Re: Problem with database: FATAL 1: cannot find attribute 24

Hi Justin,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I still haven't solved the problem,
but do have slightly more info now.

We are getting this error message whenever we try to connect using psql, the
\c command in psql, the pg_dump command, the vacuum command, or the JDBC
driver:

FATAL 1: cannot find attribute 24 of relation ^MA

I'm wondering if the database somehow got a table or some relation named ^MA
(or rather, carriage-return, capital A) that is causing the postgresql
backend to choke.
The only place that I see this error message issued is in
src/backend/utils/cache/relcache.c.

Do you mean that one of the raw database files would have been deleted? My
customer has no access to that directory and I really don't think that I did
anything to it. Or do you mean something else?

Any suggestions you have would be very appreciated!

Thanks,
Tauren

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
> [mailto:pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org]On Behalf Of Justin Clift
> Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2001 3:31 AM
> To: Tauren Mills; PostgreSQL General Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] Problem with database: FATAL 1: cannot find
> attribute 24
>
>
> Hi Tauren,
>
> Have you found the solution for this yet?
>
> It really sounds like part of your customer's database has been deleted
> or gone missing.
>
> Which version of PostgreSQL are you using, and which operating system is
> it on?
>
> :-)
>
> Regards and best wishes,
>
> Justin Clift
>
>
> Tauren Mills wrote:
> >
> > Sorry for cross-posting this to both admin and general. I
> first posted to
> > admin, but as I'm desperate here and there is more activity in
> the general
> > list, I'm now posting it here as well.
> >
> > ---
> >
> > Help!
> >
> > One of my customers is having a problem with their database
> causing all of
> > their sites to be down right now. The problem seems to effect
> only their
> > database, not any other databases on the server. Here is the
> output when
> > connecting to it:
> >
> > [root(at)s1 data]# psql -U postgres dans_pgsql
> > Password:
> > Asql: FATAL 1: cannot find attribute 24 of relation
> >
> > I've searched the email archives as well as deja.com, but
> cannot find this
> > error message mentioned anywhere. Does anyone know what it means? I've
> > tried restarting postgres. Can anyone help suggest what I can do to get
> > this database working again?
> >
> > I have backups of all raw files on the server, but the customer
> has not done
> > a dump of their database recently. I rather doubt that restoring their
> > database from tape would replace it in a consistent state. Any
> thoughts on
> > this as well?
> >
> > One more thing...
> >
> > The vacuum command is giving the same error:
> >
> > [root(at)s1 data]# vacuumdb -v -U postgres dans_pgsql
> > Password:
> > Asql: FATAL 1: cannot find attribute 24 of relation
> > vacuumdb: vacuum dans_pgsql failed
> >
> > Is there another way to fix a corrupt database (assuming that
> is what the
> > problem here is)?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Tauren
> >
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> --
> "My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those
> who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the
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> - Indira Gandhi
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