postgres does not know where to find the server configuration file

Question

I had installed PostgreSQL but when I do run command postgres in windows CMD

It gives following error:

postgres does not know where to find the server configuration file.
You must specify the --config-file or -D invocation option or set the PGDATA environment variable.

Even after running command

initdb postgres as maintained similar Issue
postgres -D C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\data\ gave me following output:

2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT LOG:  could not bind IPv6 socket: Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted.
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT HINT:  Is another postmaster already running on port 5432? If not, wait a few seconds and retry.
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT LOG:  could not bind IPv4 socket: Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted.    
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT HINT:  Is another postmaster already running on port 5432? If not, wait a few seconds and retry.
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT WARNING:  could not create listen socket for "*"
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT FATAL:  could not create any TCP/IP sockets
2016-09-28 15:04:57 PDT LOG:  database system is shut down

What exactly are you trying to do? You should use pg_ctl to start the Postgres server. Do not use postgres for that. — user330315
– user330315, Commented Sep 28, 2016 at 9:39
I want to connect database to my django application so I need some database as well user in my db — Akhilesh Kumar
– Akhilesh Kumar, Commented Sep 28, 2016 at 9:43
If you installed Postgres using the graphical installer it will create a Windows service that will start automatically. Do you have a Windows service for Postgres? Why do you think you need to run postgres.exe manually? What happens if you use psql to connect to Postgres? — user330315
– user330315, Commented Sep 28, 2016 at 9:46

Francisco Puga · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-28 09:47:41Z

7

As the error says, to start a postgresql cluster you must set the path to the data folder. Probably something like:

postgres -D "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\data\"

but the use of pg_ctl instead postgres is recommended:

pg_ctl -D "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\data\" start

Don't forget to check the postgres documentation about how to start a server and how to use pg_ctl.

Usually, the postgres installlers creates a service/daemon so there is not need to launch the server by hand. So if you get an error like

Is another postmaster already running on port 5432?

It probably means that the server is already running. Try to connect to it using psql

edited Sep 28, 2016 at 9:47

answered Sep 28, 2016 at 9:32

Francisco Puga

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3 Comments

Akhilesh Kumar Over a year ago

It gives: postgres: invalid argument: "Files\PostgreSQL\9.6\data" Try "postgres --help" for more information.

user330315 Over a year ago

@AkhileshKumar Use double quotes: -D "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\data\" but you should use pg_ctl to start Postgres, not postgres.exe

Akhilesh Kumar Over a year ago

Altough server is started but still when I'm running command "postgres" it gives the same error

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