Re: Cannot start Postgres : invalid data in PID file

On 04/14/11 1:01 AM, Daron Ryan wrote:
> Problem: Cannot start Postgres
> Platform: Postgres 8.3, Windows Vista Home
> Error Message: pg_ctl: invalid data in PID file "C:/Program
> Files/PostgreSQL/8.3/data/postmaster.pid"
>
> I run postgres on Windows Vista Home Edition. It normally runs as a
> service but is not starting. I created a command line instruction by
> copying the data from Windows service GUI and changing "runservice" to
> "start". Under the command line it produces the following:
>
> C:\Users\Daron>"C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/8.3/bin/pg_ctl.exe" start
> -N "postgr
> esql-8.3" -D "C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/8.3/data" -w
> pg_ctl: invalid data in PID file "C:/Program
> Files/PostgreSQL/8.3/data/postmaste
> r.pid"
>
> Entering "type postmaster.pid" in the appropriate directory produces a
> couple of blank lines.
>
> I thought of trying to delete the PID file but I am not sure if it may
> cause further problems.

as long as you can ensure that the server is not running, its perfectly
safe to delete the PID file.