"dghundt(at)netzero(dot)net" <dghundt(at)netzero(dot)net> writes:
> Postgres backsup the data and 95% of the time sticks at this table and cpu activity drops from 40-60% to about zero. I can stay there for hours before I just have to stop the attempt.
Have you looked into pg_locks to see if something is holding an
exclusive lock on that table? Have you checked to see if there's
still disk activity?
regards, tom lane