Re: PostgreSQL Service Unable to Start After Archive Log delete

On Thu, 2026-09-10 at 18:28 +0530, loganathan P wrote:
> Unfortunately, the OS housekeeping activity has been performed, and all archive
> log files has been deleted from both the archive log and pg_wal locations.
> We attempted to start the service, but it is unable to start due to the error
> shown below.  Please provide the solution.
>
> starting PostgreSQL 15.18 on x86_64-pc-linux-gun, compiled by gcc (GCC) 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-28), 64-bit
> listening on IPv4 address "192.168.56.15", port 5423
> listening on Unix socket "var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5423"
> listening on Unix socket "/tmp/ .s.PGSQL.5423"
> database system was shut down in recovery at 2026-09-10 11:10:40 IST
> invalid primary checkpoint record
> PANIC: could not locate a valid checkpoint record
> startup process (PID 1031317) was terminated by signal 6: Aborted
> terminating any other active sever processes
> shutting down due to startup process failure
> database system is shut down

What you performed was not "the OS housekeeping activity", but the "destroy the
database activity". To use an analogy, I wouldn't consider making a hole in
the roof a housekeeping activity.

This is the time to restore your backup.

Yours,
Laurenz Albe