Re: problematic upgrade

From: Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us>
To: "Jeff Flowers" <duckfoo(at)fastmail(dot)fm>
Cc: "PGSQL-Novice" <pgsql-novice(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Re: problematic upgrade
Date: 2004-11-29 19:30:37
Message-ID: 21369.1101756637@sss.pgh.pa.us
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"Jeff Flowers" <duckfoo(at)fastmail(dot)fm> writes:
> I know that there are a few ways to back up a PostgreSQL database but is
> there any one method that is generally recommended above others?

You can either use pg_dump or do filesystem backups *with the postmaster
stopped*. See the Administrator's Guide:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/static/backup.html
PG 8.0 will allow a third basic approach, on-line backup:
http://developer.postgresql.org/docs/postgres/backup.html

The "File system level backup" subsection in that chapter explains why
piecemeal copying of data files (which is what I understood Marcin to
say his friend did) doesn't work. Add to that the issues associated
with a cross-version changeover (such as, usually, changes in system
catalog contents and layout), and I'm amazed that the thing appeared
to work at all.

regards, tom lane

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