Subject: Re: Is it possible to import raw data directories in a
	cluster (Debian)?
From: Joost Kraaijeveld <J.Kraaijeveld@Askesis.nl>
To: Kevin Grittner <Kevin.Grittner@wicourts.gov>
Cc: pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
Date: Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:22:35 +0200
In-Reply-To: <4E6742870200002500040E45@gw.wicourts.gov>
References: <1315379614.4054.6.camel@panoramix.Askesis.nl>
	<4E6742870200002500040E45@gw.wicourts.gov>
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On Wed, 2011-09-07 at 10:08 -0500, Kevin Grittner wrote: 
> In any event, if the files are recovered to their original
> locations, the database should start.
I think that he lost the postgres database in the proces, which seems to
hold the information for every database in the cluster. 

> > Of course he has no useful backups,
>  
> That should never be an "of course" 
I should have marked the cynical mode a bit more clear ;-) 

> What upgrade?  
See the cynical remark above.

> I thought you said that pg_dropcluster was what was
> run?  When you say the directories are "untouched" does that mean
> that no files have been deleted from them?
Apart from the postgres and template* databases...

> Import?  From what?  From the earlier parts of your post it sounded
> like you need someone who knows the OS and its utilities to see if
> they can recover deleted files.  If you can recover them to the
> directories from which they were deleted, I would expect the
> database cluster to start right up.
Mmmmm. Than he has a problem. XFS does not support undelete.

Thanks for the answer. 

-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten,

Joost Kraaijeveld
Askesis B.V.
Molukkenstraat 14
6524NB Nijmegen
tel: 024-3888063 / 06-51855277
fax: 024-3608416
web: www.askesis.nl