postgres 8.2.9 transaction id wraparound failure

running on a linux box

i've inherited this test machine getting the following errors in the
logs....

scoogan 198.119.134.228 2009-04-20 11:42:48.762 EDT 0 [9181]
[scoogan_ange_1.2] FATAL:  database is not accepting commands to avoid
wraparound data loss in database "postgres"
scoogan 198.119.134.228 2009-04-20 11:42:48.762 EDT 0 [9181]
[scoogan_ange_1.2] HINT:  Stop the postmaster and use a standalone
backend to vacuum database "postgres".

I stopped the server and went into single user mode as the docs
suggested....
    postgres --single -D /data/pg_devices


then i am issuing vacuum full analyze;   it returns.....

 2009-04-20 11:37:47.377 EDT  [8513] [] WARNING:  database "postgres"
must be vacuumed within 982038 transactions
  2009-04-20 11:37:47.377 EDT  [8513] [] HINT:  To avoid a database
shutdown, execute a full-database VACUUM in "postgres".

trying to restart the server - I still am getting the same initial
errors....

Am i missing something??

thanks!!      Maria Wilson