Setting up Postgresql on Linux

Hello,
I am trying to use the linux startup script in the contrib directory
of the distribution. I get the following error in the server log:

LOG: invalid secondary checkpoint record
PANIC: unable to locate a valid checkpoint record
LOG: startup process (pid 1480) was terminated by signal 6
LOG: aborting startup due to startup process failure

When I issue the this collamd I get an error:

[postgres(at)hardwoodthunder postgres]$ psql -- v
psql: could not connect to server: No such file or directory
Is the server running locally and accepting
connections on Unix domain socket "/tmp/.s.PGSQL.5432"?

I have added theses lines in postgresql.config:

tcpip_socket = true
port = 5432

If I isssue the command:
[postgres(at)hardwoodthunder postgres]$ /etc/init.d/postgres status
Password:
pg_ctl: postmaster or postgres is not running

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?
thanks,
Phil