From: Dmitry Litvintsev <litvinse@fnal.gov>
To: pgsql-generallists.postgresql.org <pgsql-general@lists.postgresql.org>
Subject: could not stat file "pg_wal/RECOVERYHISTORY": No such file or
 director
Thread-Topic: could not stat file "pg_wal/RECOVERYHISTORY": No such file or
 director
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Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:54:38 +0000
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Precedence: bulk

Hello, =0A=
=0A=
I have been setting PITR backup off of base backup. Wal files are shipped t=
o the host running pg_basebackup pulling backup from =0A=
master host. =0A=
=0A=
Once base backup finished I wanted to try recovery. =0A=
=0A=
I added=0A=
=0A=
restore_command =3D 'gunzip /data/xlogs/%f.gz > %p'=0A=
=0A=
(that command is wrapped in a script that checks existence of input and exi=
ts w/ 0 if it does not as per instructions)=0A=
=0A=
I did move pg_wal out of the way and re-created it:=0A=
=0A=
mv pg_wal pg_wal.bak=0A=
mkdir pg_wal=0A=
=0A=
I did touch recovery signal:=0A=
=0A=
touch recovery.signal=0A=
=0A=
I see in the log:=0A=
=0A=
=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:30.750 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  database system was interrup=
ted; last known up at 2025-10-23 02:00:41 CDT=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.582 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  could not stat file "pg_wal/=
RECOVERYHISTORY": No such file or directory=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.582 CDT  2876871 > DETAIL:  restore_command returned =
a zero exit status, but stat() failed.=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.582 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  starting archive recovery=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.583 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  starting backup recovery wit=
h redo LSN 20975/FE0AC690, checkpoint LSN 20975/FE21CA88, on timeline ID 4=
=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.586 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  could not stat file "pg_wal/=
RECOVERYHISTORY": No such file or directory=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.586 CDT  2876871 > DETAIL:  restore_command returned =
a zero exit status, but stat() failed.=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.798 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  restored log file "000000040=
0020975000000FE" from archive=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:31.819 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  redo starts at 20975/FE0AC69=
0=0A=
< 2025-10-23 16:05:33.927 CDT  2876871 > LOG:  restored log file "000000040=
0020975000000FF" from archive=0A=
=0A=
it seems to be churning on, but I am a bit worried about :=0A=
=0A=
could not stat file "pg_wal/RECOVERYHISTORY": No such file or directory=0A=
=0A=
I do not recall having to deal with this in the past? Should I have manuall=
y created =0A=
=0A=
pg_wal/archive_status=0A=
=0A=
my old scripts seem to indicate the need for this - I am trying to resurrec=
t =0A=
PITR after multiple upgrades and not running it for some time (relying in r=
eplica instead) =0A=
=0A=
So, is it harmless? Postgresql does not fail, the recovery is still ongoing=
. =0A=
=0A=
This is postgresql 15. =0A=
=0A=
Additional question.... as the wall file are continuously getting shipped t=
o the backup host, =0A=
will this recovery ever end?  (I neglected to set recovery_target_time)=0A=
=0A=
Thank you very much in advance=0A=
=0A=
=0A=