"show all" command crashes server

Hi folks

First time poster here so please extend grace if I don't initially
provide what is needed to help.

I am running postgresql 8.3.7 on debian lenny
(postgresql-8.3_8.3.7-0lenny1_i386.deb).

I have three of these servers and generally they run well.

On this one server if I use the command "show all" in psql, phpPgAdmin
or pgAdmin3 the postgresql server spits the dummy as follows:

postgres(at)theconsole:~$ psql
Welcome to psql 8.3.7, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal.

Type: \copyright for distribution terms
\h for help with SQL commands
\? for help with psql commands
\g or terminate with semicolon to execute query
\q to quit

postgres=# show all;
server closed the connection unexpectedly
This probably means the server terminated abnormally
before or while processing the request.
The connection to the server was lost. Attempting reset: Failed.

In the syslog is:

Sep 10 23:55:14 theconsole postgres[31118]: [3-2] 0: LOCATION:
reaper, postmaster.c:2156
Sep 10 23:55:15 theconsole postgres[31124]: [4-1] [local] [unknown]
[unknown] 0: LOG: 08P01: incomplete startup packet
Sep 10 23:55:15 theconsole postgres[31124]: [4-2] [local] [unknown]
[unknown] 0: LOCATION: ProcessStartupPacket, postmaster.c:1396
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [4-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
server process (PID 31145) was terminated by signal 11: Segmentation
fault
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [4-2] 0: LOCATION:
LogChildExit, postmaster.c:2529
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [5-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
terminating any other active server processes
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [5-2] 0: LOCATION:
HandleChildCrash, postmaster.c:2374
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [6-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
all server processes terminated; reinitializing
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [6-2] 0: LOCATION:
PostmasterStateMachine, postmaster.c:2690
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [7-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
database system was interrupted; last known up at 2009-09-10 23:55:14
EST
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [7-2] 0: LOCATION:
StartupXLOG, xlog.c:4836
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31147]: [7-1] [local] postgres
postgres 0: FATAL: 57P03: the database system is in recovery mode
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31147]: [7-2] [local] postgres
postgres 0: LOCATION: ProcessStartupPacket, postmaster.c:1648
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [8-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
database system was not properly shut down; automatic recovery in
progress
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [8-2] 0: LOCATION:
StartupXLOG, xlog.c:5003
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [9-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
record with zero length at 2A/E734761C
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [9-2] 0: LOCATION:
ReadRecord, xlog.c:3126
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [10-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
redo is not required
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31146]: [10-2] 0: LOCATION:
StartupXLOG, xlog.c:5146
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31150]: [7-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
autovacuum launcher started
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31150]: [7-2] 0: LOCATION:
AutoVacLauncherMain, autovacuum.c:520
Sep 10 23:55:36 theconsole postgres[31118]: [7-1] 0: LOG: 00000:
database system is ready to accept connections

this is 100% repeatable.

The database seems to work fine unless this command is run then it is
instant death.

any help would be appreciated

regards
Grant