gmake install and initdb problems

Hi,
I've just finished compiling postgresql v6.3 on my sparcstation2.
While trying to complete the installation I ran into a problem with
initdb. My output looks like this:

> initdb: using /usr/local/pgsql/lib/local1_template1.bki.source as
> input to creat e the template database.
> initdb: using /usr/local/pgsql/lib/global1.bki.source as input to
> create the global classes.
> initdb: using /usr/local/pgsql/lib/pg_hba.conf.sample as the
> host-based authentication control file.

> We are initializing the database system with username postgres
> (uid=502).
> This user will own all the files and must also own the server
> process.

> initdb: creating template database in
> /usr/local/pgsql/data/base/template1
> Running: postgres -boot -C -F-D/usr/local/pgsql/data -Q template1
> initdb: could not create template database initdb: cleaning up by
> wiping out /usr/local/pgsql/data/base/template1

The output is nearly identical with debugging turned on. It just
mentions that debug mode is on, and passes -d instead of -Q to
postgres.

The mailing list archives and FAQ both mention that this can be
caused by old libraries not being uninstalled properly. This doesn't
apply here as the system was only installed from scratch 2 days ago
and hasn't seen postgresql until now.

One other possibility mentioned in the FAQ was that 'gmake install'
was supposed to create files in the $PGDATA/files directory, and that
initdb can fail if this didn't happen. Sure enough, there isn't even
a $PGDATA/files directory at all (although the $PGDATA directory does
exist - as you can see above, on my system it's
/usr/local/pgsql/data). Looking through my make.install.log file
everything succeeded, and /usr/local/pgsql/files isn't even mentioned
once.

So I'm left wondering, did 'gmake install' fail? If so then why does
it appear to work? Can/should I create the $PGDATA/files directory
manually? If this isn't the problem then why is initdb failing?

Any help here would be GREATLY appreciated!

If it's of any use, my system is a sparcstation2 running RedHat Linux
4.2 (Stock standard edition - I haven't recompiled the kernel).
Nothing else has been installed on this system yet. I replaced the
HDD in it on the weekend and I decided to re-install everything - so
the system in quite clean.

TIA
Paul

Paul Gearon
gearon(at)computer(dot)org

Microsoft - Where every morning is the dawn of a new error.