Re: Upgrade to RedHat 9.0 broke PostgreSQL

> So I'm stuck. Can I get two things, please?

The easiest way is to grab your data directory. If you installed from
RPMS I believe it is in /var/lib/pgsql/data but you will probably want
to double check.

> 2. An explanation for why the box is necessary? I mean, it
> would have been nice to have left behind sufficient tools
> to do the dump PostgreSQL is requiring. If they were left
> behind, it would have been nice if they were easier to find.

Well this is a RedHat foobar. In reality, Red Hat should have a check
to see if a previous version of PostgreSQL is installed via RPM and if
so, don't install the new version. At a minimum they should warn you.

On the other side, an initdb is always required for a major release
(e.g. 7.2 -> 7.3). This is because major releases typically contain
changes to the very lower levels of the database.

Anyway, to get out of this pickle, you need to remove 7.3, get
PostgreSQL 7.2.4 running, with your old data directory (providing you
are running a 7.2 version of PostgreSQL), then run a pg_dumpall, make
at least 4 copies (;)), remove 7.2.4, install 7.3.2, and run a
pg_restore.

Sincerely,
Joshua D. Drake
Command Prompt, Inc.
Co-Author Practical PostgreSQL

P.S. Never upgrade an OS without knowning the dependancies. PostgreSQL
isn't MS Access. It is more like Oracle or (don't flame me) MS SQL.
You can't just "upgrade" it.

>
> Apologies if this is in the FAQ -- I did look. I also looked at
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/view.php?version=7.3&idoc=1&file=admin.html
> but the word "upgrade" doesn't appear anywhere in that detailed
> table of contents.
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance.
>
> Bob