I get a “could not create lock file” error when trying to run Postgres

Question

I recently had to replace my postgresql.conf file, and I thought I got the settings right, but when I try to run Postgresql, I get this error:

 ESTFATAL:  could not create lock file "/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432.lock": No such file or directory

My workaround is to go as root and create a folder called postgresql in /var/run and then change the owner of the folder to postgres.

The biggest problem is that I need to do this every single time my computer starts, the folder somehow deletes itself.

I tried commenting out the external pid file bit in the conf file, but that didn't change anything.

Answer 1

• What version of postgresql are you running?
• What repo is it from?
• Can you post your config file and init script?

I tried commenting out the external pid file bit in the conf file, but that didn't change anything.

Try having it write the pid file out to /var/run/FILE instead of /var/run/postgresql/FILE.

[Edit 1]:

The default socket directories for apps are usually /tmp as it's world writable (which var isn't, of course creating the directory and setting permissions allows this to work, it's rather non-standard and might be better using the standard settings). Also, I'd leave the extra pid line commented out since the init script doesn't use it.