If it helps in future, I use this script (don't remember where I had found it..) to backup the databases on disk, and then the backup directory can be backed up to the tape --
#!/bin/sh # Backup PostgreSQL TMPDIR=/var/lib/pgsql/backups export TMPDIR echo $TMPDIR # dump each database schema/data separately su -l postgres -c "psql -At -F ' ' -U postgres -d template1 <<__END__ SELECT datname FROM pg_database WHERE datallowconn; __END__ " | while read DB; do echo "PostgreSQL db $DB" mkdir -p $TMPDIR/$DB # schema su -l postgres -c "pg_dump -Cs -F c -Z 9 -S postgresql $DB" \ > $TMPDIR/$DB/schema.pg rm -rf $TMPDIR/$DB/schema.pg.gz gzip $TMPDIR/$DB/schema.pg # data su -l postgres -c "pg_dump -bd -F c -Z 9 -S postgresql $DB" \ > $TMPDIR/$DB/data.pg rm -rf $TMPDIR/$DB/data.pg.gz gzip $TMPDIR/$DB/data.pg # simple su -l postgres -c "pg_dump $DB" \ > $TMPDIR/$DB/simple.sql rm -rf $TMPDIR/$DB/simple.sql.gz gzip $TMPDIR/$DB/simple.sql done # dump all globals (users/groups) su -l postgres -c "pg_dumpall -g" \ > $TMPDIR/globals.sql -----Original Message----- From: Tom Lane [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 10:51 AM To: Jeff Boes Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ADMIN] Transaction logs gone, how to restart? Jeff Boes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > We backed up our test server yesterday (Pg 7.4.1) as the first step in > switching from Red Hat 7 to Whitebox. However, we failed to back up > the transaction and commit logs. Now that the OS and database are back > to where they were, we get this message on attempting to restart: > LOG: could not open file > "/usr/local/pgsql/data/pg_xlog/00000041000000EE" (log file 65, segment > 238): No such file or directory Urgh. If you shut down the postmaster cleanly before backing up, then you don't really need pg_xlog --- running pg_resetxlog will get you out of the above problem. However, if you did not save pg_clog then I fear you are well and truly screwed. How long ago was your last complete (database-wide) VACUUM? If it was just before shutdown then you may be able to achieve some semblance of a consistent database, but if it was awhile ago then you do not have a database but just a pile of bits :-( regards, tom lane ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ? http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs/FAQ.html ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 7: don't forget to increase your free space map settings