Subject: Re: Continuing issues... Can't vacuum!
From: "Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com>
To: Carol Walter <walterc@indiana.edu>
Cc: pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
In-Reply-To: <5897F703-1525-477B-8749-80A0A4E0A656@indiana.edu>
References: <5897F703-1525-477B-8749-80A0A4E0A656@indiana.edu>
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Organization: Command Prompt, Inc.
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 11:00:22 -0700
Message-Id: <1211565622.17493.24.camel@jd-laptop>
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On Fri, 2008-05-23 at 13:54 -0400, Carol Walter wrote:
> Hello,

> vacuumdb: vacuuming database "km"
> NOTICE:  number of page slots needed (2275712) exceeds max_fsm_pages  
> (200000)
> HINT:  Consider increasing the configuration parameter  
> "max_fsm_pages" to a value over 2275712.
> 
> The problem is I've found the max_fsm_pages parameter in the  
> postgresql.conf file, but changing it doesn't seem to be having any  
> effect. 

You have to restart the database.

>  So I'm going to ask some questions that are probably pretty  
> silly, but I hope you'll help me.  First of all, perhaps the  
> postgresql.conf file that I am editing may not be the one that is  
> being read when the database server starts.  There are several  
> postgresql.conf files on this system.  How do I tell which one is the  
> one being read?

Woah... :)

From psql: show config_file;


> The max_fsm_pages parameter says what the minimum setting is in the  
> file.  Is there also a maximum?
> 

It is limited by your shared memory but consider that is not your
problem. Your problem is you don't vacuum enough. My suggestion is to do
the following:

Up the max_fsm_pages a considerable amount
Restart
Vacuum the entire database
backup
reinitialize with backup
make sure you are vacuuming properly.

Sincerely,

Joshua D. Drake