver.net>
> Cc: pgsql-sql@hub.org, pgsql-docs@hub.org
> Subject: Re: [SQL] install problem
>
> Eric J McKeown <ericm@palaver.net> writes:
> > when I attempt to run initdb, I get this message every time:
> > Only the unix superuser may initialize a database with a different
> > Postgres superuser.  (You must be able to create files that belong
> > to the specified unix user).
>
> Eric, check the setting of your USER environment variable.  It must be
> set and set correctly, because that's what initdb looks at (ditto for
> the Postgres regression tests, BTW, and perhaps other stuff).  At least
> on my system, USER is not updated by "su", for example.

I figured this one out yesterday, but failed to post that to the group.
When I ran initdb --help, I got a full list of options to initdb, and
specifying postgres as the user with the -u option (I think that was the
one) did the trick.

>
> > I've checked the FAQ, but it doesn't seem to cover this one.
>
> This oughta be mentioned in the documentation somewhere :-(

I'd be happy to write a little something up for the FAQ if need be.

Thx.

>
>             regards, tom lane
>

__________________________________
Eric McKeown, Web Developer
ericm@palaver.net | (219) 253-8131
Palaver | http://www.palaver.net