📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
Database service refuses to start and dependent applications are offline.
Environment & Reproduction
Typically appears after restore, rsync migration, or manual chown changes.
Root Cause Analysis
PostgreSQL rejects insecure or incorrect ownership on data directory and files.
Quick Triage
Check status with `systemctl status postgresql` and verify data path ownership.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Inspect `journalctl -u postgresql` and confirm `PGDATA` location in cluster config.
Solution – Primary Fix
Restore ownership to `postgres:postgres`, enforce secure modes, and restart cluster.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Reinitialize cluster on a clean volume and restore from backup if metadata is inconsistent.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
Database starts cleanly and accepts local connections.
Rollback Plan
Revert to prior data snapshot if startup still fails after permission repair.
Prevention & Hardening
Use controlled migration scripts that preserve ownership and modes.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Related to SELinux/AppArmor denials and mismatched PostgreSQL versions.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for debian-10.
View all debian-10 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
Debian PostgreSQL cluster and filesystem permission guidance.
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