postgresql error PANIC: could not locate a valid checkpoint record

PostgresqlPostgresql 9.0

Postgresql Problem Overview

When I load up the postgres server (v9.0.1) i get a panic that prevents it from starting:

> PANIC: could not locate a valid checkpoint record

How can I fix this?

Postgresql Solutions

Solution 1 - Postgresql

It's looking for a checkpoint record in the transaction log that probably doesn't exist or is corrupted. You can determine if this is the case by running:

# Postgres >= 10
pg_resetwal DATADIR

# Postgres < 10
pg_resetxlog DATADIR

If the transaction log is corrupt, you'll see a message like:

The database server was not shut down cleanly.  
Resetting the transaction log might cause data to be lost.  
If you want to proceed anyway, use `-f` to force reset.

You can then follow the instructions and run with -f to force the update:

# Postgres >= 10
pg_resetwal -f DATADIR

# Postgres < 10
pg_resetxlog -f DATADIR

That should reset the transaction log. However, it could leave your database in an indeterminate state as explained in the PostgreSQL documentation on pg_resetwal:

> If pg_resetwal complains that it cannot determine valid data for > pg_control, you can force it to proceed anyway by specifying the > -f (force) option. In this case plausible values will be substituted > for the missing data. Most of the fields can be expected to match, but > manual assistance might be needed for the next OID, next transaction > ID and epoch, next multitransaction ID and offset, and WAL starting > location fields. These fields can be set using the options discussed > below. If you are not able to determine correct values for all these > fields, -f can still be used, but the recovered database must be > treated with even more suspicion than usual: an immediate dump and > reload is imperative. Do not execute any data-modifying operations in > the database before you dump, as any such action is likely to make the > corruption worse.

Solution 2 - Postgresql

I'm running 9.1.7 and i find ran the following successfully:

/usr/lib/postgresql/9.1/bin/pg_resetxlog -f /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main

Your final argument to the pg_resetxlog command should be the location on disk where postgres stores your database data.

Solution 3 - Postgresql

As indicated here pg_resetxlog should not be run. The answers that refer to this is bad advice. Assuming the error occured in a context of copy/replication instance, the link provides a more succinct way of doing copy/replication with pg_basebackup

Solution 4 - Postgresql

Do you do continuous archiving? If you are backing up at the time, you may find it more prudent to remove backup_label. pg_resetxlog is a severe thing.

Solution 5 - Postgresql

I came across here with a Docker Postgresql-13 which did not start again. I fixed it by finding the volume (for the data) and running

Being in the volume data folder, e.g., /var/lib/docker/volumes/c4c8d637d9eee086265d732b2974690b731abcb23f47ca61bf75fe28526e31ce/_data

run as owner of the directory (for me it was the systemd-coredump user)

sudo -u systemd-coredump /usr/lib/postgresql/13/bin/pg_resetwal -f .

For sure you need the same Postgresql version installed (if the pg_resetwal is not part of the volume)

worked

Solution 6 - Postgresql

just like the log saying : could not locate a valid checkpoint record.Postgres can't find a properly WAL under the $PGDATA/pg_xlog/ directory. Try to use pg_resetxlog

Solution 7 - Postgresql

For me it worked when i removed the folder with data from postgres, so it was near other solutions but anyone explained that deleting the folder could sove.

SO: Ubuntu 20.04

Step by step:

  1. docker-compose down
  2. docker rmi $(docker images -q)
  3. Only on ubuntu or debian based: cd ~ && sudo rm -r postgres docker-compose up

Solution 8 - Postgresql

This answer is for Postgres 14. I was getting the same error in the standby logs after the following steps:

  1. Login to stand-by.

  2. Create back up with the below command:

> pg_basebackup -D $APP_BACKUP_PATH -F t -P -v -U replicator -w > --no-password -h 10.29.51.98

  1. Extract generated $APP_BACKUP_PATH/base.tar to standby data directory.

  2. Restart the standby. The start up fails with : PANIC: could not locate a valid checkpoint record.

  3. So, it turns out that the backup was not generated right. It needs to be generated with an additional option -X stream.

  4. After regenerating and applying the updated back up to the stand by data directory, the stand-by came up without this error.

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Questionnathan_scottView Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - PostgresqlErwin BrandstetterView Answer on Stackoverflow
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