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Thread: FATAL cannot create init file... why?

FATAL cannot create init file... why?

From
"Julian Gollop"
Date:
Hello all,
I am using Red Hat linux v7.0 which installs postgreSQL.
I have been learning how to use it for the last three days while reading
Bruce Momjian's excellent book - postgreSQL introduction and concepts.
I had no problems until yesterday.
I typed:
psql test
to connect to my test database and got:
FATAL 1: cannot create init file ./data/base/test/pg_internal.init.1352

This used to work fine. The only unusual thing that I did the previous day
was to run pgaccess. The only change I made to the system was to edit my
/etc/hosts file to get pgaccess working. I have made no other changes to the
system for the last few days. I am at a loss.

I hope you can help.

Re: FATAL cannot create init file... why?

From
Tom Lane
Date:
"Julian Gollop" <julian.gollop@ntlworld.com> writes:
> FATAL 1: cannot create init file ./data/base/test/pg_internal.init.1352

Are you starting the postmaster as the correct user?  If so, check to
ensure that the directory data/base/test is owned by that user and has
permissions rwx------.  Another possibility is you're out of disk space.

            regards, tom lane

RE: FATAL cannot create init file... why?

From
"Julian Gollop"
Date:
Hi Tom,
I am logging in as user postgres, which owns the data/base/test directory
with rwx------, and I start the postmaster with this login using
pg_ctl -D ./data start
There is no problem with disk space. I can initdb another data directory,
but I can't createdb without a similar fatal error. Very puzzling.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Lane [mailto:tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us]
Sent: 11 May 2001 14:43
To: Julian Gollop
Cc: pgsql-novice@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: [NOVICE] FATAL cannot create init file... why?

"Julian Gollop" <julian.gollop@ntlworld.com> writes:
> FATAL 1: cannot create init file ./data/base/test/pg_internal.init.1352

Are you starting the postmaster as the correct user?  If so, check to
ensure that the directory data/base/test is owned by that user and has
permissions rwx------.  Another possibility is you're out of disk space.

                        regards, tom lane

Re: FATAL cannot create init file... why?

From
Tom Lane
Date:
"Julian Gollop" <julian.gollop@ntlworld.com> writes:
> I am logging in as user postgres, which owns the data/base/test directory
> with rwx------, and I start the postmaster with this login using
> pg_ctl -D ./data start
> There is no problem with disk space. I can initdb another data directory,
> but I can't createdb without a similar fatal error. Very puzzling.

Oh ... I see it.  You gotta give an absolute path as -D parameter.

(I think PG 7.1 is smart enough to convert a relative -D path spec to
absolute, but earlier releases just get confused.)

            regards, tom lane

RE: FATAL cannot create init file... why?

From
"Julian Gollop"
Date:
Hi Tom,
That seems to have clinched it - all working now.
Thanks very much.

Julian.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Lane [mailto:tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us]
Sent: 11 May 2001 16:21
To: Julian Gollop
Cc: pgsql-novice@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: [NOVICE] FATAL cannot create init file... why?

"Julian Gollop" <julian.gollop@ntlworld.com> writes:
> I am logging in as user postgres, which owns the data/base/test directory
> with rwx------, and I start the postmaster with this login using
> pg_ctl -D ./data start
> There is no problem with disk space. I can initdb another data directory,
> but I can't createdb without a similar fatal error. Very puzzling.

Oh ... I see it.  You gotta give an absolute path as -D parameter.

(I think PG 7.1 is smart enough to convert a relative -D path spec to
absolute, but earlier releases just get confused.)

                        regards, tom lane