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

>>> 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.
>
>
> Uff....
>
> Ok, here is what I did after "compiling" postgres8.1 (getting it
> from MacPorts):
>
> /opt/local/lib/postgresql81/bin/initdb -D Documents/data_postgres
> /opt/local/lib/postgresql81/bin/pg_ctl -D Documents/data_postgres -l
> logfile start
>     ps -ef shows the postmaster process
> /opt/local/lib/postgresql81/bin/pg_ctl -D Documents/data_postgres -l
> logfile stop
>     renaming "data_postgres" to "data_postgres.orig"
> /opt/local/lib/postgresql81/bin/pg_ctl -D Documents/data_postgres -l
> logfile start
>     which tells me:
>         postmaster starting
>     but in ps -ef there is no process listed
>
> When I re-rename the newly created folder (data_postgres.orig into
> data_postgres) the "start" works again. But it does not work with
> the "old" (backuped) data folder...
>
> So, as I mentioned before, it seems not to be that simple, that I
> can just copy the "old" (backuped) data folder onto the newly created.
>
> Is there any way I can figure out with which version I have created
> the "old" databases? Perhaps, in a "worst" case scenario they have
> been created in 8.0.... I will try...

The logfile is telling me this when I try to start the server with my
"old" data folder:

FATAL:  database files are incompatible with server
DETAIL:  The database cluster was initialized with PG_CONTROL_VERSION
738394112, but the server was compiled with PG_CONTROL_VERSION 812.

What does it mean? I have and had 8.1 installed...

Thanks for any help!!

Stef