Re: PostgreSQL Service Unable to Start After Archive Log delete

Hi Loganathan

I am a complete PostgreSQL noob! Reading the manual (after googling) I
found this: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/app-pgresetwal.html

When I tried to simulate your situation I ended up with this:

I broke it as you described:

2026-09-10 16:49:31.398 CEST [803224] LOG:  starting PostgreSQL 18.4 on
x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0, 64-bit
2026-09-10 16:49:31.399 CEST [803224] LOG:  listening on IPv6 address
"::1", port 5436
2026-09-10 16:49:31.399 CEST [803224] LOG:  listening on IPv4 address
"127.0.0.1", port 5436
2026-09-10 16:49:31.404 CEST [803224] LOG:  listening on Unix socket
"/tmp/.s.PGSQL.5436"
2026-09-10 16:49:31.415 CEST [803230] LOG:  database system was shut
down at 2026-09-10 16:48:53 CEST
2026-09-10 16:49:31.415 CEST [803230] LOG:  invalid checkpoint record
2026-09-10 16:49:31.415 CEST [803230] PANIC:  could not locate a valid
checkpoint record at 0/7000028
2026-09-10 16:49:31.465 CEST [803224] LOG:  startup process (PID 803230)
was terminated by signal 6: Aborted
2026-09-10 16:49:31.465 CEST [803224] LOG:  terminating any other active
server processes
2026-09-10 16:49:31.465 CEST [803224] LOG:  shutting down due to startup
process failure
2026-09-10 16:49:31.466 CEST [803224] LOG:  database system is shut down

Then I did the following:

dba(at)boss:/mnt/archivedir [postgres-18-t1, 5436]> pg_resetwal
--pgdata=/home/dba/database/postgres-18-t1/data
Write-ahead log reset
dba(at)boss:/mnt/archivedir [postgres-18-t1, 5436]> start
waiting for server to start.... done
server started

Error Log shows me, that database is up an running again:

2026-09-10 16:55:34.086 CEST [807005] LOG:  starting PostgreSQL 18.4 on
x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0, 64-bit
2026-09-10 16:55:34.087 CEST [807005] LOG:  listening on IPv6 address
"::1", port 5436
2026-09-10 16:55:34.087 CEST [807005] LOG:  listening on IPv4 address
"127.0.0.1", port 5436
2026-09-10 16:55:34.091 CEST [807005] LOG:  listening on Unix socket
"/tmp/.s.PGSQL.5436"
2026-09-10 16:55:34.102 CEST [807011] LOG:  database system was shut
down at 2026-09-10 16:55:18 CEST
2026-09-10 16:55:34.114 CEST [807005] LOG:  database system is ready to
accept connections

And application started to work as well...

How consistent your data are now somebody else has to answer...

Hope this helps?

Regards,
Oli

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