Ubuntu
postgresql-9.1 package

  1. Bug #264336
  2. Comment #23

Comment 23 for bug 264336

Revision history for this message
Martin Pitt (pitti) wrote : Re: [Bug 264336] Re: pgsql fails to start due to shared buffer setting greater than kernel allows

Morten Minke [2009-04-01 11:03 -0000]:
> I have added a file:
>
> /etc/sysctl.d/90-postgres.conf
>
> in which I have changed the kernel settings for shmmax to make postgres
> run correctly.

That's fine.

> Isn't this why this folder was created, to make individual packages
> change the configurations according to their needs?

Not really. Just assume several packages would ship configuration
files there which would set different values. This is just a Russian
Roulette then. There should be one sensible system default, not
several packages trying to compete for settings.

> I do not get exactly why this would not affect all postgres users?
> Is the configuration of postgres dynamically created during install,
> based on the available memory in the system?

Yes, it is. initdb determines the current setting and sets up an
appropriate default in postgresql.conf. The problem occurs if
something major changes between installation and starting.