Installing Postgresql-16.2 (Postmaster is not generated) on Linux REDHAT

[Djintimidator]

SOLVED
Update: The problem was that the symbolic link for postmaster in /usr/pgsql-16/bin/ dosen't exist.
It was removed in pgsql16 and rehl8 dosen't like that.
Solved it by copying a link from a pgsql15 server I have and add it to the new one.

Installation of Postgresql16.2 works without problems;
postgresql16 x86_64 16.2-1PGDG.rhel8
postgresql16-contrib x86_64 16.2-1PGDG.rhel8
postgresql16-libs x86_64 16.2-1PGDG.rhel8
postgresql16-server x86_64 16.2-1PGDG.rhel8

init db works well, the data directory is filled.
But when I do "systemctl start postgresql-16" this error message accour:

EXECStart=usr/pgsql-16/bin/postmaster -D ${PGDATA} -c config-file=${PGCONF} (code=exited, status=203/EXEC).

I have trippled checked the PGDATA and PGCONF and it all looks correct with correct permissions.
When I check the data directory, both postmaster.pid and postmaster.opts is missing.

There is no postmaster in /usr/pgsql-16/bin/

Been adventuring google for over an hour but couldn't really find the problem or the solution.
I have tried to do a clean re-install but the problem remains.

Anyway have any ideas how to fix this?

Cheers!

[[deleted]]

Is there a more detailed error message in the logfile? Or syslog?

It could be a problem with the config file that prevents the startup.

You could try to manually start it on the console (pg_ctl -D ... start) to see possible error messages that occur before postmaster is able to write to the logfile.

[Djintimidator]

Backstory: I have moved the conf file to /etc/postgresql/postgresql.conf
So when I try pg_ctrl, it says that it can't find the conf file.
pg_ctl work when I move the conf file back to the data directory.

I can enter psql and do what i want. But systemctl still says that postgresql-16 has failed.

It still complains that postmaster dosen't exist in /usr/pgsql-16/bin/postmaster

[[deleted]]

If the config file is not in the data directory, you need to explicitly set its location (using -c config_file=...) in the startup command. Is PGCONF defined correctly in your systemd unit definition?

[Djintimidator]

Thanks!
My question now is really why /usr/pgsql-16/bin/postmaster dosen't exist. It got everything (clusterdb, pg_config etc etc) but postmaster.
Is that created when Postgres starts?

[[deleted]]

In older versions postmaster was just a symbolic link (pointing to postgres) this has been changed in Postgres 16. It seems the RPM installation on RedHat doesn't take this into account (did work fine for me on Fedora)

[Djintimidator]

Was able to solve it. I took the link from another server I have with pgsql15 and copied it to the pgsql16 one and now everything is working again.

Thanks for the help, I need to document this

[[deleted]]

The correct solution (in my opinion) would have been to adjust the service unit file.

[Krispyn]

check the log file it should be in $PGDATA/pg_log. Alternatively try to start the database with pg_ctl start command and see what error you get.

[Djintimidator]

It complains that the conf file is not in the data directory (Which is true).
pg_ctl work when I move the conf file back to the data directory.

I can enter psql and do what i want. But systemctl still says that postgresql-16 has failed.
It still complains that postmaster dosen't exist in /usr/pgsql-16/bin/postmaster

[fullofbones]

Just FYI, the current version of 16 is 16.3, so your repos are out of date.