Re: Forgot to dump old data before re-installing machine

Stefan Schwarzer <stefan(dot)schwarzer(at)grid(dot)unep(dot)ch> writes:
> Ok, did what you said: stopping server, deleting "newly" created
> "data" directory, re-running initdb, starting the server, stopping the
> server.

> Renamed "empty" data directory.

> Restarting server: NOT COMPLAINING "you need to run initdb" or
> something else.... Although it's saying that it starts, nothing
> appears in the process list (ps -ef).

Hmm, you need to stop here and figure out exactly what happens.

What procedure are you using to start the server? I assume you
are not directly typing "postmaster", but using some script,
because the bare postmaster would certainly not act that way.
I guess that either the script silently runs initdb for you
(which is generally thought a bad idea nowadays) or that it
is redirecting the postmaster's log output someplace that you're
not looking. Anyway, don't go past this step until you understand
what you're seeing.

regards, tom lane