PostgreSQL service won't start!

[NeoGeo]

After reinstall Windows XP, I cannot log in to Poker Tracker anymore. I get the following error message.

Unable to connect to the database.

101 - SQLSTATE = 08001
could not connect to server: Connection refused (0x0000274D/10061)
Is the server runnning on host "localhost" and accepting
TCP/IP connections on port 5432?

Please help!

[ptrack pat]

I hope you backed up your databases before doing this?

Did you reinstall PostgreSQL after reinstalling windows?

[NeoGeo]

I didn't backup database before I repair install my Windows XP. Is it too late to back up? If I reinstall, will I lose all data?

[NeoGeo]

My Windows XP got blue screen after automatic update, so I wasn't prepared to backup before Windows repair install.

[ptrack pat]

It's too late to try now if you can't connect to the database. The only other thing you can try is to go to the c:\program files\postgresql\8.x\data folder (where "x" is the version number of PostgreSQL you installed, like 8.2) and if there is a file called postmaster.pid there, delete it, restart the computer and try it again.

[NeoGeo]

i don't see postmaster.pid file but I do see a postmaster.opts file.
how would I fix it? I tried to start service from start menu which brought out a command prompt box and timed out.
I tried to start from Control Panel Services, I get timed out too. Where can I tweak to get it going?

After I repair install Windows XP and do bunch of autmatic Windows Update, I was able to keep my HD data and this is the only application currently not running after my system came back up.

[NeoGeo]

Bump! Help!

[ptrack pat]

Have you never backed up this database before? If you don't have any backups, then I don't know what else to tell you to get it working again. You should have been backing it up on a regular basis using the backup option on the PostgreSQL Database Functions window.

[NeoGeo]

Pat,
Since you mentioned postmaster.pid file, I did a little research. http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-bu ... g00017.php, All I did was get postgres OS user admin right to read/write that data directory as oppose to it only had read access as regular User to that folder after Windows XP reinstall. Voila! It worked. Now I have it working again!

Couple things I still need to do, since I regularly made extra copies of MDB files, after PostgresSQL migration, I have not done update.
1) Where in PostgresSQL feature that I can backup my hard-drive.
2) I just acquired a Windows 7 laptop to my backup system. How do I move PT2, PTO and PTS to that new system? Do I install and request new registration and copy files? Show me proper steps please.

Thank you in advance.....

[ptrack pat]

See the bottom of this FAQ post that details how to backup the database and move it to the new computer...
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1369